As a result of the growing enrollment, housing at the Sweetwater campus is filled beyond capacity. Even with the opening of a new housing complex, the beginning of the fall term found the Sweetwater campus securing apartments and motel rooms for students. Plans are currently under way to build additional dormitories to meet the demands of the growing student population. Plans are under way to enlarge the physical facilities of all four West Texas locations as a result of the growth in enrollment. This is especially critical for the Abilene campus, which needs to double in size to meet classroom and new program demands.
New programs are on the drawing board for all four campuses.
Two new Distance Learning classrooms have recently been completed at the Abilene campus. While community and junior colleges are restricted to certain geographical areas where on-site classes can be offered, distance learning stretches beyond those boundaries. Classes through teleconferencing can be offered to remote area high schools, thus reaching even more students. To keep up with demand, the state is also lending a hand. Administrators hope the current legislative session is as generous as the last one.