SPC Regents discuss enrollment, construction at September meeting

Mandy Langford, staff writer

Campus construction and fall enrollment were the main topics of discussion during the September meeting of the South Plains College Board of Regents.

David Jones, vice presidents of student services, reported to the Regents that the Levelland campus has grown in 311 students this semester compared to last fall. SPC has a record enrollment of 9,647 this semester, including the Reese campus, Gateway, and Texas Tech classes offered. This showed an overall increase of 2 percent, meaning that there are more students taking more hours. This shows a positive correlation in teachers and students spending more face-to-face class time together, according to Jones.

“Everyone of our 9,647 students are paying for the buildings and additions to campus,” says South Plains College President Dr. Gary D. McDaniel, “and we are very thankful and proud of that number.”

Though the population of the women’s residence halls is staying at about average, while the male population seems to be growing more rapidly.

“With these numbers,” says Jones, “ we could have filled another men’s dorm easily.”

While the construction of new men’s residence hall is not up for consideration yet the Board of Regents were given an update on new additions to the Levelland Campus. Anew parking lot has been added on the Levelland campus just west of the welding building. This Auto-Diesel and Welding buildings are getting heaters as well.

The Science Building is expected to be a great addition to this campus as well. Furniture is scheduled to be bid on in early December.

“This building will not be fully functional,” says McDaniel, “ until end of spring.”

The moving and final setups will take place in the spring semester, possibly during spring break. Still this project is on schedule as well, McDaniel said.

The dirt has been leveled, and soon there will be an expansion to the Creative Arts Building. McDaniel said the timing is going right as planned, yet it might detour some students for a while. For safety reasons, McDaniel would like to see an eight-foot fence put up so that students cannot cross through the site.

Finishing touches are being put on the new building near the track, but it is already serviceable.
 

“ We are in good shape,” said McDaniel.

Construction money is limited and all used right now from the budget. But as the student population increases the pay-offs of these additions will come sooner, according to McDaniel
Prior to the conclusion of the meeting, the college’s mission statement was brought to the attention of the Board of Regents to obtain the revisions needed for the 2005-2008 school years.

A committee will continue to work and changes are assured to be made, though minor. McDaniel said, “Maintaining the same mission is not our status quo, as the college always wants to make changes and move ahead.” The revisions are expected to be completed during the next couple of months.

“We would like to see it shorter,” says McDaniel, “but it is hard to make it brief with all the promising goals we have for our institution. Yet we will always take care of our students first; that is what we have always done.”