2009 Performance Accountability Report Vol. 2 - Maryland Higher ...

Credit Enrollment
Montgomery College is one of the most globally diverse colleges in the nation. This diversity is
represented ethnically, culturally and programmatically. Non-white students accounted for 56.4
percent of the student body in fall 2008. White student enrollment declined steadily from 39
percent in fall 2005 to 35 percent in fall 2008. African American students remained the largest
single non-white group at the college and accounted for 26 to 27 percent of enrollment; Asian
and Hispanic students, respectively, represented 13 to 14 percent of the student body, while
foreign students accounted for eight to 8.5 percent of student enrollment.
In fiscal year 2008 unduplicated enrollment increased 2.2 percent from 33,520 in fiscal 2007
to 34,248 individual students and exceeded the benchmark of 33,867.
Forty-three percent of all first-time full-time students and approximately 74 percent of firsttime
part-time students who enrolled at any Maryland college in fiscal 2008 enrolled at
Montgomery College. More than 58 percent of graduates from Montgomery County public
high schools who attend any college in Maryland enrolled at Montgomery College. The
College has achieved 93 to 98 percent of its goals for these three indicators.
The number of individual students enrolled in English for Speakers of Other Languages
(ESOL) has increased from 3,288 in fiscal 2004 to 3,401 in fiscal 2008.
The largest proportion of students (62 to 64 percent) attends the College part-time.
More than 62 percent entered the College in fall 2008 with developmental needs.
On-line enrollment in credit courses increased more than six percent (8,997) in fiscal 2008
compared to 2007 (8,461) and showed a 40 percent increase compared to 2005. However, online
course enrollment has not increased as much as anticipated. Consequently, the College is
well below the established benchmark.
Non-Credit Enrollment
Workforce Development and Continuing Education (WD&CE) offers a wide array of non-credit
courses and instructional programs at the College. The most recent data reveals that the number
of individual students enrolled in non-credit courses declined 5.5 percent in fiscal 2008
compared to the previous year. There were 26,035 individual students enrolled in courses
through WD&CE in fiscal 2008 compared to the 27,544 in fiscal 2007. This decrease in students
follows several years of consecutive enrollment growth. In spite of the enrollment decline, the
College is on track to achieve the benchmark in this area. WD&CE also offers courses on-line.
Enrollment in on-line courses increased for the second time in as many years. On-line course
enrollment rose 18.5 percent (from 487 to 577) in fiscal 2008, and is just a few enrollments shy
of the benchmark.
Access and Affordability
According to the State Plan on Postsecondary Education, Maryland is committed to “achieving a
system of postsecondary education that promotes accessibility and affordability for all
Marylanders.” To assure that this commitment is attainable, it is critical that the College
remains affordable and accessible to the community. The cost of higher education has risen
faster than income levels. In addition, the economic recession coupled with the higher cost of
living serve as stiff competition for available funds to pay the tuition to attend college. Even
though the College had a slight increase in tuition in fiscal 2008, the cost to attend Montgomery
College was 55.9 percent of the average cost to attend a public four-year college or university in
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