FAIRFIELD -- Kennebec Valley Community College saw a near 40 percent increase in applicants for the spring term but, like the rest of the community college system, KVCC will have to turn away some of those seeking to enroll.

System President John Fitzsimmons said the state's seven community colleges simply don't have adequate staff or resources to meet the rising demand.

"We are doing everything in our power to keep the doors open as wide as possible," he said, "but we are stretched thin and will not be able to serve all of these applicants."

System officials said the applicant pool is nearly 600 individuals larger than a year ago.

KVCC leads the list in regard to increased demand with a 38 percent jump in applicants. Central Maine Community College in Auburn -- up 25 percent -- saw the second-largest increase, but every college in the system is experiencing double-digit growth.

Fitzsimmons pointed to a weak economy and rising unemployment as the reasons for the surge in applicants. He said many people are looking to the community-college system to upgrade their skills or gain an education geared for the current job market.

In this sense, he said the system is meant to be a safety net to help people survive a volatile economy.

The frustration, he said, is that the community colleges are facing state funding cuts -- $2.9 million in the fiscal year that ends in June -- that make it impossible to expand that net.

"Telling students they can't enroll or that they have to defer enrollment for certain programs for one is such a wrong message," Fitzsimmons said, "but it's even worse in a bad economy."

KVCC President Barbara Woodlee shared Fitzsimmons' frustration over the difficulty in meeting the growth in applicants.

"We remain ready to do everything we can to ensure that those who apply to KVCC get that opportunity," Woodlee said, "but it is unfortunate that our funding is being reduced at the very time our services are in such high demand."

Jim Bourgoin, KVCC director of admissions, said the increase in applications is spread among many programs at the Fairfield college, with radiologic technology leading the way.

Bourgoin said he expects some radiologic-technology applicants will have to be turned away for the spring semester, but he said it is too soon to know how many.

Fitzsimmons said the system relies greatly on state dollars and other funding sources to cover its operational costs because of its commitment to keep tuition affordable -- a full-time student pays about $2,400 a year in tuition.

The community-college system has increased tuition only twice in the last eight years.

Fitzsimmons said his office recently commissioned a study to gauge student sensitivity to cost hikes. What the study -- conducted by an independent company -- determined, he said, is that anything beyond a minimal increase could have a grave impact on enrollment.

"If we went up $5 a credit hour, which is $150 a year, we could lose as much as 22 percent of our students," he said. "It is that fragile."

Fitzsimmons said such a scenario goes counter to the community-college system's fundamental role.

"We believe our mission in the state is to be the low-cost college option," he said.

Colin Hickey -- 861-9205

chickey@centralmaine.com

Colin Hickey is an adjunct instructor at Kennebec Valley Community College.