PJC Has High Student Retention Rate

Paris Junior College’s annual course retention rate remains strong, according to a yearly update provided to the Board of Regents at their monthly meeting Monday, June 28.

The fall and spring 2020 semesters report show that, despite a pandemic, the institutional retention rate was 94 percent.

“This report shows how many students remained in the course and didn’t drop,” said Dr. Pam Anglin, PJC President.

In other business, the Regents:

• Received the monthly finance report from Controller Cody Helm showing that revenue continues to be above expenditures. Though not finalized, the initial review indicates that PJC has lost about $2.7 million in revenues since the pandemic began.
• The Board heard a report on Summer term enrollment showing contact hours are up 2.53 percent, though the headcount is down 8.97 percent. One factor changing the headcount is adjusting to the vocational nursing program, where students are in one longer-term instead of two shorter terms.
• Learned the U.S. Department of Labor had granted a certificate for an apprenticeship program to train industrial maintenance technicians in Greenville, a process delayed for more than a year due to the pandemic. The program is funded through the Texas Workforce Commission, and only reporting details need to be finalized.
• Accepted the employment of Men’s and Women’s Soccer Coach and Kinesiology Instructor Fernando Arellano, Associate Degree Nursing Instructor Christy Armes, Economics Instructor Benjamin Burden, Chemistry Instructor Lisa Shelton, and Student Success Coach Savannah Wood, and the resignations of SBDC Business Recovery Advisor Tiffany Franzoni, PJC-Sulphur Springs Center Assistant Director Iris Gutierrez, and Student Success Coach and Financial Aid Advisor Angela Martinez