With the rise of groceries, gas, and mortgage rates, one
thing remains the same. South Plains College will not be
increasing tuition for the next year.
During the April 10 meeting of the South Plains College
Board of Regents, Dr. Kelvin Sharp, president of SPC,
informed the Board that the college will not increase
tuition like many surrounding colleges and universities have
or will be doing. Dr. Sharp said that he asked every
department of the college to cut their budgets by 5 percent
in order to maintain the low tuition.
“We are very proud of the fact our leadership in our college
community could reduce their budget and in essence not
increase tuition and fees,” said Dr. Sharp, “I presented
that to the Board of Regents, and they were grateful.”
David Jones, vice president for student affairs, presented
the Board with SPC demographics. The average age of a SPC
student for 2008 is 22.07, which is lower than last year’s
average age of 22.59.
For 2008, 63.76 percent of students are white, 27.64 percent
are Hispanic, an increase from last year, 5.36 percent are
black and 3.14 percent are other ethnicities. Of the
students who attend SPC, 98.18 are Texas residents, and 2.63
percent are from out of state. Also, 46.81 percent of SPC
students are male, and 53.19 percent are female. Of those
students attending SPC, 43.77 percent are full time, while
56.23 percent are part-time.
The top high school that students come from is Lubbock
Coronado with 538, followed by Lubbock High School with 445,
Lubbock Monterey with 430, Frenship with 319, Levelland High
School with 289, Plainview with 171, Estacado with 138,
Lubbock Cooper with 132, and Brownfield with 99. In
addition, 182 students are from New Mexico.
The Board also was informed of many curriculum revisions.
According to Darrell Grimes, vice president for academic
affairs, these revisions were either mandated or they were
changed to make transferring to universities easier.
The regents also went over an employment list. There are
three new faculty positions that need to be filled, and a
few other positions have opened up due to employee
retirements that may or may not be filled, based on
enrollment.
At the beginning of the meeting, the regents signed a
resolution commending Coach Steve Green, the Texan
Basketball team and assistant coaches Charles Harrell and
Clif Carroll for winning the 2008 National Junior College
Athletic Association Championship tournament in Kansas for
the first time in the history of SPC. The team finished the
season with a record of 30-5, and Green won his 200th
game and was named Coach of the Tournament.
Receiving the resolution on behalf of the Texans was team
members Jonathan Hall and Nick Okorie, along with Athletic
Director Joe Tubb. Hall was named Most Valuable Player of
the NJCAA Championship tournament, and Okorie was named to
the All-Tournament team.
Tubb shared a few words with the regents, expressing his
pride for the team. He went on to say that the team was made
up of hard workers, and it was “nice to see the good guys
win.”
The Board also went over another resolution that recognized
distinguished alums who will be honored on May 8 at the
college’s annual Employee Banquet at Physical Education
Complex.
The resolution states that “South Plains College takes pride
in the accomplishments, achievements and commends these
former students for their professional achievements and
bestows upon each the honor and title of Distinguished
Alumnus of South Plains College.”
Those alumni include Ronald K. Baccus, Dr. Leann Kuenstler
Ellis, Dan M. Harris, Steven M. Presley and state
Representative David A. Swinford.
Swinford will be speaking at the graduation ceremonies on
May 9
