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September 17, 2007, Jersey City, NJ—Hudson County Community College Board of Trustees Chairman William J. Netchert announced today that the College set a new record for enrollment this semester, and that the increase coincides with Dr. Glen Gabert’s fifteenth anniversary as President. Mr. Netchert said that as of Thursday, September 13th, there were 7,019 full-time students on the College’s roster.
“This is a very significant development for the College and a 10 percent increase over our enrollment numbers last year. This increase is especially timely as it marks Dr. Gabert’s anniversary. On behalf of the people of Hudson County and the members of the Board of Trustees, I would like to congratulate him and express our thanks for his vision, his direction and all of his hard work,” Mr. Netchert stated.
Since joining the College on September 14, 1992, Dr. Gabert has grown enrollment from just 3,076 students. At the time he took over the helm, HCCC was facing severe problems and a mandate for reform from the New Jersey Chancellor for Higher Education — the College owned just one 10,000 square-foot building, was experiencing a decline in enrollment, offered a curriculum largely focused only on career education, and was beset by a precarious financial position. By 2006, however, Hudson County Community College was one of just six community colleges in the United States to be recognized in the MetLife Foundation Community College Excellence Award program.
Mr. Netchert said that under Dr. Gabert’s leadership, Hudson County Community College has become a vibrant urban institution, one that offers an expanded roster of courses on two, ever-growing campuses with facilities that are College-owned. Further, the College’s student success rates now exceed the national average. In the same time span, HCCC has also raised more than $135 million for capital projects that include the from-the-ground-up construction of the 73,000 square-foot Culinary Arts Institute/Business Conference Center/Classroom Building on the Journal Square Campus in Jersey City and the North Hudson Campus in Union City (to be completed in 2009-2010). HCCC now owns more than 460,000 square feet of prime property and has plans to increase that amount by another 25% over the next five years. The College’s Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management and ESL (English as a Second Language) programs have become acclaimed throughout the tri-state area.
The HCCC Foundation, a non-profit organization, was instituted in 1997 and has since provided scholarships to nearly 600 deserving students as well as seed money for new and innovative programs. The thriving HCCC Fine Arts acquisition program was established in 2004 and now includes works by local and internationally recognized artists that are displayed throughout the College’s facilities.
“I sincerely appreciate the accolades and the good wishes, but none of this would be possible without the support of the County Executive, the Freeholders and our Board of Trustees as well as the dedication and diligence of our staff and faculty. My thanks to everyone,” Dr. Gabert said.
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