The Lower Bucks Campus
has grown dramatically in its
first three years, with spring
enrollment jumping 13.8 percent
from a year ago.
“We have close to 1,900 students,”
says Executive
Director James Sell. “There
were 1,000 students at the
Bristol Center,” the Lower
Bucks Campus’ former building,
in 2007.
Full-time unduplicated students
(those who are only
counted for Lower Bucks,
based on the majority of credits
taken) total 444, up 16.5
percent, while part-time unduplicated
students total 814, up
11.7 percent from last spring .
Evening classes are at 90 to
100 percent capacity, Sell says,
while day classes are at 60 to
70 percent.
“Certain nights, we’re at the
max. Lower Bucks is growing
the most of the three campuses,
percentage wise,” Sell says.
“Online learning is bigger
them all of them.”
The Bristol Center was
focused on night classes, Sell
points out.
Sell, a Bucks alumnus who
helped launch the Lower
Bucks Campus, says students
are drawn by the attractive
building, its proximity – students
can get there by bike, bus
and I-95 – and “our ability to
offer all the sections we want.
We’ve been aggressive with
the number and depth of courses.”
He adds, “Students are staying
here, for the most part,” as
opposed to taking classes at the
Newtown campus. “It’s the
college. Bucks has an amazing
reputation. Students do well
when they move on.”
One indication of the enrollment
increase is the crowded
parking lot behind the twostory
brick building.
“In the evening, when the
campus is typically at full
capacity due to the evening
schedule of credit and noncredit
classes, the parking lot is
also at just about capacity,”
Sell says. “There are still
spaces. We have not reached
the point yet where students
and faculty can’t find a spot in
the lot.”
Sell says there are plans to
build a lot in front of the building,
possibly by the end of the
year. “This new parking area
was part of the original design
for the campus, and will at
some point . surround an
additional building when the
campus is expanded,” he says.
In addition to making the
most use of the campus’ 24
classrooms, six computer labs,
two instruction rooms, science
labs and library, the campus
has a chemistry lab in the Dow
Chemical building (Rohm &
Haas) in Bristol Borough.
Increased enrollment has
also resulted in student
requests to form clubs, such as
a Literature Club and possibly
a Black and Latino
Association, Sell says. “Next
fall or spring, we’ll bring some
art groups to campus.”
He adds, “Student events are
well attended. We’ve had the
Mummers here and a Cheese
steak Day.”
Sell stresses the importance
of raising the social consciousness,
pointing out the success
of the Cassalia Pond clean-up,
conducted each semester by
students, faculty and neighbors
of the wet lands behind the
parking lot. At the most recent
event, last month, 39 volunteers
pulled tires, bottles, bike
parts, a mattress and metal
fencing from the pond.
Next semester, enrollment
should continue to increase,
Sell says.
“As long as we’re increasing
the number and the breadth of
courses,” the executive director
says, “we’re doing OK.”