Editor’s note: Midland College does not release its Board of Trustees meeting minutes until the board approves them at the following meeting. As a result, The Permian Press could not access the Oct. 14 minutes until after the Nov. 18 meeting.

What happened: The Midland College trustees met on Tuesday, Oct. 14, to review enrollment trends in an upper-level management program, discuss how to expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) space after the failed $450 million bond election, and receive updates on the college’s long-term strategy and enrollment growth.

Key points:

  • Organizational Management: College staff briefed trustees on the Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Management, which has seen declining enrollment over the last decade. The college tied the drop to barriers in the program’s structure. Staff said they are removing redundancies and simplifying pathways to enable more students to enroll and complete the degree.
  • Applied Technology: Trustees received a detailed update on the college’s plans to address growing demand for CTE programs without the bond funding that would have built new facilities. College staff noted that MISD expects 1,365 more high school students to take dual-credit CTE courses by 2028. Midland College also projects demand for about 1,200 additional adult CTE students if more space becomes available.

Health Sciences enrollment at MISD is also rising and will begin affecting Midland College facilities in fall 2026. To meet these needs, the college is evaluating whether it can repurpose existing buildings. Options include relocating or combining programs, remodeling labs and classrooms, purchasing additional space, or constructing pre-engineered metal buildings for heavy-equipment labs.

For three such buildings totaling 124,800 square feet, the staff estimates soft costs of $78.1 million over two years. Trustees also discussed converting general classrooms into specialized labs and prioritizing safety and infrastructure upgrades within the current budget.

  • Strategic Plan: Trustees also received an update on the college’s long-term strategy. Staff reported progress in facilities planning, building data capacity, improving services tied to the student experience, and stabilizing enrollment. Midland College’s highest enrollment, 7,195, was in fall 2010. By the fall of 2023, enrollment was 5,518. For fall 2024, enrollment had risen to 6,100.

College staff said enrollment is currently 7,336. However, the data did not specify how many of those students attend classes in person or how many credit hours the average student takes. Looking ahead to 2025–26, the college’s strategic priorities focus on turning plans into action, expanding dual-credit opportunities, improving the student journey from enrollment to completion, and strengthening the employee experience.