Community colleges have experienced a decline in enrollment in the past few years, which has been a cause of concern particularly among foreign/modern language instructors who observed the declining enrollment trend even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Research suggests various factors are in play to affect the foreign/modern language enrollment at community colleges, including but not limited to economic/workforce conditions, demographic changes, perceived value of higher education experience, and social/economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
CC faculty and administrators of foreign/modern language departments have implemented various strategies to address the enrollment decline, such as flexible class schedules, online instruction, support for first-generation students, outreach to non-traditional students, and partnership with industry/workforce providers.
This panel, consisting of the following three paper presentations, will address different issues and strategies concerning the enrollment challenges in languages other than English at community colleges.
- Community college enrollments are in decline nationally, particularly in languages. These panelists share their offerings, describe the history and context of these, articulate current issues, and offer suggestions for managing and growing enrollments and offerings.
- Presenters: Ivonne Bruneau-Botello, Sarah Campbell, & Sharon Ahern Fechter (Montgomery College)
- Faced with a continuous declining enrollment over the last ten years, community colleges across the country are exploring different options to build up numbers and rescue their world languages courses. This presentation discusses those efforts and their effectiveness.
- Presenters: Sergio Guzman and Julián Barroso-Merino (College of Southern Nevada)
- Community colleges (CCs) experienced a major increase in world language (WL) enrollment between 1960 and 2010. However, the WL enrollment at CCs has been on decline since its peak in 2009. The presentation reviews enrollment trends in both national (MLA) and local (CUNY) data.
- Presenters: Tomonori Nagano (LaGuardia Community College, CUNY)
This panel will be organized by Sharon Ahern Fechter (Montgomery College) and Tomonori Nagano (LaGuardia Community College), both of who are currently serving on the MLA's Committee on Community Colleges.