Chattahoochee Technical College will cut the ribbon on its 47,000-square-foot classroom building at 5 p.m. Tuesday, and the new space is needed as enrollment in the merged Chattahoochee, Appalachian and North Metro technical schools exceeded the previous fall quarter by 25 percent.

The new building will house an expanded library, biology and chemistry labs and general classrooms. The environmental horticulture program will be moving from a remote location to the new building.

Total enrollment in the merged schools this fall is 12,114 — 2,882 more than the 9,232 students a year ago. Enrollment at the Paulding campus rose 18.9 percent to 994 students this fall. Enrollment at CTC’s other campuses also went up significantly to: Marietta, 5,428 (up 38.1 percent); Appalachian, 1,013 (44.7 percent); Mountain View, 958 (34.4 percent; North Metro, 3,284 (33.8 percent); and Woodstock, 437 (49.1 percent).

Classes were not scheduled at CTC’s South Cobb campus because of building renovations. Another campus location in Canton is under construction with expected opening in January 2011.

Enrollment in the college’s on-line classes increased 72 percent.

“Students are opting for more on-line classes as this provides them with more convenience — they can take the class at a time that best fits into their work and home schedules,” said Kim Crowe, director of marketing communications.

“The economy certainly contributed to the boost in our enrollment,” said CTC President Dr. Sanford Chandler, president of CTC and Appalachian Tech before the merger. “But the excitement over the merger and the expanded program choices and campus locations also played a part. We have over 3,500 students who registered for classes at multiple campus locations.”

Increased enrollment “certainly exceeded what we were expecting; it is substantial,” said Chandler. “We were expecting growth, but I don’t think anything prepared us for this unprecedented growth. It has just been phenomenal, and our people have risen to the occasion.”

“One thing about the merger is that we wanted to encourage students to take advantage of the different program offerings at the various campuses, and they’re doing that,” added Ron Newcomb, college provost and CTC executive vice president. “Consequently, enrollment at the individual campuses is even higher, varying from 28-44 percent. That tells us that the merger advantage to the student is being able to pick up program offerings at more than one campus is working, because they’re doing it.”

Newcomb attributes the growth to economic conditions that prompt workers to become more educated and job-seekers to add skill sets.

The North Metro campus opened a new Health Education Center this fall, the first new building at the Acworth site since North Metro opened in 1989. The Health Education Center is the first “green” building that the Technical College System of Georgia has built and is certified at the Leadership In Energy Development Design silver level.

The Georgia Board of Nursing in July approved an associate degree in nursing program for CTC to begin in January. Details about the nursing program are available at 770-528-4433.

The merger July 1 makes CTC the largest technical college in Georgia and the ninth-largest post-secondary school in the state.

More information is at the school’s Web site: www.ChattahoocheeTech.edu.