ROCKINGHAM — Richmond Community College saw a decrease in overall fall enrollment of about 13% from the previous year, but has seen an increase for the spring semester compared to last spring.

Dr. Dale McInnis, president of RCC, said at the Tuesday meeting of the RCC Board of Trustees said he hasn’t seen any reports that any college saw an increase in their fall 2020 enrollment. Many of them sat in the 5-10% range, according to McInnis.

For this spring semester, RCC is up 41 traditional students in their curriculum program. They’re still seeing a decrease in their transfer enrollment at this time. RCC is 93 students behind where they were last year with their dual enrollment and early college students.

There’s an increase in the number of applications for the spring semester of this year. They’re were 893 application for spring of 2021, as 0pposed to 878 for last year. The number for this semester may grow because a few classes have later start dates of Feb. 11 and March 25.

There was an increase of students in their Associate and Applied Sciences Programs from 961 students in the Fall of 2019 to 1,043 students in the Fall of 2020. This increase primarily came from business and pre-nursing programs.

However, there was a decrease of enrollment in their dual enrollment program, College and Career Promise (625 to 460), transfer students (532 to 384), and Early College (417 to 282) programs in that same time frame.

“The decline is fed by the early college and to a much further degree, dual enrollment from the high schools,” McInnis said. “We saw a big drop-off in those students returning to us in the Fall and that’s a trend that continued to the spring in a lesser degree. We are working with the school systems in those counties on how to get those students reactivated.”

COVID-19 Update

Health Director Tommy Jarrell commended the college for maintaining a positive working relationship with the Health Department throughout the pandemic. He said that McInnis is always just a phone call way.

“As a small community, none of us can do any of this by ourselves,” Jarrell said. “We all need to work together. We will certainly continue to have those discussions with the college as we need to have them.”

Jarrell confirmed that there have been no clusters or outbreaks in any semester since the onset of the pandemic.

About 4,000 people in Richmond County have received their first dose. There have been no reported reactions from any individuals.

Twice Yearly Audit Report

RCC received a unmodified, clean audit opinion on their most recently completed audit.

It was completed by S. Preston Douglas and Associates, a private auditor based in Lumberton.

Lee Grisham, the auditor who worked with the college, said the audit was completed very quickly.

Café Update

The newly completed café at the RCC campus is operational and ready to begin serving food.

It was originally scheduled to open on Feb. 1, but has been pushed back to the 15th.

Chuck Watson has been hired as the café manager. An assistant manager position is expected to be filled soon.

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