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| For Immediate Release | Contact: Frances Squire |
| March 9 , 2009 | Phone: (559) 934-2134 |
West Hills College enrollment up 29 percent since 2001—7,000 students now enrolled
There is no doubt in the minds of officials at West Hills Community College District that when economic times are difficult, students turn to community colleges for job training and their higher education needs.
Dr. Frank Gornick, chancellor of WHCCD, said that as publicly funded four-year universities are turning away students, more and more of those students are turning to places like West Hills where enrollment passed the 7,000 mark for the first time last Friday.
“We’re committed to finding room for all students,” Gornick said. “Our budget is lean and we’re finding ways to serve more students by being more efficient. Students may find the number of sections of each course reduced but we’re still offering a growing number of courses and job training programs.
“Those programs of study that lead to high wage, high demand jobs are especially popular,” he added, noting that the psychiatric technician, culinary and maintenance mechanic programs are helping fuel the district’s growth.
Charting growth since spring semester of 2001 (when 5,448 students were enrolled), the district has seen 29 percent growth. Attendance is up at all West Hills locations.
Many West Hills College students take classes at multiple locations and their enrollment numbers are reported by the location where they take the majority of their units. West Hills College Lemoore reports almost 3,000 students; West Hills College Coalinga has over 1,300; North District Center, Firebaugh has 540 students enrolled and 2,100 students take the majority of their units online.
For more information on the programs available, go to the district’s website at westhillscollege.com or visit locations at:
West Hills College Coalinga, 300 Cherry Lane, Coalinga, phone 559 934-2000.
West Hills College Lemoore, 555 College Ave., Lemoore, phone 559 925-3000.
North District Center, Firebaugh, 1511 Ninth St., Firebaugh, phone 559 659-1473.
Short-term classes at West Hills begin on a regular basis with a large number scheduled to begin the week of March 16th.
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West Hills Community College District serves the west side of the San Joaquin Valley and is part of the California Community College System. Its two colleges, West Hills College Coalinga, which includes North District Center, Firebaugh, and West Hills College Lemoore, serve more than 7,000 students on campus and online each semester.