Regents discuss promotions, name Fine Arts Building
by Courtney Bullard, co-associate editor
The South Plains
College Board of Regents discussed promotions, honored the
Men’s track team, and agreed upon the new name for the Fine
Arts Building during their March meeting.
The CH
Foundation, which was established by the late Christime
DeVitt, and the Helen Jones Foundation, founded by the late
Helen DeVitt Jones, donated $500,000 each in private grants
to support the Fine Arts Building. That makes a total of $1
million going toward the completion of the Fine Arts
Building.
Because of the
generosity these women showed in their lifetimes and the
actions of the foundations, the Board decided to honor them
by naming the complex the Christine DeVitt Fine Arts Center,
with the theatre being named the Helen DeVitt Jones Theatre
for the Performing Arts.
"This is the
first time we have had friends of South Plains College
donate to the naming of a building," said Dr. Kelvin Sharp,
president of SPC. "Those gifts allow us to go forward with
our project."
The Board also
announced that it would like to recognize Levelland resident
Nathan Tubb by giving him an honorary degree. An honorary
degree is conferred on someone who may not have attended SPC
but has made a contribution to the school. Tubb was the
college’s first registrar, later served as vice president
for academic affairs, and served as a member of the Board of
Regents, among his other contributions to the college.
“I think it’s
most appropriate,” said Stephen John, vice president of
instutional advancement. “Other than Marvin Baker, Nathan
was SPC. He is the reason our instructional program is the
way it is.”
There has only
been one other honorary degree given before. Bill Monroe,
known as “The Father of Bluegrass,” received his degree in
Tennessee at the Grand Ole Opry. Ironically, the award was
actually presented to him by Nathan Tubb. Monroe became
associated with the college after he came to Levelland for a
PBS documentary about bluegrass.
In other action,
the Board was informed that there are many faculty members
up for promotion and tenure. Those who will be receiving
promotions include: Assistant Professor Exa Kaye Ainsworth
to professor; Instructor Roger Arnold will soon be Associate
Professor; assistant professor Cindy Brown will now be a
professor; Natalie Bryant, currently assistant professor,
will be an associate professor; Raymund Elizondo, currently
assistant professor, will be an associate professor;
Assistant Professor Linda Hall will be a professor;
Instructor Paul Harbin will be assistant professor;
Instructor Jay Lemon will be assistant professor; Jimmie
McGee, currently an assistant professor, will be an
associate professor; Instructor Stuart Moody will be an
assistant professor; Leanna Smith currently an assistant
professor, will be an associate professor; Pete Stracener,
associate professor, will be a professor; and Assistant
Professor Bill Wheeler will be a professor.
Also, Dr. Sandra
Carter, currently an associate professor, will be a
professor; Instructor Jill Collier will be an assistant
professor; Instructor Linda Dunn will be an assistant
professor; Instructor Dr. Sara English will be an assistant
professor; Assistant Professor Dr. Cathleen Hunt will be an
associate professor; Brenda Johnson, currently an
instructor, will be an assistant professor; Instructor
Phylis Kennon will be an assistant professor; Wayne
Langehennig, currently an assistant professor, will be an
associate professor; and Rob Ramos, currently an instructor,
will be an assistant professor.
Tenure is a
status given to faculty members who have been with the
school around three to four years and have proven to have
done an outstanding job in the classroom.
Those who
received tenure include: Eduardo Alcayaga, instructor in
music; Linda Dunn, instructor in Associate Degree nursing;
Charlie Ehrenfeld, assistant professor of
journalism/Plainsmen Press advisor; Schahara Hudelson,
assistant professor of English; Brenda Jordan, instructor in
Associate Degree nursing; Joseph Justice, assistant
professor of English; Phyllis Kennon, instructor in drafting
technology; Dr. Joseph Kline, coordinator/ associate
professor of legal assisting; Dr. Shirley Lewter, associate
professor of English; Kara Martinez, assistant professor of
speech; Benny Morris, program coordinator and instructor in
heating, air conditioning and refrigeration condition
technology; Randy Redman, instructor in heating,
refrigeration and air technology; Dr. Armida Rosiles,
assistant professor of psychology; Letitia Simpson,
assistant professor of anatomy and physiology; Cynthia Wise,
assistant professor of history, and Lesa Wood, instructor in
vocal music.
The Board also
recognized the SPC’s men’s track team, which won the
National Indoor Track and Field Championship. SPC finished
with 148.5, points beating out Rend Lake College, which
placed second with 72 points.
“I was very proud
of their effort, and they did a tremendous job,” said Dr.
Sharp.
In other action,
the Board was informed that dual-credit enrollments have
dropped from 1,788 students in the fall of 2006 to 1,713 for
spring 2007. According to Darrell Grimes, vice president for
academic affairs, the decline is due to high school students
graduating at mid term, some students completing all their
college work at mid-term, students being involved in more
extracurricular activities in the spring semester, and a
limited number of students who fail to make grades.
The Regents were
also presented a report on the 9th Annual Job
Shadow Day. Job Shadow Day is an event for students from
local participating high schools to follow professionals
around at work. Students are allowed to choose career fields
to explore. Some student experiences include watching
surgery, developing web page designs, and an alcohol sting
with TABC.
