With the formal approval for campus status given by state Secretary of Education Gerald L. Zahorchak, York County students share the benefits of campuses in Harrisburg, Lancaster, Gettysburg and Lebanon with access to an increasing number of academic programs, student services and expanding facilities, said HACC President Edna V. Baehre, Ph.D., who made the announcement today.
"The approval of York as a campus continues HACC's mission of making a college education available and affordable for anyone who wants it and has neither the financial resources nor the academic standing to get into a major university," Baehre said.
"HACC is an affordable, convenient and strategically located college where you can learn a trade, take college credit courses, or just take advantage of our many adult continuing education programs," she continued.
Jean Treuthart, the newly announced campus dean, is a York Catholic High School graduate who joined HACC in 2003. She has seen the enrollment in York grow from 225 students the first semester to more than 1,800 students today.
"It's been gratifying to be a part of building a community college in my hometown," Treuthart said. "Our growth in York has surpassed our expectations, but the college is well-equipped to respond quickly to meet student needs."
"Having campus status allows us to roll out more programs and services to students, and reinforces our long-term commitment to the City of York and York County," said Ron Young, HACC vice president, academic affairs and enrollment management.
Among the new services planned for the York Campus are ESL courses, says Peter Oscsodal, assistant dean of student services: "In January, HACC's York Campus will begin offering ESL courses to build skills for non-native English-speaking students with a desire to succeed in college."
York County's post-secondary students have joined students nation-wide by turning to their community college in ever-growing numbers, with this fall's enrollment of 1,832 students more than 25 percent higher than last fall's enrollment.
That growth has resulted in the need for three expansions in facilities since August 2005 when HACC moved to 2010 Pennsylvania Ave., just north of Route 30 behind the Crossroads/Old Navy shopping center. The York Campus now totals 112,000 square feet, and the college is beginning to formulate plans for further expansion that will accommodate additional growth for the next few years.
In addition to expanding its services and facilities, the York Campus will be embarking on fundraising efforts in the spring to raise money for scholarships for financially needy students.
These funds "will ensure the York Campus remains an affordable, accessible choice for York County students by providing much-needed scholarship support," Treuthart says. "We will also be accepting gifts to fund technology and purchase equipment that will enable the York Campus to offer additional academic and career programs to meet area workforce needs."
Fast facts
About the York Campus: