Butler of Marion enrollment remains steady
Staff writer
There are 215 students from Marion County enrolled at Butler County Community College, El Dorado, and 102 students are taking BCCC classes at the Butler Marion site.
Classes have been held at Bown-Corby, 412 North Second St., since 1994. The Butler-Marion classes began in 1991, in an old hardware store in Marion, Pauline Holub said.
Holub is the site director for Butler County Community College in Marion County.
Twenty to 25 classes are offered here during the spring and fall semesters, and 11 to 15 in the eight-week summer sessions.
Classes this semester include general education classes, history, math, English, computers, business, psychology and other behaviorial sciences, art appreciation, music appreciation, literature, religion, philosophy, sociology, marriage and family, speech, information processing systems (basic), desktop publishing, human growth and development, and others.
Holub said this fall's enrollment is "steady, about the same" as a year ago.
Interactive Television (ITV) classes under the auspices of the TEEN organization at the four high schools in the county, as well as at Herington High School, began in 1996, Holub said.
Marion, Hillsboro, Centre and Peabody-Burns high school students can get college credits through Butler County, while Herington students can earn theirs at Cloud County Community College.
At the Marion center, an art class is taught Mondays during the daytime.
Students pay just $63.50 per credit hour. Non-credit classes, are offered, too, Holub said, "in computers and other areas of interest."
"We also offer certified nurse's aide and certified medication aide (CNA and CMA) classes, she said.
The Marion facility also features the Center for Independent Study, to help students refine and hone their skills, Holub said.
It helps students renew and sharpen their skills in math, vocabulary, writing skills, and other areas.
"We also offer three-hour classes in business medical terminology, legal terminology, and health profession terminology. These classes are very popular with both independent study and 'regular' students," she said.
The Butler-Marion facility is a full-service center, which means Holub also serves as the financial aid adviser. "It's a mini-campus with a mini-bookstore and an academic adviser," she said.
"Students don't have to go to El Dorado. They can take care of all their degree requirements here, and not have to go to the main campus for a business associate's degree, or a general associate's degree," Holub said.
"They just need to watch the schedule and talk to their adviser."
The college also offers a work-based learning program, under which students can earn one credit hour for each 75 hours worked. "They can earn up to six of these elective hours per semester," Holub said.
Butler County CC classes are now in their third week of the 2003-2004 school year.
