TWIN FALLS — The College of Southern Idaho continues to see its overall enrollment drop, but its students are taking more classes.

Chris Bragg, associate dean of institutional effectiveness, presented fall semester enrollment numbers during a Monday CSI board of trustees meeting. It’s the official fall enrollment report that’s submitted to the state.

It’s a snapshot from Oct. 15 that shows how many students are enrolled in for-credit classes, compared with the same day last year. Numbers don’t include non-credit classes such as workforce development and community education.

CSI, like many other Idaho colleges and universities, continues to see a drop in overall student headcount.

But the number of high school students taking dual credit classes is exploding due to the state’s Advanced Opportunities program, where students can receive up to $4,125 to pay for college-level classes.

“We’re just barely down in headcount because dual credit is carrying us,” Bragg told trustees.

CSI’s overall headcount is 6,978 students — down 1.2 percent compared with last year. That equates to about 85 fewer people, Bragg told trustees.

The college has 3,378 full-time students — a drop of 0.9 percent or 31 students.

Career and technical education enrollment is taking the largest hit — down 7.3 percent, with a total of 665 students. Bragg cited the regional unemployment rate at 2.2 percent, saying it’s difficult to get students when there are jobs available with good wages.

Two areas where enrollment is up: dual credit and the number of academic credits students are taking.

Dual credit is up 8 percent, with 2,955 students enrolled. The total number of credits students are taking is up 0.4 percent.

“It means we have fewer students who are taking more credits,” Bragg said.

Research shows if students are enrolled full-time, he said, they have a much better chance of graduating and moving on, so he’s happy to see a climb in academic credits.

What’s not included in the enrollment report: Within the last year, CSI has logged about 1,700 people taking non-credit classes.

“Those numbers do matter,” CSI President Jeff Fox said. “Those are lives we are touching with education.” Without that information in the enrollment report, he said, “it leaves out a part of who we are.”

During their meeting, trustees also approved a fiscal year 2018 audit report.

CSI received an “unqualified” opinion — the highest possible. “An unqualified opinion is generally the one you’re looking for,” auditor Dale Bunn told trustees.

France, Basterrechea, Wagner & Bunn, a Gooding-based firm, has completed the college’s audit for several years. The local firm joined the regional firm Eide Bailly LLP effective this spring.

The audit gauges the college’s overall financial health and how it’s managing taxpayer money. It’s for the fiscal year that ended June 30.

“I’d reiterate an audit is not an entire inspection of every transaction that takes place over the year,” Bunn said. It’s also not a forensic audit, he said, or a record of what every employee does.

The College of Southern Idaho Foundation has a separate audit since it’s a nonprofit organization that operates separately from the college. It also received an unqualified opinion on its recent audit.

For the college’s audit, auditors looked at whether the college’s financial statements are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Auditors brought up a couple of recommendations, including how some information was incorrect in a federal financial aid reporting system.

The date students withdrew from classes was incorrect because data in the system was being overridden, auditors said, adding it’s an issue many other colleges are also experiencing.

Other issues were related to career and technical education revenue funds held back until the next fiscal year and the college’s Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho obligation number on the books.

The board also approved moving forward with planning phases for a remodel/relocation project for the Taylor Building’s kitchen and bookstore.

The project calls for flipping the locations of the second-floor kitchen and first-floor bookstore. It could cost an estimated $5.2 million.

Board chairman Bob Keegan said he thinks the project is the most needed at CSI. If there’s a leak in the kitchen, it leaks down into the first floor.

Trustee Jack Nelsen expressed concerns about how much CSI could be paying in architect fees and asked if there should be a cap on that amount.

Architect fees are still under negotiation, but are typically 6-9 percent, vice president of administration Jeff Harmon said, and the bill is incremental based on the project’s progress. “I’m concerned about having a cap on something.”

Nelsen said he wasn’t trying to take up time during the meeting or play devil’s advocate. “I would hate to spend a million bucks on a cafeteria that was never built.” But he ended up seconding a motion to proceed.

And the board voted 4-0 to approve a new CSI board attorney. Nelsen recused himself, citing a conflict of interest.

Lisa Schoettger is the new board attorney. She’s from the Twin Falls law firm Roy, Nielson, Platts, McGee & Schoettger.

Current CSI board attorney Bob Alexander is retiring after 53 years on the job. CSI held a retirement reception for him Monday night following the board of trustees meeting.

As she voted to approve motion to hire Schoettger, trustee Jan Mittleider said: “with the notation that Lisa, you have very large shoes to fill.”