Whoever succeeds Ron Wright as chancellor of Delgado Community College will assume command of a school where enrollment is booming while the budget is shrinking. Delgado, the biggest local institution of higher education, enrolled 20,452 students at its nine sites this semester, a 55 percent jump compared with the total five years ago. Meanwhile, the state's per-student allotment for full-time Delgado students dropped by about 43 percent during the same period. Delgado Community College students walk the hallways between classes on Sept. 20. "Growth is a challenge in this state," he said. The new chancellor also will have to confront a changing student demographic, aging facilities, and stricter admissions standards for four-year universities, which are expected to lead even more students to Delgado's doorstep.
