Several DSCC courses on chopping block due to falling enrollment

Dyersburg State Community College has seven programs on review for possible elimination due to a low number of graduates.

The Tennessee Board of Regents recently announced that 70 low-producing university and community college programs across the state are under final review and may be eliminated at the end of the current three-year cycle in 2009. Seven of those programs are DSCC programs producing 10 or less graduates per year over the past five years.

This three-year review cycle was implemented in 2003 in an effort to streamline TBR operations and reduce costs. Through the cycle, low-producing programs are reviewed through a comprehensive process to determine whether they should be eliminated, consolidated, placed on monitoring status or retained.

DSCC programs in danger include A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education; A.A.S. in Manufacturing Systems Technology; Academic Certificates in Medical Transcription; and Technical Certificates in Industrial Pneumatics and Hydraulics, Computer Systems Operations and Management, Medical Coding and Early Childhood Education.

DSCC President Dr. Karen Bowyer said that the college will probably eliminate its A.A.S. Manufacturing Systems Technology and Technical Certificate in Industrial Pneumatics and Hydraulics programs, but will continue to offer manufacturing courses through the college's continuing education programs. Enrollment in the shorter continuing education courses continues to be steady.

"(Students in manufacturing) want short courses," said Bowyer, who said that, many times, rotating work schedules make it difficult for students to commit to a longer course. "They don't always have time for the semester-long course. (We are continuing to) offer shorter courses through continuing education (and) trying to respond to the manufacturing sector that way."

Bowyer also said that as manufacturers respond to economic stress, training funds are generally one of the first expenditures cut.

"Those two programs will most likely be eliminated and not picked back up," said Bowyer. "We would like to increase the enrollment in the other five programs and we are optimistic that the Early Childhood and other programs are going to grow."

Bowyer said that many students working toward a degree in computer technology do not request earning a Technical Certificate in Computer Systems Operations.

"That is a subset of the Associate of Applied Science in Computers," said Bowyer. "(Many times, students are) on their way to that degree, so they don't always ask to (receive the certification). Right now, we are going to see if we can keep it active."

Programs associated with Technical Certification in Medical Transcription and Medical Coding are expected to receive an enrollment boost from online classes.

"We are working with Regents Online program," said Bowyer. "We are optimistic that those enrollments will grow."

Bowyer said the A.A.S. and Technical Certificate in Early Childhood Education programs are fairly new to DSCC. It is also a program that is on the low-producing list of several schools in the TBR system.

Early Childhood Education programs are also at risk at Volunteer State Community College, Columbia State Community College, Cleveland State Community College, Tennessee State University and East Tennessee State University.

"We all have students who are working and working slowly toward that credential," said Bowyer. "That is a certificate where many of the students are working during the day. We need to be sure we are offering the courses the students need for their degrees. In smaller places, we cannot always offer every course toward the degree every semester (because we don't always have the numbers to support it.) We need to try to keep them moving toward that degree. It's had a very short life. We just need to give it a little more time."

According to the TBR, the review process involves key personnel at each institution, including faculty members. The programs are identified for review based on criteria established by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Among the 13 community colleges in the TBR system, DSCC features the most low-producing programs, but only Motlow Community College does not have programs on the low-producing list. MSCC was recently ranked 13th of the 50 fastest-growing community colleges in the nation.

The number of low-producing programs for other TBR community colleges include:

* Nashville State Community College - 1 program

* Columbia Community College - 1 program

* Cleveland State Community College - 2 programs

* Jackson State Community College - 2 programs

* Northeast Tennessee State Community College - 2 programs

* Pellissippi State Community College - 2 programs

* Volunteer State Community College - 2 programs

* Chattanooga State Community College - 3 programs

* Walter State Community College - 4 programs

* Roane State Community College - 5 programs

* Southwest Tennessee Community College - 6 programs

All of the universities in the TBR system have programs on the low-producing list. Programs range from two targeted programs at Austin Peay University to 12 targeted programs at Tennessee State University.