Salt Lake Community College highlights workforce training, near‑recovery in enrollment

Salt Lake Community College told the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee on the Utah State Legislature’s higher education budget hearings that it serves about 27,000 students and is nearly back to pre‑pandemic enrollment levels.

The college emphasized its dual mission—career and technical education alongside associate and transfer programs—and its role as a low‑cost, workforce‑focused access point to higher education in Salt Lake County.

President Peterson, president of Salt Lake Community College, said the college’s students are “very cost conscious” and that about 90% of their students graduate without debt. Joseph, the presentation staff member for the committee, noted the college’s funding mix is roughly 45–50% state support and that enrollment trends and tuition revenue declines have shifted the institution’s mix of revenue.

Committee members heard that most Salt Lake Community students attend part time (about 70%), working substantial hours while enrolled; typical part‑time enrollment is about 8.5 credits. The college reported 15,000 full‑time‑equivalent (FTE) enrollments and explained that its FTE conversion is higher than many other institutions because many students take fewer credits per term.

Officials described several programs they say are helping retention and completion: concurrent enrollment that sends 62% of participating students on to higher education, apprenticeship programs with more than 1,000 students across six apprenticeships, and customized noncredit training delivered to more than 250 employers and agencies. President Peterson also highlighted the college’s open educational resources effort, which she said has saved students an estimated $31 million and reached nearly 300,000 students.

The college said targeted legislative investments have supported math pathways (reducing time‑to‑completion by 61% and increasing math retention by 90%) and seed funding for the PACE program that it reported raised $6.2 million in private matching funds and expanded to six high schools.

On workforce growth, Peterson said the college expanded its nursing program to run year‑round and now plans to graduate about 360 nurses annually. The college’s budget request to the legislature includes funds for equipment in fields such as diesel, cybersecurity, and health sciences; officials also said they are reviewing whether to reclassify some student fees as tuition revenue so services such as counseling are funded on an ongoing basis.

Representative Strong and Senator Kwan asked about fees and student supports; Peterson said the college’s fees are lower than typical university fees and that leaders are reviewing which services should be moved to tuition to ensure consistent funding for student supports.

Looking ahead, the college asked for targeted funding to support high‑yield programs and equipment purchases that they say will directly support workforce placement.

The committee did not take formal action on Salt Lake Community College’s request during the hearing.