November 6, 2019

Media Contact:
Libby Siebens, community relations executive director, 509-682-6436 (Mon.-Thurs.)
Jim Richardson, president, 509-682-6400

Wenatchee Valley College enrollment is down 2.1 percent for fall quarter, continuing a ten-year trend of declining enrollments. WVC President Jim Richardson met with employees in October to discuss enrollment issues and budget impacts.

Significant factors for the decline in enrollment include low unemployment and smaller incoming high school classes. Since 2010, enrollment in career and technical programs has declined 30%.

“Due to continued low unemployment rates, more people are choosing work over coming to college,” Richardson said.

Smaller high school class sizes directly impacted Running Start. This is the first year since 1993, when the program began at WVC, that fewer students enrolled.

College administrators have been analyzing revenue and expenses since early September when a more significant enrollment decline began. A faculty budget review taskforce will be assembled and administrators will be meeting with employee groups to discuss options.

Currently, 6,289* students are enrolled in academic, workforce and other programs this fall.

*unduplicated headcount

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Wenatchee Valley College enriches North Central Washington by serving educational and cultural needs of communities and residents throughout the service area. The college provides high-quality transfer, liberal arts, professional/technical, basic skills and continuing education for students of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds. Visit our website, wvc.edu

Wenatchee Valley College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in employment and student enrollment. All programs are free from discrimination and harassment against any person because of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a service animal by a person with a disability, age, parental status or families with children, marital status, religion, genetic information, honorably discharged veteran or military status or any other prohibited basis per RCW 49.60.030, 040 and other federal and state laws and regulations, or participation in the complaint process. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and Title IX compliance for both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses:

• To report discrimination or harassment: Title IX Coordinator, Wenatchi Hall 2322M, (509) 682-6445, title9@wvc.edu.
• To request disability accommodations: Director of Student Access, Wenatchi Hall 2133, (509) 682-6854, TTY/TTD: dial 711, sas@wvc.edu