RECORD ENROLLMENT AT STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITY'S - Grad Rates Disappointing

(12/12/2009)
Overall enrollment increased this fall at all of the state's public higher education institutions, with smaller schools and community colleges seeing the most growth.

Glenville State's enrollment is up more than 19 percent.

Chancellor of the Community and Technical College System of West Virginia, Jim Skidmore, says overall the enrollment grew by nearly 17 percent.

"Historically as the economy dips, community college enrollment increases, and that's not only occurring in West Virginia, that's occurring nationally," said Skidmore.

Graduation rates in WV are less impressive.

Many schools are only graduating 20 percent of their students.

"The graduation and the retention rates in the state are much lower than comparable states in the nation and that's something that the commission and the institutions are working hard to increase both retention and graduation rates," said Ashley Schumaker, director of communications for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.