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Fall enrollment at North Dakota State College of Science has surpassed 3,000 students for the sixth consecutive year, with enrollment at the College’s Wahpeton campus showing a 2.6% increase over 2015. This year’s enrollment data shows 1,349 students in Wahpeton, up from 1,315 one year ago. Overall, fall enrollment for Wahpeton, Fargo, online and early entry students totals 3,003, a negligible decrease from fall 2015 when enrollment was 3,123.

“Our strategic approach to growing enrollment at the Wahpeton campus remains a priority for the College,” said NDSCS President John Richman. “Thanks to the planning and efforts of our faculty, staff, and business partners, NDSCS is becoming part of the personal success story for many more students.”

At NDSCS-Wahpeton, the number of students living on campus increased by 4% over one year ago. There are 1,027 students living in campus residence halls, family housing or apartments.

The 2016 student body is comprised of 1,982 freshmen and 1,021 sophomores. The number of students enrolled full time at NDSCS has grown by 3.5% from 1,694 in 2015 to 1,753 in 2016.
There are 2,056 students from North Dakota, with 48 of the state’s 53 counties represented.

There are 431 students taking at least one class at the NDSCS-Fargo location, a 2% increase over 2015. A breakdown of the total enrollment shows 280 students taking classes only at NDSCS-Fargo and 207 taking classes exclusively online. There are 483 students taking classes at multiple NDSCS locations, or through a combination of in-person and online instruction. The number of high school students taking Early Entry classes through NDSCS has decreased to 684 from 825 in 2015.

“While we are seeing fewer high school students enrolled in our Early Entry classes this fall, traditional students are recognizing the value of a two-year education—including the 99 percent placement rate of our graduates,” said Richman.

North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) will soon begin demolishing a coal boiler structure that was taken out of service earlier this year on its Wahpeton campus after a small explosion and fire rendered it unusable. The 40-year-old coal boiler will be permanently retired and campus energy needs will be met by the three remaining natural gas boilers.

Installed in the mid-1970s, the coal boiler has had minimal use over the past five years and was fired up during the coldest winter months for only 60-70 days annually. Its size is massive, similar to coal boilers on the campuses of the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University, and required retrofitting for the College to use efficiently.

Demolition of the structure will begin in early 2017 and while the majority of the boiler is housed inside the Central Heating Plant, located east of 7th Street; the most noticeable remnant to be removed will be the large, 120-ft. tall steel chimney.  Following demolition, the space formerly occupied by the coal boiler will be repurposed for a yet-to-be-determined campus need.

Energy conservation measures on the Wahpeton Campus have been a priority in recent years and those efforts, including the $8.4 million renovation of Old Main and the installation of energy efficient windows in several residence halls and buildings, have reduced energy demands.
 
“The three natural gas boilers have more than enough capacity to heat the Campus,” said Dallas Fossum, Executive Director of Facilities Management and the campus lead who will oversee coal boiler demolition.