A number of awards and accomplishments were reviewed at the Odessa College Board of Trustees meeting, including a new accolade from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Odessa College was recently recognized with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Award of Excellence for outstanding achievement. In his report to trustees, Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness Don Wood said it’s important to remember where OC came from over the last 10 years.
Wood said that was an important milestone because that’s when the board decided to change leadership to President Gregory Williams. It has also converted to eight-week terms from the traditional 16-week semesters.
Its move has helped contribute to the state’s goal of having 60 percent of Texas adults earn a certificate or degree by 2030.
Wood also played a piece of video from the Coordinating Board’s quarterly meeting where Chairman Robert “Bobby” Jenkins called OC the “poster child for 60 by 30.”
On another item, Williams said the college’s associate degree of nursing pass rate was 93.17 percent for 2017. He added that OC has been above the state average for the past three years running.
Williams said only 53 percent of colleges and universities got 90 percent or higher.
In other business Tuesday, the board:
- Approved a tax abatement for a solar power company considering coming to the Penwell area of Ector County. The panel voted to give a 100 percent abatement for the first five years and a 50 percent abatement for the next five years.
Board member Gary Johnson said the property is near what was to become the Summit Power facility.
Vice President for Business Affairs Virginia Chisum said Wednesday that the firm is 174 Power Global out of Irvine, Calif. They have a facility in the McCamey area that broke ground about a month ago, she said.
- Heard a presentation on Black History Month events for February.
- Williams said the college received National Association of Schools of Music accreditation for another 10 years.
- The school’s marketing and media relations department is one of three finalists for the Paragon Award from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations. The results will be announced in March.
-
Trustees also approved selling property in Goldsmith for less than the market value specified in a judgment of foreclosure and less than the amount of judgment.
