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Haverhill, MA (October 1, 2025) – The Northern Essex Community College Board of Trustees met on the Haverhill Campus for its October meeting. Topics included optimizing class schedules for students, a review of the supplimental budget, and an update on enrollment.

Education Report 

Following key findings in the Master Plan report produced by Jones Architecture, over the next year, Academic Affairs is undergoing a schedule revision process to optimize the use of space and support student access, completion, and success. Vice President of Academic Affairs Austin Gilliland gave Trustees an overview of the process. She says, this spring, the focus will be mainly on space utilization through the use of standard time blocks. Currently, there are 13 different start times and 19 different end times for classes during a week. This can lead to difficulty for some students to maximize their time on campus. Standard time blocks would allow for more consistency and flexibility for students with different needs.

“[With standard blocks] a student could knock out all of their required classes in just two days, which could help them enroll in more classes or find a better balance with their other priorities,” said Gilliland.

In the fall of 2026, the focus will then shift to student experience, access, completion, and success. This will include optimizing class modalities, class sequencing, and campus availability.

“A lot has changed in the last five years. What worked in 2019 no longer applies,” noted President Lane Glenn on the need for this schedule revisions process.

Spring and Summer 2026 Advising/Registration begins on Monday, November 3.

Enrollment Update

Changes to enrollment also make the need for a schedule revision process more pressing. Currently 5,200 students are enrolled in classes, marking the first time since 2018 that enrollment has crossed the 5,000 mark.

“MassEducate and MassReconnect are working as they’re designed to work,” said Glenn. “But we can’t sustain growth without additional support for our students.” Areas targeted for additional support include academic support services and enrollment application processing.

Supplemental Budget

The NECC Board of Trustees voted to approve the FY2026 Supplemental Operating Budget. The FY2026 College Supplemental Operating Budget is based upon the following: estimated state appropriation support, the college’s Enrollment Plan, the college’s staff and faculty salaries & benefits plan, grants support, the 1.93% increase in the Institutional Support Fee – Regular and the 1.93% increase in the Institutional Support Fee – Allied Health Courses, and defined Other Operating Expenditures.

The NECC Board of Trustees includes nine members whom the governor of the state appoints to a maximum of two five-year terms, as well as an alumni-elected member, who also serves a maximum of ten years, and the student trustee, who serves for two semesters. The next board meeting will be held on October on the Haverhill Campus. A full list of meeting dates and more information about the Board of Trustees can be found on the webpage.