The Office of Institutional Effectiveness is pleased to present its fall 2026 newsletter. In this newsletter, you will find highlights on the enrollment profile of the fall 2026 credit students and total noncredit student count. Data on the credit students include demographics, total enrollment, new first-time and continuing students, and the top ten programs of enrollment.
The newsletter also highlights the first college annual assessment awards (Assessy Awards) done during the fall 2026 Assessment Tuesday event, and progress made on academic and administrative unit outcome assessment across the College.
Fall 2026 Enrollment Snapshot
The data presented reflects enrollment numbers as of October 14, 2026.
- Total Enrollment: 14,025 credit students and 1,513 non-credit students
- Enrollment Intensity: 65.08% of credit students are enrolled part-time, while 34.92% are full-time
- New vs. Returning: 71.47% of our credit population consists of returning students, complemented by an incoming cohort of 4,002 new credit students (of whom 58.07% started part-time and 41.93% started full-time)
Student Demographics
Age Distribution
- Under 18: 17.08% (2,396 students — largely driven by dual enrollment partnerships)
- 18–19: 10.67% (1,496 students)
- 20–21: 16.36% (2,295 students)
- 22–24: 15.64% (2,193 students)
- 25–29: 16.48% (2,312 students)
- 30 and Over: Representing nearly 19% of our student body combined
Gender Identity
- Female: 67.49% (9,465 students)
- Male: 32.29% (4,528 students)
- Non-Binary: 0.23% (32 students)
Race and Ethnicity
- Black Non-Hispanic: 30.14% (4,227 students)
- Hispanic: 19.88% (2,788 students)
- White Non-Hispanic: 11.70% (1,641 students)
- Asian: 6.82% (956 students)
- Multi-Racial: 2.84% (399 students)
- American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.24% (33 students)
- Pacific Islander: 0.07% (10 students)
- Unknown / Not Reported: 28.31% (3,971 students)
Top Ten Majors
Nearly 70% of our credit students are concentrated across our top ten programs.
Rank | Major / Program | Student Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care Studies | 4,410 |
| 2 | Business - General | 1,172 |
| 3 | Non-matriculated | 1,076 |
| 4 | Liberal Arts | 751 |
| 5 | Psychology | 587 |
| 6 | Education (Early Childhood - 4th Grade) | 422 |
| 7 | Computer Info Systems/Information Tech | 410 |
| 8 | Nursing | 353 |
| 9 | Biological Sciences | 309 |
|
10 |
Criminal Justice |
284 |
Assessment
The First Annual "Assessy" Awards took place on the Assessment Tuesday of Fall 2026 on September 1, 2026. Winners received trophies, and there were branded flashlight keychains for all nominees. The list of Assessy award winners are presented below.
- Divisional Participation Powerhouse for Business & Technology: Transportation Technologies
- Divisional Participation Powerhouse for Liberal Studies, Architecture, Design, and Construction
- Divisional Participation Powerhouse for Math, Science, and Health Careers, Biology and Medical Laboratory Technician
- Assessment Leadership, Rebecca Garvin
- Shining GEM (General Education): General Education Essential Skills Core Committee
- Assessment in Action , Melissa Altman-Traub
- Rising Excellence Award 1 of 2 , BHHS Faculty
- Rising Excellence Award 2 of 2 , Carla Perry
- OAE Assessment Trailblazer 1 of 4 , Laura Davidson
- OAE Assessment Trailblazer 2 of 4 , Paul Geissinger
- OAE Assessment Trailblazer 3 of 4 , Kati Driban
Insights Implementation Update
The assessment of student learning is a significant and critical part of our Middles States evaluation. The Office of Assessment and Evaluation's goal is to establish and maintain a regular cycle of course learning outcome (CLO), program learning outcome (PLO), and intuitional learning outcome (ILO—or general education) assessment, including closing the loop, using a combination of CLO/ILO data collection from Insights, PLO assessment documentation and reporting in Planning & Self-Study. Insights by eLumen is our assessment management system for the collection of student learning outcome data.
- We have collected data from 1,186 CLOs from the Spring 2025, Fall 2025, and Spring 2026 semesters. This includes data from 635 CLOs for Spring and Summer 2026.
- PLO data can be drawn from CLO data, based on curriculum mapping in Insights. The more CLO assessment we receive, the better and richer PLO assessment will be. Significant and consistent faculty participation in CLO assessment in Insights is a key factor in PLO assessment.
- Overall, faculty participation in Insights assessment in Spring 2026 averaged at 52.4%. Our goal is to close half of the participation gap each year, so that we reach 76.2% in 2026-2027, 88.1% in 2027-2028, and 94.05% in 2028-2029.
Administrative Unit Assessment Update
- Administrative Units at the College include non-academic areas such as Articulation & Transfer, Academic Advising, Counseling, Records & Registration, Single Stop, and many other offices that support the operations of the College and contribute to student success.
- Assessment of administrative units is an important aspect of compliance with our accreditor, Middle States.
- The OAE has received 68% of all 25-26 Administrative Unit assessment reports, with another 29% in progress and coming soon, bringing participation to a very respectable 97%!