The SPC Board of Regents held their monthly meeting Thursday afternoon which was filled with updates in several areas on programs, enrollment and future projects.
The partnership between SPC and Texas State University has resulted in a ALERRT Regional Training Center coming to fruition at the SPC Reese Center.
SPC Vice President for Academic Affairs Ryan Gibbs explained that SPC is poised to become the first community college as well as the first recognized regional training facility in the state of Texas for ALERRT training.
“This designation will allow SPC to play an integral role in the ongoing and soon to be legislatively required training of the 86,000 peace officers throughout the state of Texas in active shooter response training,” said Gibbs.
Currently, there is legislation currently making its way through to where the initial training for active shooter response will be required for all law enforcement in the state. Gibbs explained that they are in the process of setting up the entire process to where the entire gamut of active shooter response training will be able to be held at building three of the Reese Center.
SPC President Robin Satterwhite offered more explanation as to why the building on the Reese Campus was an ideal location for the training program.
“The reason why the building is so ideal is because it is very similar a school building,” said Satterwhite. “They can go in and they’re not going to be damaging anything and everything. It will be teaching them how to clear building, how to protect the building and secure a building. Since it is identical to a school building that’s why they love it.”
It was announced there will be a ribbon cutting Friday, June 23, at 10 a.m. located at building three of the Reese campus.
“We think this is going to be a very big deal and we are very proud to partner with the ALERRT Center because we think this is vitally important in today’s society that our law enforcement have the best training possible in order to avoid another Uvalde situation unfortunately,” explained Gibbs. “The courses will be taught by the ALERRT staff, and we will act as the hosting institution.”
The college has set the courses up and is already hosting courses and will be able to receive funding. In addition to that planning, the college anticipates several hundred police officers being trained every year with the possibility of that number going up more than expected.
Gibbs added that this is something new for them in regard to partnering with a community college which makes it all more exciting for SPC. He also thanked the law enforcement training faculty as they approached the college initially with the idea.
With funding at both state and national levels, growth and expansion are real possibilities in the future. Gibbs explained that if the facility needs work that could be handled or talks of a breaching facility could be taken further if funding is available.
The program as a whole has trained 248,000 law enforcement, fire, EMS, and emergency management officials nationwide.
An update was given to the regents concerning the truck driving program.
The program mustered 211 students last year. The program’s success resulted in the City of Lubbock asking for a trash truck operator course, which has not seen the numbers they previously projected.
Currently, a bus is leased from Levelland ISD for portion of the curriculum for these programs, with the possibility of a funding request to purchase their own further down the line.
An employee survey was sent out to full-time staff at the end of the year, as it always is through SPC, to gauge how the faculty and staff feel about the college.
The results showed that the college as a whole has continued to trend in a positive direction, but also noticed a few places for improvement.
The survey received responses from 402 out of the 547 total employees of the college. Roughly 93 percent believe students are highest the priority, with 94 percent believing students get a quality education, and 95 percent are proud to work for SPC.
Roughly 74 percent believe there is a culture of innovation, 73 percent believe the college listens to the needs of its constituents and 60 percent believe communication within departments is effective and adequate.
Summer enrollment was a topic of discussion for the board as Vice President for Student Affairs Stan DeMerritt gave the update.
Currently down two percent or 45 students in the first Summer semester, DeMerritt says the numbers are looking increasingly good for the second Summer semester. Last year, there were 2,503 students enrolled in the first Summer semester, now there are 2,454.