The number of students in the incoming class this fall at the Pennsylvania College of Technology is up 12% from last year, College President Michael J. Reed reported to the board of directors at their meeting this week.

Reed noted that included over 300 students who transferred in from other institutions.

The increase is the comparison of the Fall 2022 incoming class of 1,589 to the Fall 2021 incoming class of 1,413, according to information from the college.

Total Penn College enrollment for Fall 2022 of 4,241 is flat compared with last year’s figures of 4,240.

“The 12% increase in this year’s incoming class helped offset lean incoming classes during the COVID-19 pandemic — as well as large graduating classes,” a spokesperson for the college stated.

Earlier in his report, Reed talked about a study done on Return on Investment (ROI) of higher institutions by Georgetown University’s Workforce Development Committee.

“They looked at ROIs across institutions. Penn College looks extremely strong in the overall matrix,” Reed said.

“When you set the database up to show four-year graduates, 10-year ROI Pennsylvania public institutions, Penn College ranks No. 1 in our commonwealth. So our students are doing exceptionally well,” he added.

In U.S. News rankings of colleges, Reed shared that Penn College ranked in the top 10 in five separate categories, in the top five in public institutions and in the top 10 overall in private and public institutions.

“We’re also in the top five in the nation teaching and supporting our veterans,” he stated.

“It’s always nice when we find our own data to validate, but it’s nice to have external sources too, showing how well our graduates and how well our faculty and staff do to prepare,” he said.

In other business, the board approved the purchase of a property at 917/919 Second St. The parcels are adjacent to other college properties. Plans are to raze the buildings on the property and hold the site as vacant land.

Traditionally Penn College has purchased nearby properties, even though they may not be utilized immediately, in order to hold the sites for future expansion, it was noted.

The board also approved Thomas A. Zimmerman, retired associate professor of psychology and faculty athletic representative, for emeritus status.

Zimmerman taught full time at Penn College and at the Williamsport Area Community College since 1984. He retired in 2021.

To be eligible for emeritus status at the college, nominees must be honorably retired in good standing. In addition, they must have served the college for a minimum of 10 years “demonstrating a record of distinguished service to students, their department, their academic school and/or the college,” according to information from the college.

The next meeting of the board will be Dec. 15.