Despite marketing recruitment efforts to bring prospective students to El Camino College including postcards, emails and physical and social media ads, there is still a downward trend in enrollment.
During the Oct. 16 College Council meeting Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez said there are more full-time equivalent students enrolled at El Camino now compared to last year.
Lopez said the gap for enrollment in comparison to last year was 1.35% lower, meaning there are more full-time enrolled students attending El Camino now. Despite the yearly growth there is still an overall downward trend shown in the Comprehensive Integrated Plan.
The Comprehensive Integrated Plan or CIP is a college wide roadmap which serves to guide planning, decision-making, and resource allocation at all levels at El Camino to help improve student success.
Lopez said El Camino will continue to aim to increase enrollment by expanding opportunities such as dual enrollment and improving course schedules for enrolled students.
“We are on target [to increase enrollment] at this point,” Lopez said.
During the meeting Director of Institutional Research and Planning Viviana Unda said the Hispanic student population on campus is projected to grow in the next year and gave an update on the CIP itself.
The mission of the integrated plan is to give equal opportunities to students with five key initiatives: a student-centered learning and experience, having multiple pathways to success, innovative community partnerships, having a culture of inclusion and an environment for transformation.
The initiatives align with the El Camino District Board’s priorities to increase student enrollment and college representatives hope the extra support to students on campus will be a factor in increasing enrollment.
