Planning continues for Barton Community College’s 50th Anniversary event on Sept. 28. Coleen Cape, executive director of institutional advancement, shared some of the latest additions to the campus-wide celebration at Tuesday’s BCC Board of Trustees study session.

“There is absolutely something for everyone,” Cape said. Activities are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the program of activities is growing daily. There are now plans for a zip line outside the Technical Building and a local Masonic Lodge plans to have funnel cakes in the “food court.” Dr. Luis Palacios, the director of instrumental music, has assembled a musical combo that will perform in addition to the performing arts show of dance and music going on from 3-4 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium.

“Everyone (on campus) wanted to participate,” Cape said. “It’s going to be an amazing day.”

More events

Barton Community College will also host the Hoisington Chamber of Commerce Coffee the morning of Sept. 18 and that evening there will be a Great Bend Chamber Business After Hours event in the Classroom Building, Room C-150. At this event, college officials will talk about a new partnership with Nex-Tech.

Housing shortage

During the study session, the board also heard a report concerning the need for more on-campus housing. There are 426 beds available for student housing and all of them are full, Vice President of Administration Mark Dean said. Of those students, 318 are athletes and 96 are non-athletes. The number of non-athlete residents is growing.

The college is looking at adding new education programs in the future that have the potential of increased enrollment and more students needing on-campus housing, Dean said. Hinting at one possible program addition, Dean said there will be a demonstration of esports — multiplayer competitive video games — at the trustees’ October study session.

Dean already has a plan to add 16 beds to student housing next year using existing facilities. Lobby areas in the Bluestem and Meadowlark housing units will be converted to housing. An additional 10 beds can be gained if the college stops taking early reservations for “single” suites, he said.

Board of Trustees Chairman Mike Johnson noted that the housing shortage is an indication that more students are enrolling in programs at Barton. “It’s a good problem to have,” he said.