Odessa College targeted for closure under state budget plan

January 19, 2011

Howard College's president expressed shock and concern over preliminary state plans to suspend funding for four community colleges in Texas.

Four Texas two-year colleges — including Odessa College — would be closed to save $39 million in the next two-year state budget under a preliminary spending plan released Tuesday by House lawmakers.

Aside from Odessa College, Brazosport College in Lake Jackson, Frank Phillips College in Borger and Ranger College would be closed under a plan to slash $145 million in state funding for Texas community and junior colleges.

Although she was fully anticipating severe budget cuts from the legislature, Howard College President Dr. Cheryl Sparks said today that the news of the planned closures came as a surprise.

“We did anticipate we'd have reductions, but we did not know there was a plan to de-fund any community colleges,” Sparks said.

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