New BCC dean hopes to expand New Bedford campus, catch up with enrollment growth

Developing Bristol Community College’s downtown presence into a full-blown “urban campus” and catching up to enrollment growth that has outpaced the school’s facilities are at the top of new dean Wesley Lundburg’s agenda as he takes the city college’s reins.
“We’re going to outgrow this space so fast,” Lundburg said at a meet and greet event held for him on the Purchase Street campus Thursday. “It just snuck up on people,” he said, referring to the campus’ rapid enrollment growth.
The college’s New Bedford presence — including the eHealth Careers campus on Purchase Street and the college’s space on Union Street — now serves up to 1,300 students in regular classroom programs and 200 in the eHealth majors, which allow students to study subjects such as nursing online with limited trips to a physical classroom. The college’s New Bedford campus could expand by 30 percent or even 50 percent in the next year, Lundburg said.
Lundburg is the campus’ second leader and replaces outgoing dean Terri Romanovitch, who accepted an administrative position in the college’s workforce development office.
Expanding the campus will require more real estate, Lundburg said, adding that the Legislature or city would need to play a role in securing new buildings.
As for where the new building could be, Lundburg said that is “to be explored,” and he plans to meet with Mayor Jon Mitchell soon to discuss the campus’s needs.
Lundburg came to BCC from a position at Prince William Sound Community College in Valdez, Alaska.
By Matt Camara
mcamara@s-t.com
April 29, 2013 12:00 AM
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