Tallahassee Community College is in critical need of adjunct professorsdue to a surge in enrollment and students wanting in-person classes.
By Friday morning, TCC had 11,270 students enrolled for the fall semester which begins Monday.
Of that, 4,300 are first-time-in-college students. That total number is expected to soon surpass the college’s earlier goal of 11,500 total students.
TCC had 11,233 students enrolled on the first day of classes for last year’s fall semester.
TCC Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Calandra Stringer said about 50% of classes will be taught in personcompared to only 20% last fall.
“Because of the student demand for in-person classes and because of us surpassing enrollment goals, we are in need of adjuncts to teach English, math and biology,” she said.
To sweeten the pot, TCC is offering adjunct candidates up to $3,000 per class, compared to the normal $2,000 per class rate. Adjuncts normally carry a load of three to five courses each semester, she said.
Qualified candidates can be hired immediately, Stringer said.
The college also needs adjuncts to teach nursing program. The college has hired 18 new full-time faculty for fall, most of them in nursing.
Stringer said TCC is offering students in person classes, TCC LIVE, which is taught on Zoom but in real time, and traditional online courses.
“We let our students drive the course modality demand,” Stringer said. “What we’re seeing now is what students have chosen for the fall, and that is in-person (instruction).”
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Friday's festival-style welcome
On Friday, more than 500 new students braved the heat to attend the New Student Convocation, which was held as an outdoors festival style event, featuring balloons, TCC paraphernalia and dance beats played by a DJ.
“We usually have a full (indoors) program but we moved it outside due to COVID so people could feel safe but still have fun and get the information we want them to have to be successful when we start next week,” Vice President for Student Affairs Sheri Rowland said.
TCC President Jim Murdaugh was among those greeting students.
Vaccinations also were available for students and employees through a partnership between TCC and the Health Department.
Rowland said masks are “recommended,” but not required on campus.
Asia Carr, a 17-year-old freshman from Tallahassee, was among those moving from tent to tent learning about clubs and organizations available.
“I’m ready for it,” said Carr, who is enrolled in the TCC2FAMU program, which allows her to get her AA degree at TCC and transfer to FAMU, where she plans to study business management.
“I hope the classes are good classes and I hope they won’t stress me out,” she said. “I thought it made sense to go through the TCC2FAMU program. TCC will give me the opportunity to learn the criteria about your major.”
Isaiah Cathey, 19, of Memphis, was recruited to play basketball.
Cathey, a graduate of Memphis East High School, said his arrival has met his expectations so far.
“I’m loving the atmosphere so far,” he said. “’I’m ready to see what my first year of college will bring.”
Also getting used to Tallahassee is Anavictoria Salazar, who settled in last week from Miami.
“It is different but very exciting. It’s a change from Miami,” said Salazar, 18. “The cities are completely different.”
Salazar is enrolled in the TCC2FSU program, which leads to her enrolling at Florida State University to earn her degree in nursing.
Salazar said she’s glad that her classes are in person this semester. The uncertainty of the delta variant of COVID-19 had her worried, even though she has been vaccinated.
“I was nervous that moving here would not work out and things would be virtual. But everything worked out,” she said.
Strolling with her was her mother, Ana Salazar, who knows she will have to leave her daughter soon.
“As a parent, it’s bittersweet. You’re excited because she’s starting a new chapter in her life, but I will miss her tremendously,” she said.
“I’m concerned about her safety, for obvious reasons. But I think she has a good head on her shoulders, and I believe she will be OK.”
Contact senior writer Byron Dobson at bdobson@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @byrondobson.
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