by Steve Hinnefeld
shinnefeld@heraldt.com
August 10, 2005

Ivy Tech Community College of Bloomington set a summer enrollment record this year, and officials credit a new course schedule that is friendlier to recent high school graduates and students from other colleges.

"We're pleased with the results," said John Whikehart, the Ivy Tech Bloomington chancellor.

Some 1,532 students were enrolled in for-credit courses at Ivy Tech Bloomington this summer. Most attended part time, taking one or two classes.

The previous summer record was 1,370 students, set in 2003. But summer enrollment declined last year, counter to a trend of growth in the fall and spring.

"It turned out to be an opportunity in disguise," Whikehart said. "It allowed us to not only evaluate what we were doing with summer courses but to look at the recruitment of students and customer service issues."

This year, instead of offering one summer session, the campus gave students several options: a 10-week term, an eight-week term and back-to-back five-week terms.

Perhaps more important, it waited to start summer school until mid-June, after local high school seniors had graduated.

"It wasn't rocket science to figure out that, when we had a history of starting summer school the Monday after our commencement, high schools were not even out yet," Whikehart said.

This year, the college not only changed its schedule to accommodate recent high school graduates but targeted them with its recruiting and marketing efforts.

As a result, 304 recent graduates enrolled in summer school. In 2004, there were none.

Whikehart said one reason to target 2005 graduates was to make it easier for them to enroll in the fall. The college offered small grants to the students to encourage new students to take a course or two in the summer at Ivy Tech.

It also sought to enroll students from other colleges and universities who were home in the Bloomington area for the summer.

"One professor of history taught a hybrid five-week class," Whikehart said, "and I think a number of the students were Purdue students whose families live in Bloomington."

Fall registration under way

Registration for the fall semester is now under way at Ivy Tech Community College of Bloomington.

Fall classes start Aug. 22. For information, contact the office of enrollment services at (866) 447-0700, Ext. 6350, or see the campus Web site, www. ivytech.edu/Bloomington.

The campus is at 200 Daniels Way, just off Ind. 48 on Bloomington's west side.