Baltimore City Community College officials report enrollment gains but warn of aging facilities and staffing shortfalls

Baltimore City Community College officials told the Education, Business and Administration Subcommittee that enrollment is recovering after pandemic declines but the institution still faces significant operational and capital challenges.

A DLS presentation reviewed enrollment trends from 2017 to 2023, noting pandemic-related drops and recent increases: total enrollment rose 11% in fall 2023 compared with the prior year, winter enrollment rose about 27%, and spring enrollment was up roughly 22%.

College leaders said the institution has held tuition at $110 per credit hour for seven years and is adding programs (cybersecurity, sign language, communications, early childhood). The college reported 105 vacancies above its budgeted turnover rate; administrators said recruitment is constrained by a tight statewide labor market and national turnover trends.

On facilities, the BCCC president (unnamed in the transcript) and Michael Thomas (vice president for facilities) described long-standing deferred maintenance. Thomas said the buildings have “never been renovated” and recounted emergency measures: ‘‘We actually had a big chiller sitting in our parking lot, to where we could chill the building so we wouldn't have to shut the nursing program down.’’

Leaders said they are preparing for a full reaccreditation visit for nursing next month and requested capital design funding to renovate the nursing and library buildings so students can train on equipment matching hospital standards. They also said the college plans to move developmental education earlier in the pipeline through partnerships with Baltimore City Public Schools to reduce time-to-degree.

Committee members praised BCCC’s progress and expressed concern about student facilities, retention and equity; senators said they would consider additional support and accepted the college’s standing invitation to visit campus.