Ivy Tech Community College President Thomas Snyder says his school can handle more growth in part by finding savings internally and relying on philanthropic and community donations. The school will not expand too much and find itself with empty classrooms if an economic turnaround slows future enrollment.
"We're cautious in making sure that we don't make expenditures on staffing, for example, or other critical areas that we can't sustain," Snyder says.
While officials wait to see whether Obama's plan will become reality, community colleges are turning to creative, though not always convenient ways to cope with already large crowds.
Bunker Hill Community College in Massachusetts holds graveyard shift classes that end at 2:30 a.m., while the Community College of Baltimore County in Maryland has converted a student lounge and locker room space into classrooms. Parking shuttles and weekend classes are popping up across the country.
Call, the commuter, could not squeeze into the anatomy class in Indianapolis but was happy to get in at Peru, about 70 miles north of the city. The Army veteran is trying to get his grades up before deciding whether to switch to a pricier four-year school or stay at Ivy Tech.
"I have to take that class," Call says. "It's definitely worth it."
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