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Sinclair responds to growth at its two campuses

College president proposes investment in Dayton, expansion in Mason.

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By Dave Larsen, Staff Writer Updated 11:59 PM Friday, January 29, 2010

DAYTON — Sinclair Community College has invested nearly $150 million over the last 10 years in its downtown Dayton campus, which has seen a dramatic increase in enrollment because of low tuition and rising unemployment.

Sinclair President Steven Lee Johnson said he will recommend today, Saturday, Jan. 30, that the college board of trustees invest an additional $75 million over the next five years. The funds are called for in the capital five-year master plan approved last year.

Campus investment is one of 10 recommendations that Johnson will present to the board today at Sinclair’s annual strategic review and planning meeting. The proposals must be ratified by the board.

Johnson also will propose expanding Sinclair’s Courseview Campus Center in Mason, opened in 2007 at a cost of $800,000.

Enrollment there has grown faster than expected, with 1,017 students.

“Within 12 or 18 months I believe we need to have double the capacity that we have right now,” Johnson said regarding the satellite campus in Warren County.

The next phase of Courseview’s development would cost $2 million to $4 million, according to college officials.

The expansion could pay for itself, Johnson said.

Courseview students pay 65 percent higher tuition than Montgomery County students at the Dayton campus.

Sinclair is enjoying “positive financial effects” from the University of Dayton and Wright State University offering master’s degree program classes at the facility, Johnson said.

Sinclair is prohibited from using funds at Courseview from its 3.2-mill, 10-year property tax levy approved by voters in 2008.

Other proposals include:

• Increased hiring if the recent enrollment surge continues. “We’re 25 percent larger in student volume than we were two years ago at this time,” Johnson said.

• Develop new programs and services to align to the changing regional economy. Create a $250,000 investment fund for new program research and development over the next 24 months.

• Develop more partnerships with regional K-12 schools to reach students before high school.

• Strengthen relationships with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, UD, Wright State, and several area industry and economic development organizations.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2419 or dlarsen@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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