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Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Odessa College's $325M bond: What's inside, who backs it, and why critics oppose it
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)– Voters in Ector County will soon decide the fate of a $325 million bond proposal from Odessa College, a sweeping initiative that would fund new buildings, campus upgrades, and expanded workforce training programs over the next 30 years. The bond, called Vision 2030, has the backing of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce and other local leaders who say it's a strategic investment in the city's workforce and economic future. But critics say the bond is bloated, poorly prioritized, and would unnecessarily burden taxpayers already facing rising costs from other recent local projects. According to Odessa College, the bond would fund the following key projects: $60.1 million for a Workforce Training Facility to prepare students for high-demand careers in fields like healthcare, energy, and the skilled trades. $48.3 million for a new Fine Arts and Performance Venue supporting student and community arts programs. Over $21 million for renovations and modernization of existing classrooms and buildings. Expanded Health, Wellness, and Athletics Facilities to support student athletes, youth athletics, and general public health. Infrastructure improvements and accessibility upgrades to replace aging facilities and meet growing student needs. The total cost of the proposed projects is just over $331.7 million, with the bond covering $325 million. Odessa College has committed to funding the remaining $6.75 million itself. The bond is structured as a 30-year financial commitment, and OC estimates the average homeowner would see a property tax increase of about $14 per month. 'Odessa College is dedicated to building a stronger, more prosperous future for our community,' said OC President Dr. Gregory Williams. 'This bond will allow us to invest in our people and provide the training necessary to thrive in today's workforce.' Proponents argue that the bond is critical to meeting workforce needs in the rapidly growing Permian Basin. The region is projected to need over 190,000 new workers by 2040, particularly in skilled and technical industries. Shem Culpepper, Chair of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, said the Chamber supports the bond because it aligns with the city's long-term economic goals. 'Odessa College has an exceptional track record of preparing students for the job market,' Culpepper said. 'But their ability to expand is limited without new facilities. This bond will help us create high-skill, high-paying jobs that benefit the entire community.' Supporters also highlight community-wide benefits such as improved access to childcare through the Jack Rodgers Child Development Center and new downtown business and entrepreneurship hubs. Despite endorsements, the bond has drawn sharp criticism from residents and some local business owners. One of the most cited concerns is that only a small percentage of the bond is allocated to workforce training, about 18.5%, or $60.1 million, according to Odessa College's own breakdown. Critics argue this undermines the bond's central pitch as a workforce initiative. They also point to large investments in athletics and the arts, such as the $48.3 million designated for a new Fine Arts and Performance Venue, as examples of what they call misplaced priorities. 'This is not about job creation, it's about building showy new buildings,' one local stated. 'If workforce development is the goal, why are we spending so much on athletics and performances?' Other criticism has centered on Odessa College's enrollment data. While the college has grown significantly in recent years, about half of its current students, roughly 5,000, are high schoolers enrolled in dual credit programs. Of those, only around 800 students attend all of their classes on the Odessa College campus. Critics argue that this weakens the case for expanding on-campus infrastructure, though OC leaders maintain that both current and future demand warrant the proposed facilities. It's also worth noting that the college recently opened the 83,000-square-foot Wood Health Sciences Building in 2022. Critics argue that this addition reduces the need for more space, while college officials say the new bond supports different disciplines and needs not addressed by the health sciences facility. Perhaps the most debated topic is the potential tax increase. Opponents have circulated a widely shared claim that the bond would raise property taxes by 49%. That figure refers to the percentage increase in Odessa College's individual tax rate, rising from 22.5 cents to 33.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value. While this does represent a 49% increase in OC's portion of the tax rate, it is important to note that OC's rate is just one part of a homeowner's full property tax bill, which also includes levies from ECISD, the city, county, and hospital district. Odessa College estimates that, for the average homeowner, the total increase would amount to approximately $14 to $15 per month. This figure aligns with public notices issued by the college and reflects only the portion related to OC, not a 49% increase in the full tax bill. With more than $1.1 billion in new debt from recent bonds and local government decisions, including ECISD's $436 million bond passed last year and county debt issued by Ector County Commissioners, taxpayers are feeling cautious. Supporters say this bond is different. 'This is not just a college bond, it's a community investment,' said John Jameson, regional VP for The United Family. 'It gives our people the opportunity to develop local talent and build a thriving economy here in Odessa.' But critics remain unconvinced, calling the bond excessive and the timing tone-deaf. 'We're already drowning in debt. This just adds another weight to our backs,' said a Facebook user and a local property owner. 'It's too much, too fast, and the priorities are off.' Early voting begins Tuesday, April 22. Election Day is Saturday, May 3. Registered voters in Ector County will have the final say on whether Odessa College's Vision 2030 Bond becomes reality, or another contested chapter in the debate over how Odessa should grow. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Early voting begins this week
Apr. 18—After the failed November 2024 bond issue, Odessa College officials want to build momentum and get a yes from voters on a modified bond May 3. The Odessa College Vision 2030 $325 million bond would fund workforce development, facility expansion, campus improvements, and infrastructure upgrades. Officials say the college has grown since the last bond passed in 2010. Graduates have increased by 280 percent and 80 percent of people who graduate from OC stay in Odessa. The bond would raise property taxes for Odessa property owners. Based on a taxable home value of $167,000, property owners would pay about $14 more a month on their taxes or $168 a year. There is a tax calculator on the OC Vision 2030 website, It now includes what taxes are now and what they would be if the bond passed. The total project cost is $331,753,406 with OC putting in about $7 million. The $355 million bond that failed in November received 19,137 votes for and 20,542 against. When asked during the College Bond Town Hall on Basin PBS Thursday about bringing a bond issue back so quickly to voters after the November failure, OC President Gregory Williams said they were "really close last time, but we didn't do a good enough job of explaining it. We don't feel we communicated effectively enough." "But if I were to dress up and put on my best shoes and clothing and apply for a job and they turn me down, I'm not just going to say OK I'm done. I won't ever have a job again. I'm going to go back, do some more research, spruce myself up a bit, polish myself (up), make some adjustments like we've done and then I'm going to go back. "Because no doesn't mean no forever. No means not right now and we want to go back to our voters and explain to them what we're talking about." Williams said this May bond is $30 million less than the November bond. "We think we have a very attractive package. We think we've done some really good things." Major projects include a workforce center, a business building for the downtown green space where the college's business programs would move. It would also include community spaces and small business spaces. Additionally, a new sports center, performing arts center, a retrofitted Jack Rodgers Fine Arts Center for a larger childcare center, and retrofitting the old health sciences building for OCTECHS and Odessa Collegiate Academy, the two early college high schools housed on campus. Those schools are part of ECISD and have a total enrollment of about 900. Early voting is April 22-25 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 28-29. May 3 is Election Day. An additional $6.7 million would come from the college bringing the total estimated project cost to $331,753,406. There has been a big push from OC on social media about the benefits of OC and the importance of the bond passing. Some comments have pushed back on the tax increase with many citing tough economic times and rising appraisals and already high property tax numbers. The tax calculator on the OC bond site was taken down and put back up and updated. Vice President for Student Services & Enrollment Management Kim McKay said it was removed because it was inaccurate. It has been reprogrammed. "It's important to differentiate between the taxable value and the market value of a home. A taxable value of a home that's $167,000 with the homestead exemption is a market value of over $200,000. So when we're talking about an accurate representation, or an appropriate representation, I think that's an important differentiation for people to understand. And hopefully the tax calculator and questions that people have in social media and other forums has given a better representation of what that looks like for our community because ... not everybody's going to have that," McKay said. Typically in May elections, people tend to vote against measures and the turnout is low. "Our approach to this May election is to appeal to those 19,000 voters who said yes. We're spending a lot of time through our education information efforts, letting them know that they've got a second chance to support Odessa College," McKay said. "We're hoping for a strong turnout in early voting because we know that's what will win an election. We had a strong turnout in early voting in November and so we're really transitioning our efforts to make sure that people understand the democratic process and that they understand that this is a critical opportunity to vote to change the community," she added. McKay said some of the feedback they heard from voters after the November election was they didn't know enough about Vision 2030. "I hope that through the increased information, education, forums and interviews like these that will answer the questions that remain before people have an opportunity to cast their ballot in early voting and then on to election day," she added. Basin PBS hosted a college bond town hall for OC and Midland College Thursday. Officials from OC were Williams, McKay and OC Board of Trustees Chair Gary Johnson. For MC, there was President Damon Kennedy, and board member Christine Foreman and Adrian Carrasco. Midland College has called a $450 million bond. According to the MC Bond is a capital improvement initiative to expand workforce training and modernize facilities to prepare more students for high-demand jobs — building a stronger future for our community. There were changes made to the OC May bond package compared to the November one. McKay said that was based on feedback they got from community about what they felt the campus, community and business and industry needed. She added that it's critical that OC grows space for career and technical education because the college's programs are at 89% capacity, growing at about 10% each year. "Within one year, those programs and those spaces will be at capacity. In order for us to meet the workforce needs and the employment needs that we know are projected in the future, we've got to have more space. We've got to have more space for our faculty to do the innovative things that business and industry requires of their community college partners and more space for our students to learn and to experience what it is going to be like as they transition to the business and industry," McKay said. "We made the decision to remove the academic building that was originally proposed in Vision 2030 in November, and sort of repurpose some of the existing spaces on campus, which I think is a smart way to reimagine what this campus can look like and how it can respond to campus and community needs," she added. The best example of that, she said, is transitioning the now vacant Health Science Building on the west side of campus to a new facility for both OCTECHS and Odessa Collegiate Academy. "Vision 2030, gives each of those high schools their unique identity in that building, sharing a space but preserving their identity, one designed for transfer and one designed to place students directly into the workforce," McKay said. Deaderick Hall, which McKay said is probably as old as the college, is currently being used for Odessa Collegiate Academy, but it is in in disrepair. "It's difficult to heat it, it's difficult to cool it. The spaces aren't ADA accessible, and it's time for us to create a space for our visual and performing arts, which is a growing program that hosted over 50 events on campus this year, to a space that's deserving of those students and of those programs," McKay said. The plan is to raze Deaderick Hall and create a visual and performing arts center where all of those programs will be housed. McKay said it will also be a place where OC can develop new programs such as recording arts, digital media, education and possibly broadcasting, a program they have had in the past. Childcare is also in the bond. West Texas is considered a child care desert because there is not enough child care and this impacts business and industry. McKay said plans are to retrofit the Jack Rodgers Fine Arts Center into a children's center and learning lab for education programs that "will allow us to almost triple in size" the number of young students and families it serves. It will also give OC's education programs a chance to have experiential learning with young children as they earn credentials, certificates and degrees, McKay said. Director of Marketing and Communications Alexa Moulakis noted that OC's bachelor's degree in early childhood is "nearly one of the most enrolled" degrees available right now and it just started recently. "We had our first bachelor's of applied science in education graduates in December, and we know that program will continue to grow and meet the educational needs in our community," McKay said. Another new build that is part of the bond is the downtown academic and business center. The Community Health and Wellness Center, Workforce Center, Competition and Celebration Center and Conditioning and Kinesiology Building are among the proposed growth bond projects, according to a mailer. The Sports Center is 43 years old and the pool is 40 years old. The building is not up to code, Moulakis said, that is why the decision was made to tear it down and build a new one. "Through really proactive and preventative maintenance, we've extended it, but it's not sustainable and it's time to develop a space that the community can use, not only for recreation and physical fitness, but also that our academic programs can use for experiential learning," McKay said. Other items — In the Basin PBS College Bond Town Hall, Vice President for Student Services & Enrollment Management Kim McKay said Odessa College puts aside $750,000 each year for deferred or preventative maintenance, including master planning for Vision 2030. She said there are things that happen on the campus that they haven't planned for or that they didn't expect. McKay said one example was that the women's basketball team was preparing to leave for the national tournament and a sewer pipe busted right above the locker room. — As to why they need a Workforce Center when Ector County ISD is building one on the south side as part of its bond projects, they said they still need more capacity to meet workforce needs. The facility can be used by OC students on nights and weekends to reskill and upskill. "ECISD came to us and said they didn't have space in their current CTE building for auto tech. So their auto tech dual credit students go to OC Sewell, and even with this new building that they're building, they're still not going to have room for auto tech. Their auto tech students are still going to remain at OC Sewell," Executive Director of Marketing and Media Relations Alexa Moulakis said. "There is talk that we might even partner with them and use part of their facility at night, if we don't have the capacity to do so here, but that still only increases capacity in certain aspects. Being a community that's fueled by workforce, it's not some place you want to see hindrance. You want to see growth at all avenues. You can see growth at the high school level, and more students can get more training to come here and finish the credential quicker and get more people into the workforce. That's great. There are older students that want to go for career and technical training that can't do so at the high school level. Maybe they're 25 and just realizing they want to get into welding. ECISD is not an option for them. Companies send people to us for training all the time, and they want to take them from ... a FRAC hand and train them as a pipe fitter or something like that. Those kind of trainings need to happen at our facility. The ECISD facility isn't an option. There's so much room for both in this community," Moulakis said. McKay said the new ECISD facility will not meet the demand in the community. "There shouldn't be an expectation just because you're not a traditional high school student, that you can only be educated in the evenings and the weekends. That's not fair to students, and that's not fair to business and industry. What we do know about this community is that there's over 20,000 people that have some college, no degree, and a workforce center like we will have on our campus, will ensure that those students have an opportunity for reskilling and upskilling, and it's not fair to limit them to an evening program or a weekend program when we don't expect that of our traditional college students," McKay said. For the last five years by year how much property tax revenue did OC collect? — Per the audited financial statements 2020: $30,124,510 — Per the audited financial statements 2021: $29,970,836 — Per the audited financial statements 2022: $31,302,789 — Per the audited financial statements 2023: $33,227,334 — Per the audited financial statements 2024: $36,038,060 — What is the principal left to pay off the last bond? As of 4/16/2025: $52,205,000.00 — When will that bond be fully paid: 8/31/2041
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OC president answers bond questions
Apr. 3—With Odessa College's bond election coming up May 3, President Gregory Williams held a news conference to address questions in the Zant Room of the Saulsbury Campus Center Thursday. Early voting is April 22-25 and April 28-29. Election Day is May 3. If the proposal passes it will be a property tax increase. The bond is a 30-year commitment and, if approved, property owners of a taxable value $167,000 home would see an increase of about $14 per month or $168 annually. Owners of a taxable value $334,000 home would pay about $28 more per month or $336 more per year in property taxes. The Odessa College Vision 2030 $325 million bond would fund workforce development, facility expansion, campus improvements, and infrastructure upgrades. Williams said it's about workforce, development, growth and enhancement. He added that they want people who come to Odessa to work to also enjoy themselves and make this their home. "Our goal is to be the best community college in the country, and we wake up every day with that commitment to service, and this bond project is a part of it," Williams said. Williams said Odessa College currently serves more than 16,000 students annually, which makes it the largest higher education "effort and operation in the history of the Permian Basin." Williams said fall enrollments have increased by 85% over the last 10 years, with 12 record enrollments in a row. "That includes the challenging times of COVID-19 that we've dealt with. 73% of students take courses in person. We know that online operations are flourishing all over the country. We are part of that. But 73% of our students take part of their courses in person," Williams said. He added that 2,571 degrees and certificates were awarded in the 2023-24 academic year. He added that 2010 was the last bond that was passed. "We have had a tremendous return on investment for our community. We asked the community to help us in that year, they stepped up for us, and we have returned the favor in tremendous ways, again, becoming one of the most effective and well-known community colleges in these United States, and that starts with our community," Williams said. He added that 81% of their students live and work in the Permian Basin after completion. Williams said Odessa College has a $395 million annual impact on the Permian Basin economy every year. "Odessa is the ninth-fastest growing metro area in the United States. That is something we all should be proud of, something we all are part of, and it's something we all have to protect and take care of and add to because people are coming, we're thankful they're coming and we need to educate them, If this bond passes, Williams said it would be 20 to 25 years before the college brings another bond to voters. Odessa College passed one bond in 2010 and the one before that was 1982. On the subject of OC's workforce center, Williams said Ector County ISD's career and technical education center is a drop-in center where students can remain at their current high school of choice, and then they can go to the ECISD career and technical center to learn different trades. There will also be 400 permanent students at the school. Williams said the OC workforce center will not compete with ECISD. "Through this effort, they will provide training at one level" and OC will take it to the next level. "We need that effort at that center, and we need what we're doing here at Odessa College ... not only what we're doing for adults in the Permian Basin, but also with OCTECHS, which is a technical early college high school," Williams said. He said some people have asked if OCTECHS would still be needed if the workforce center was built. OCTECHS is an ECISD campus on the OC campus. "The answer is, yes, we do need both. Again, one is more of a drop-in program where students leave their high schools to go and take courses in career and technical education. "OCTECHS is a specialized opportunity for students who want to not only graduate from high school, but also to achieve an associate's degree in a technical area. They want to be a blend ... of what the high school does and what ... Odessa College does, and they want to put that together. So that is a specialized program, one of the highest rated programs in the state of Texas that is doing very, very well. We're proud of that program. With our community growing as it is, we need all of these lanes and a few other lanes to take care of the needs of our students," Williams said. Williams said some have also asked if OC can use other funding sources for facility needs. "And the answer to that is no. ... Our operations are designed to be affordable. We have small margins, and we want to keep our costs low. If you think about the price one would have to pay for a class or a course at Odessa College versus the state university versus a private university, and if you think about the differences in those costs, you could see how supportive we are from state funding, local funding, federal funding to ... keep the costs low for our students. And again, our operating margins are so small that we wouldn't be able to come up with that $325 million from our operational efforts," Williams said. He added that community colleges add value to a community. Williams said the college gives students hope and a second, third or fourth chance "from time to time; how it gives adults an opportunity to pivot in their career options, how it gives someone a chance to recover from a layoff ... and how it gives a young person who doesn't come from a lot of money a chance to start his or her educational journey without tremendous debt. That's what your community college provides." Part of the commitment as a community who hosts the college is to pay for the facilities. "This is one of those few moments when the college comes forward and asks for that support, and we do it as a celebration, actually, we don't do it as a disappointment to the community. We do it because we are doing a great job. Our students want this. Our students want to stay here. They want to learn here. They want to have a great career here," Williams said. Community members who question why they should pay more taxes if they're not going to OC or don't have children in school, Williams said "we're all in this together. We are a community." He said the bond will cost an extra $13.65 per month for the average homeowner. This is based on an average taxable home value of $167,000. The amount goes up for homes with a higher taxable value. There was a tax calculator on the OC bond website where taxpayers could figure what the bond would cost them but it has been taken down. Williams acknowledged this. Williams said one of the OC board members made a point recently that some taxes are worth paying because they help keep and build community. "Because what we don't want is for our communities to start contracting. We want to expand. As we expand, we get more people to help us with this lift. When you contract the community by not doing the things that we're talking about doing, actually, your tax burden could go up in that way as well," Williams said. Odessa College data indicates that 60-70% of students take at least one in-person course at Odessa College. Figures previously provided did not include dual credit, continuing education, and early college high schools. This removed 2,336 students who are actually on campus. This is the year-over-year growth and the total students each academic year, the college said: — 2019-2020: 6,668 students — 2020-2021: 5,727 students — 2021-2022: 6,969 students — 2022-2023: 7,142 students — 2023-2024: 7,516 students — 2024-2025: 8,380 students
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New buildings, more jobs: Odessa College brings back $325M bond proposal
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Odessa College is bringing back its $325 million Vision 2030 bond proposal for a second vote this May after it was rejected by voters last November. The bond would fund six new buildings, four major renovations, and campus-wide upgrades, including infrastructure, security, technology, and child care facilities. 'We have a fired-up campus. We have a lot of outstanding employees who are doing a wonderful thing. And we've pushed it to the limit,' said President Gregory Williams. 'That's what we do…we're doing all that we can to bring value to this community.' Williams emphasized that the college has only passed two bonds in over 40 years- in 1982 and 2010, and said this one would likely be the last for decades. 'Over the last 43, 44 years, Odessa College has passed one bond…I think if this bond is successful with all the work we've done, it will be 20 to 25 years before we come back to this community.' The college currently serves more than 15,000 students each year, offering over 120 degree and certificate programs. Odessa College projects a 15 to 20% increase in workforce program enrollment and estimates its annual economic impact at $395 million. Odessa College makes a big impact on the Permian Basin economy 'One in 38 jobs in the Permian Basin are supported by the activity of Odessa College. One in every 38. And Odessa is the 9th fastest growing metro area in the United States,' Williams said. Some voters have compared the proposal to ECISD's new career center, but Williams said the college's role is complementary, not competitive. 'We are partners with them in that effort. We do not compete with them. We partner with them… They will provide training at one level with our help, and we will take it to the next level here with the new workforce center that we will have at Odessa College.' According to Williams, the bond would cost the average homeowner about $13.65 more per month. 'One of our early college high school principals mentioned that [the price is the same as] a certain kind of latte…Another said that it's a fast food meal,' Williams said. Williams also highlighted the impact the bond would have beyond the student body. 'If you're a person who's been here for a long time, and you're retired, take advantage of these amenities…' He reminded voters how Odessa College supports essential services and job training across the community. 'Don't forget, healthcare workers are provided and taught at Odessa College. First responders… auto technicians… We need teachers, social workers, probation and parole officers. We need all of these people again, trained, or partly trained through Odessa College.' Beyond education and job training, Williams framed the bond as a chance to uplift the entire Odessa community. 'There are some taxes I'm okay paying. There are some things that make me better, make my experience better, make my journey better… This bond will cost an extra $13.65 per month to the average homeowner… that limited expense can help to transform this community.' He also urged voters not to sit this one out. 'I don't want you to sit at home and say someone else will do it. I need you to go and vote and be a part of the process. We all have to own it. Our futures are on the line, and not only from a college standpoint, but the entire Odessa community.' Early voting runs from April 22 to April 29. Election Day is Saturday, May 3. For more information about OC's Visions 2030 Bond, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OC president gives students update on bond, programs
Mar. 6—Students packed the Zant Community Room in the Saulsbury Campus Center at Odessa College for Pizza with the President Thursday. It was a chance for students to hear what's going on at the school, future plans, including a $325 million bond issue, and ask questions. Other top OC officials joined President Gregory Williams for the event, which he has periodically throughout the year. Williams showed the students what is included in the bond issue that's coming up for a vote May 3. If passed, the bond will raise taxes for home and business owners. Projects can be found here. There will be an additional $6.7 million coming from the college, bringing the total project package to $331,753,406. Williams said student housing would be part of the work to be done, but is not coming from the bond. Trustees approved calling the bond Feb. 14 following the failure of the bond in November for $355 million This bond is a 30-year commitment, and if approved, property owners of a taxable value $167,000 home would see an increase of about $14 per month in property taxes, a news release issued Saturday stated. The annual cost of property taxes will go up based on each property's specific value. "Last time we missed it passing by 1.5%-ish and so we've reduced the amount of the bond from $355 million to $325 million," Williams said. In-person enrollment for fall from 2019 to 2024 has grown, except for a dip during COVID. Fall 2024 in-person enrollment was 6,044; 2023, it was 5,062; 2022, 4,660; 2021, 4,402; 2020, 3,922 (COVID); and 2019, 4,957. "Much of education has changed since COVID, and you have a number of colleges, including ours, that have more online opportunities. But some of our students who take the online courses come and take face-to-face as well. ... In order to get the numbers we've been able to generate, we do have to make sure that we have the technology we need," Williams said. He added that they need space for welding, the truck driving program, oilfield automation and nursing as examples. Liberal arts students don't always have to be on campus. Asked if OC was turning away students in the technical programs, Williams said they are. He said there are programs where they can only take a limited number of students because of space. "With more space, we can add more faculty, and we can bring more people on. Nursing, you may have 600 to 700 students who are interested in nursing, and you're only able to bring in 150 or so, 200 in any given year, depending on the type of program. So, yes, we've been able to grow that with a new facility, and we want to do that with other programs as well," Williams said. Freshman Daniel Atuegwu asked about adding soccer to OC sports and making it easier for students to get internships with local industry. Williams said they should consider soccer as it is played in the high schools, but they need more facilities for that. Williams and Vice President for Instruction Tramaine Anderson-Silvas acknowledged that the process of getting an internship could be made easier and asked for Atuegwu's information to talk to him more about it. Atuegwu said the forum was great because it is a chance for students to express their ideas and questions and meet the OC president. Williams said he has Pizza with the President at least once a semester. Williams said he was proud to be with the students Thursday. "They give me energy. They keep me excited about the work. It reminds me of what we do and why we do it. It's about them; it's about the students, and it's about giving people hope and helping them with their careers and helping them with their opportunities that will come forward later. "I get excited because of the professionals who choose to work with students and who choose to make that investment. ... It's good for our community. It's good for our futures. It's wonderful for Odessa College," Williams said. He added that the bond is very important to OC. Williams said OC tried a bond in November 2024, but it did not pass. "We took that to the voters in November, and our voters spoke to us. We were really close. We had a lot of people who supported it, and we had some people who had some concerns about it. "What we did, we've gone in and we tweaked it. We've reduced the cost by about $30 million, but everything we asked for we needed, but we still were able to trim and because we want something that our community can be proud of, we want them to realize that an investment in Odessa College is a sound investment." With the downtown facility, he said it would include business incubation space. "Not only is it a place for our business professions to teach people, but it's also a place for Odessa to welcome people to come in and start new businesses. Or if you're in town for a short period of time, for a week or two days, and you need a temporary office, we'll have temporary space for you to utilize during those moments as well," Williams said. "It's a wonderful opportunity, we think, to help grow entrepreneurs and give people a chance to start businesses that may not have all the resources they need to get them started."
