ECC named Illinois' fastest growing school

Between the initial housing boom and later bust, it should come as no surprise that Elgin Community College saw rapid enrollment growth over the past decade.

Just how rapid that growth was is illustrated in a new report from “Community College Week” that names ECC the fastest growing community college in Illinois and the 13th-fastest growing institution of its size in the country.

The report tracked enrollment growth at community colleges between fall 2008 and fall 2009. During that period, ECC's enrollment grew from 9,818 to 11,705, a 19-percent increase.

ECC officials said they believe the down economy and tuition staying at $91 per credit hour for the past four years drove the increase.

“Whenever you see high unemployment rates, people go back to school,” said Philip Garber, executive director of planning and institutional effectiveness at ECC. “Our board of trustees has held tuition steady for several years now. That may have given us a leg up compared to other schools in our area. ... If you add all of those things up it's almost the perfect storm for enrollment growth.”

Public schools often view rapid enrollment growth as more of a curse than a blessing. But in the case of ECC, officials say the growth gave them the impetus to pass a bond measure for $178 million in campus improvements, including a new library, Health Careers Center and Multipurpose Classroom Building.

“There are times when it's a tight squeeze,” said Rose DiGerlando, vice president of teaching, learning and student development at ECC. “The new expanded library will certainly help us serve the students better.”

The college has also accommodated new students through its expanded “distance learning” program, which allows students to take courses online. This year, ECC saw a 20-percent increase in enrollment in distance learning.

“As the student population grows, we're able to change the delivery models,” Garber said. “It's one of the ways we handle increased enrollment.”

ECC's enrollment has slowed this year, in line with many community colleges in the suburbs, and officials expect that moderate growth to continue for a few years. The college had 12,219 students in the fall, only a 4-percent increase over 2009.