College enrolment up by eight per cent

COTR says increased enrolment will have a strong economic impact in the region

College of the Rockies (COTR) registrar Doris Silva released enrolment figures this week showing that COTR’s enrolment is up by eight per cent over last year. There are 1,696 students currently registered; this does not include students registered in Community Literacy or Continuing Education. When Community Literacy and Continuing Education are included the total goes to 2,502 students registered at COTR at all five campuses. This represents a growth of nearly eight per cent from the same time in 2009.

“Increases are being shown in most program areas,” Silva said. “An increasing number of these students are from outside the region and directly reflect our recruitment and marketing efforts—however, the majority of the student are from Cranbrook or one of our regional campuses. Our residence is at capacity with students from nearly all provinces in Canada and many regions of B.C., as well as international students. This does not include the hundreds of students who are living off campus."

Silva continued, “The impact this increase in enrolment will have on our regional economy is significant. These students purchase goods and services in our communities as well as contribute to our cultural diversity. Bringing students from outside the region to the College of the Rockies affects us all in a positive way. In a study done for College of the Rockies by CC benefits from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006, out-of-region students provided $5.1 million in regional income during the analysis year. This figure has no doubt increased significantly in the intervening four years.”

As to why there is such an increase in enrolment this year, Silva could only speculate.

“I think more and more East Kootenay secondary students are realizing that we are a viable and reputable institution with qualified instructors. We have also been informing them about the study done by Simon Fraser University a couple of years ago that students who transfer to university from college have a much higher success rate,” she concluded.