Allen Community College President John Masterson impressed community members at the “See, Hear Iola!” program Friday with some of the college’s figures. IN OTHER news:
In the fall of 2012 there were 2,967 students enrolled at ACC. Of those students 11 percent are local, 85 percent are from other areas in Kansas and 4 percent are out of state.
With enrollment up, ACC is the eighth largest of 19 community colleges in Kansas. ACC has the largest enrollment of the six southeast Kansas community colleges.
Masterson said he still gets questions about the name of the school.
Most Allen Countians remember the college as Allen County Community College, but a few years back a marketing company suggested dropping county and leaving it as Allen Community College. The marketing company said it was a smart move for promoting itself because it reaches counties as far and big as Shawnee.
“We’re not ashamed of where we are from,” Masterson said. “I’ve been here all my life.”
ACC has 1,019 students enrolled in online classes.
“Something we teach on campus is we have to be better than Neosho and Fort Scott, but something we teach online is we have to be better than the world,” Masterson said.
ACC’s revenue in 2012 was $12,338,856 with 41 percent of that coming from the state, 31 percent from students, 11 percent locally, and 15 percent from auxiliary sources, such as the bookstore, expanded housing and food service.
Masterson said ACC’s expansion is still being developed and master planning committees are working on plans that will tend to immediate and future ACC needs.
ACC will soon be writing a grant for a possible entrepreneur program at ACC. The program is something ACC has been talking about for a while, and will be moving forward with soon.
Loren Korte, owner of Personal Service Insurance, Inc., gave a brief talk about insurance and changes that may occur with property insurance.
“I think we will see corrections,” Korte said. “We need to.”
Korte was referring to high premiums, which cause homeowners to spend more money than the market value of a house.
Realtor John Brocker reported that the housing market has been off to a slow start this year but imagines it will pick up in the coming months.
City administrator Carl Slaugh spoke about Iola Fire and EMS services and the Allen County EMS service and the “possible merger of the two.”
Slaugh said he is trying to get a feel for the opinions and concerns of the community members in regard to the possible merger.
“We are trying to figure out a solution,” Slaugh said. “Over time we can always make improvements.”
The next program will be April 26 at Riverside Park’s New Community Building at 10 a.m.
ACC focus at ‘See, Hear Iola!’ program
