NEWS

The Board of Regents met Thursday October 14, 2004 to discuss the topics such as faculty evaluations, construction, and the South Plains College annual report.

The meeting opened with a report from Dr. Kelvin Sharp and the process that will go into evaluating SPC faculty. Sharp said that the process will involve distribution of the surveys, collecting them and recording them in the computer system.

Dr. Gary McDaniel, President, followed with a very positive annual report of SPC. The construction on the Commercial Music Building and the Science Building was his opening report. McDaniel said that everything was still going as planned for the Science Building and the furniture and lab equipment has been orders and should be fully functional by summer. The Music Building has been halted by the rain and mud and the workers will be back and continue when things dry up.

“The music students are very talented and could really use the space of this new building,” said McDaniel.

McDaniel then presented the report that evaluated the year budget, and all the growth that is in SPC’s future. The enrollment was mentioned on how it has fluctuated greatly and McDaniel showed how SPC has set a seventh consecutive enrollment record in 2003-2004. In the past five years, student enrollment has grown 43.3% and serving 15 surrounding counties helped set SPC rank at 10th among Texas’s 68 community college campuses.

“ We are the fastest growing college in the nation,” stated McDaniel. “ We are very proud of this campus.”

McDaniel went on to describe some of the dynamic educational programs that SPC has such as SSS and Upward Bound. These are programs that help to prepare for transfer to universities, employment through technical education, infusion of technology in the curriculum. In 2003, 2,274 students transferred from SPC to a university, a 647 growth since 2000.

McDaniel was proud to say that SPC was employing 90% of full time educators as opposed to part time and this is a reflection of the dedication of this college and the promises we do intend to keep.
 

According to the annual report, SPC has been invited to assist in the Rolling Plains Distance education Consortium in giving dual credit with high school students. Dual credits will be extended to music courses, law enforcement, and criminal justice and electronics courses.
 

To conclude the report, highlights were given on other attributions to campus. A mutil-million dollar grant was received by SPC from Higher Education referring to apply to retention and in addition to other grants such as a $47,000 grant for health occupations.
McDaniel spoke about some of the accomplishments that SPC has introduced. SPC is the first community college to introduce a surgical assistant program as well as being able to receive an associates degree in teaching.
 

McDaniel brought an idea to the board to add another building to campus. He said he would like to see a gallery type building for the SPC collections and or a separate music building, a place where the musicians could really play and host more concert type connections. In general, McDaniel wants to see SPC host more conventions of all types and be able to have the space and places to do so. It is only and idea for the board to consider once again and things like the budget, time, and necessity all still have to be considered. This could easily be a $5.1 million dollar project.
 

“We are growing so rapidly that this can’t forever be ignored,” said McDaniel.
In concluding the meeting, the reminder of the 50th anniversary for SPC was mentioned by Chairman, Mike Box. It is coming up in three years and ideas is already needing to be brought in how to celebrate the event. A general consensus of who is to be remembered and mentioned on this date.
 

Alton “Pete” Pettiet, board member, closed the meeting by wanting to commend a job very well done on the Annual Report to the Community brochure. He said it was very well put together and a proud reflection of our college.
 

“This is a representation of our of strive for perfection,” Pettiet said.
On this positive note the meeting was adjourned.