NORWICH – The dean of Morrisville State College’s Norwich branch campus proposed a 3 percent cost of living increase in his budget for next year, bringing the amount county taxpayers spend on the college to about $33,000.

In his overview before members of the Planning & Economic Development Committee this week, Dean Ted Nichols said 568 students had enrolled at the 1 year-old campus on Conkey Avenue for the 2006-2007 school year. There were 518 students enrolled in 2004; 500 in 2005. Transitioning into the new building could have been a reason for fewer students last year, he said.

“That’s a promising increase, but we still want to be well over 600,” he said.

Town of Otselic Supervisor David J. Messineo asked Nichols for the number of credit hours. “Wouldn’t that be a better gauge of numbers?” he asked. While Nichols didn’t have credit information on hand during the meeting, in a phone interview afterward, he said 285 students were taking the equivalent of 12 credits - or were full-time.

Enrollment trends at the local branch campus identify a younger, commuter student demographic than in the past. Many students begin their college-level education in Norwich, Nichols said, but then transfer after the first year. As a result, marketing and recruiting efforts have been aimed at targeting the county’s high school students.