We would be less concerned about the 6 percent decrease in Jamestown Community College’s 2015-16 enrollment if it was a one-year blip on the radar.

It isn’t.

Over five years, JCC’s enrollment has decreased 481 full-time students since 2011-12 (16.2 percent) and 631 part-time students (11.5 percent). When converted to full-time equivalent students, the college has lost 10.4 percent of its enrollment over five years.

There are many reasons for the enrollment decrease. A smaller number of high school graduates in our area is surely one reason. College officials note the fierce competition for prospective students from both local and non-local colleges. We are puzzled why JCC is a secret in its own backyard. Dr. Kirk Young, vice president of enrollment, marketing and communication, told The Post-Journal’s Katrina Fuller that Dr. Cory Duckworth, JCC president, “was tired of us being the best-kept secret in town, so we’ve been making the rounds.” Being a secret in the local community can’t be good for enrollment, and it is a stark change from the college’s standing under former president Dr. Gregory DeCinque. It seems safe to say changes in the college’s marketing strategy haven’t paid off in recent years.

We wonder, too, if a new strategy isn’t needed for part-time students. At first, the decline in part-time students is surprising because the regional job market isn’t particularly strong. One would think there would be more demand for education by those who have seen manufacturing opportunities leave the area over the past several years. We wonder if people are so busy trying to make ends meet that job retraining just isn’t that big a priority or is seen as an expense they don’t feel they can undertake. Those with mortgages, car loans and the like surely don’t want to add school loans to that burden.

We’re glad to hear college officials want to reach out to underserved segments of the community, both to help enrollment and because higher education can be a valuable stepping stone to a better life for many in our community. For that reason, it is in everyone’s best interest for JCC to remain a strong educational resource for decades to come. Perhaps it’s time for the college to highlight its offerings as a way to boost enrollment and develop new areas of study if the existing course catalogue isn’t bringing students in the front door.

JCC is certainly a reflection of its host community – and right now, both are struggling.