Report: N.C. community colleges key to state's changing economy

Raleigh, N.C. — For several years, North Carolina has been transitioning from an economy of tobacco, textiles and furniture toward a new economy of pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and biotechnology.

According to a study released Thursday, community colleges are key to navigating the transition, but they lack a lot of what they need to do it.

The report, “Facing Brutal Facts” by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research, states that the community college system has several areas that need to be fixed.

The first is helping non-traditional students succeed.

"The completion rate is about 48 to 53 percent, depending on the year, and a lot of the reason is the students aren't typical college students who are 18 to 22, living in a dorm and parents are paying. They are non traditional, working, caring for children,” said Ran Coble of the Center for Public Policy Research.

The report also indicated that funding from the General Assembly is a problem.

"Fix the funding formula, which is based on last year's enrollment. (The) problem is when the economy goes down enrollment in community colleges goes up, so we need a funding formula to fit enrollment that's there in their doors,” Coble said.

Coble says the next step is educating the public on why community colleges are so important and taking this information to decision makers, such as the governor and members of the state legislature, who can make changes.

24 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 24 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments

"I go to Wake Tech and the selection of night classes is pretty pathetic, they're usually only offered on their main campus as well."

I went to Wake Tech years ago and I had to quit for that very reason - the evening classes were few and far between and were only offered on the main campus. I'm sorry to see that it hasn't changed much.

Some years later I enrolled in Durham Tech which is a VERY good school. I was in the university transfer program and they guarantee that if you complete that degree you can transfer into any of the UNC universities. I transferred to a 4-year university and since then got my bachelor's degree. It's a very good way to complete the basic courses for less money.

However, even though the community colleges are "dirt cheap", it's still tough if you're unemployed, in a low paying job or raising kids. I think more financial aid should be available for community colleges. At the moment you practically have to be living in a gutter to qualify.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx
May 15, 2008 5:08 p.m.

THIS IS JUST REDICULIOUS!!!

Yesterday the big story was kick out the illegals -THAT PAY OUT OF STATE TUITION and today you are screaming we need funding!!

1 of the original Americans
May 15, 2008 3:10 p.m.

OMG THIS IS JUST REDICULOUS!!!!

yesterday the big story was kick out the illegals-

1 of the original Americans
May 15, 2008 3:09 p.m.

if we need more help we as a state should put in a request for work visa from other countries other than Mexico. stop the madness.

coolwill
May 15, 2008 3:04 p.m.

Yes, economy gets bad and people go back to school when they lose their job. I know some that did that just because they could get it paid for and keep drawing unemployment. What makes our representatives think they can ask taxpayers to pay more for this education when there are more people out of work or making less because of the cost of living! Guess it is because they can.

dohicky
May 15, 2008 2:04 p.m.