Things are booming at Riverland this fall. At the end of the fourth week of classes, our headcount (the number of individual students we are serving) was 3,564, a nine-percent increase over the same time in Fall 2002. All three Riverland locations in Albert Lea (5.3 percent), Austin (3.8 percent) and Owatonna (3.2 percent) have seen increases in the number of students.

A snapshot of our student body profile looks like this: 51 percent of our students are in a liberal arts track to transfer to a university; 41 percent are in career programs; 5 percent are in farm business management programs; 52 percent of our students are female, 48 percent are male; 53 percent of our students are part-time and 47 percent are full-time.

Riverland students come from all over the region and the world. This year, our International student population has increased to more than 60 students, including two students from our newly established sister institution Kherson State Technical University in Kherson, Ukraine. However, the top ten communities in which our students reside are nearer than Eastern Europe. They are: Austin, 872; Albert Lea, 557; Owatonna, 549; Waseca, 138; Blooming Prairie, 77; Glenville, 49; Adams, 47; Faribault, 46; Rochester, 44; Ellendale, 40.

Many of our students are attending classes at more than one site, in addition to taking advantage of our distance learning opportunities that include online courses and courses via interactive television technology.

Interestingly, the increase in enrollment comes after a 13-percent tuition increase for the 2003-04 academic year. After a $1.5-million reduction in state funding, college officials reluctantly raised tuition to preserve crucial student services. Noteworthy is the fact that our student senate leaders understood the need for and approved the tuition increase.

Even with the tuition raise, area students still recognize the value of a Riverland education compared with other higher education options. Riverland’s affordability and the benefit of classes close to home, combined with our quality programs and services, are major reasons we have seen such significant growth in our enrollment this year and consistently over the past four years.

Budget reductions force our faculty and staff members to serve more students without increases in personnel. I am proud of the outstanding job Riverland’s employees do despite the challenges of increasing demands for their services. Our employees remain committed to giving our students excellent service and upholding the college’s mission to provide “a wide range of student-centered educational opportunities to enhance personal growth and community vitality.”

(Dr. Terrence Leas is the president of Riverland Community College.)