As we move into the final weeks of the spring semester, I continue to be inspired by the focus, resilience, and collaboration that define the Western Texas College community. This is a meaningful time of year—one where we celebrate accomplishments, reflect on progress, and prepare for the opportunities ahead.

May is one of the most rewarding times in the academic year as we celebrate our graduates and the many milestones our students have achieved. Commencement represents not only completion, but also new beginnings for our students, their families, and the communities they will serve. I extend my congratulations to all of our graduates and appreciation to the faculty and staff who have supported them along the way!

I am pleased to share that new leadership is now in place at the College Farm:

• College Farm Manager: Jeffrey Martin

• College Farm Assistant Manager: Kade Hunter

This transition represents an exciting opportunity to strengthen programming, enhance student learning experiences, and further connect this important resource to our institutional mission. We look forward to the continued growth and impact of the College Farm under this new leadership.

Our cross-functional work groups continue to make important contributions toward strengthening institutional practices and supporting a positive campus environment.

• The Modified Work Schedule Practices for Staff Employees Work Group (Ralph Ramon, Patricia Claxton,

  Tammy Davis, Emily Powell, Tanya Lytle, Ashley Ramirez, Marjann Morrow, Geoff Pinkerton) is close to the

  development of an administrative procedure related to modified schedules and campus closures where job

  responsibilities differ. This work is helping ensure consistency, clarity, and fairness in how schedule practices are applied across the institution.

• The Outside Aesthetic and Environment Work Group (Patricia Claxton, Geoff Pinkerton, Darla Wiggins,

  Lorenzo Sands, Patrick Schneider, SGA representative) maintains a focus on enhancing the exterior

  campus environment, including landscaping, signage, lighting, and outdoor student spaces, while

  advancing both near-term improvements and long-range priorities that foster campus pride and support

  recruitment and student engagement.

• The Comprehensive Program Audit Work Group (Stephanie Ducheneaux, Shawn Fonville, Patricia Claxton,

  Dr. Don Sewell, Mischa Norris, Molli Fleming) has made significant progress in Phase I of its work, which is

  now nearing completion. During this phase, the group has focused on gathering, validating, and analyzing

  program data, including enrollment trends, student outcomes, cost-to-deliver, and workforce alignment. This

  work will result in a comprehensive and objective data set that will inform the next phase of collaborative

  review and strategic decision-making.

In addition, we are taking important steps to strengthen the structure and effectiveness of WTC committees. Committees are being updated to ensure each group has a clearly defined and delegated responsibility. We are also identifying committee membership by role and establishing term limits to create more opportunities for employee participation and service across campus.

Significant progress has been made in reviewing and updating full-time employee position descriptions, with approximately three-quarters of this work now complete. This effort is an important step in ensuring role clarity, alignment with institutional needs, and consistency in evaluation processes.

Work also continues on aligning staff employee evaluation practices to support meaningful annual reviews. As these efforts move forward, staff employees should continue working with their supervisors and reporting executives for guidance and updates.

Our strategic planning efforts, Serving Students Together, continue to move forward. In the coming months, guiding priorities will be developed into specific strategies with measurable benchmarks and targets. This work will culminate in the finalization and release of the full strategic plan document during in-service in August. Your continued input remains vital to ensuring this plan reflects our shared vision for WTC’s future.

WTC continues to actively engage with regional and industry partners to strengthen alignment between education, workforce needs, and community priorities. Recent conversations with Snyder ISD, Workforce Solutions, and community stakeholders have emphasized the importance of strengthening advising systems, expanding CTE pathways, and ensuring programs are aligned with high-demand careers.

Discussions with Texas Tech University have highlighted opportunities to expand transfer pathways, strengthen applied research collaborations, and increase experiential learning opportunities for students.

In addition, WTC is engaged in broader regional conversations focused on workforce development, economic growth, and emerging industries, including aerospace and advanced technologies, which will help inform long-term program development and enhance our impact across the communities we serve.

While the semester concludes, our work does not pause. Summer provides an important opportunity to continue advancing key initiatives, preparing for the upcoming academic year, and maintaining momentum across our strategic priorities.

As we reflect on this academic year, one theme remains clear: the strength of WTC lies in its people. The collaboration, professionalism, and shared commitment to students continue to move us forward in meaningful ways.

Thank you for all you do to support our students and one another. I look forward to celebrating the close of the semester with you and continuing our work together in the months ahead!

Dr. Laurie Sharp

People first. Purpose always. Forward together.