Editor’s note: Midland College releases Board of Trustees meeting minutes only after board approval at the following meeting. As a result, The Permian Press received the Nov. 18 minutes on Jan. 5, following the Dec. 16 meeting.

What happened: The Midland College Board of Trustees met on Nov. 18, received an update on the college’s welding program, and approved funding for the design of a new campus fire suppression system.

Key points:

  • Welding program: College staff reported fall 2025 enrollment of 316 students in the welding program. Program completions and job placement rates remain steady. As enrollment grows, the college plans to reconfigure the existing welding shop to improve workflow and increase capacity.

College leaders recently framed similar changes as part of a broader effort to expand career and technical education programs after voters rejected the college’s $450 million bond proposal last May.

A campus audit found that the college has enough classroom space but lacks specialized lab space for hands-on programs such as welding. Rather than pursuing new construction, the college plans to better use existing facilities to enroll more students.

  • Fire suppression: Trustees approved a $99,000 proposal for design and construction administration services for a fire suppression system serving the northwest area of campus. The college will fund the project through its facilities planning budget.