CHIPOLA COLLEGE RANKS 14TH BEST IN NATION

August 29, 2013 Tallahassee, Fla., August 26, 2013 – Today Washington Monthly ranked Chipola College number 14 among national community colleges in its ninth annual college rankings survey. Four other Florida College System (FCS) institutions made the list: North Florida Community College, Miami Dade College, Valencia College and South Florida State College.
“On behalf of the faculty and staff of Chipola College, we are pleased to be recognized for offering quality instruction,” said Chipola President Dr. Gene Prough. “I am very proud of our faculty and support personnel who provide a quality learning environment for our students.”
“This honor recognizes the Florida College System’s commitment to both access and high-quality education,” said FCS Chancellor Randy Hanna. “I commend our colleges for their ongoing efforts to serve the needs of our state.”
Using data from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement and U.S. Department of Education, Washington Monthly rates community colleges in a number of areas, including collaborative learning, student effort, academic rigor, student-faculty interaction and support for learning. Retention, graduation and completion rates are also factored into the rankings.
Chipola had a first-year retention rate of 65.9 which was fifth among the top 50 colleges. Chipola was eleventh in the Three-year graduation/transfer rate at 57.9 percent. This number indicates the percentage of students who graduate or transfer to another college within three years of first enrolling.
            Chipola offers the Bachelor of Science Degree, the Associate in Arts Degree, the Associate in Science Degree and Workforce Development programs.
According to Washington Monthly’s editors, “We designed the Washington Monthly college rankings to embody the American higher education compact at the institutional level. Instead of lauding colleges for closing their doors to all but an elite few, we give high marks to institutions that enroll low-income students, help them graduate and don’t charge them an arm and a leg to attend.”
“These rankings are especially important because they highlight the system’s mission of providing access to low-cost, high-quality education and job training,” said Chancellor Hanna. “I am extremely proud of all of our colleges for helping prepare Floridians for high-skill, high-wage jobs.”