Live reporting by
Nathaniel Eichenhorn
The board heard presentations on the Summer Water Research Project and the successes of the collegeās paralegal program, and discussed efforts to make hybrid learning easier.
Nachum Eichenhorn
@NachumDetroit
Good Evening #Detroit !
I will be live tweeting the WCCCD Board of Directors meeting today at 6:30 for #DetroitDocumenters @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
I will be live tweeting the WCCCD Board of Directors meeting today at 6:30 for #DetroitDocumenters @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
05:01 PM Jul 17, 2024 CDT
Here's the agenda for your perusal. Sorry for the photo, no pdf available.
First up there going to hear from the Educational Affairs and Student Services Standing Committee
The presenter is talking about the school leveraging technology to adapt to a post-COVID environment if hybrid online/in person learning.
This includes making technology easier to take advantage of, specifically utilizing Learning Resource Centers to coordinate things like streaming videos to classrooms, digital access to the library, and similar efforts
Curtis Ivery, seated next to the chair, asked after the card catalogs he was "used to" from years ago. The presenter responded that they have a place "in our hearts" eliciting laughter from the room.
This is my first WCCCD Board of Trustees meeting, and I admit I'm surprised by a few things.
Chairperson Vernon Allen commented on the importance of distance learning and asked to hear more about it from the presenters. They responded that support services for distance learning are developing, and gave some examples
Chairperson Allen asked about Veterans services, and how they have improved since the last meeting. Response: we're making the programs and opportunities for veterans "louder". That is, it is believed that veterans who are students remain unaware of the offerings.
The board and presenters are discussing the difficulty some students have understanding the exact contours of the Pell Grant system
Allen explained that if a student qualifies for the Pell Grant, the Grant will replace tuition, but if they do not qualify, tuition is waived.
This has led to some confusion among students who have somewhat misunderstood the promise of "free tuition" that may have led them to choose WCCCD.
Chairperson Allen commended Gov. Whitmer for her efforts on behalf of education in Michigan.
He goes on to say that there needs to be more clarity about the Pell Grant "free tuition" policy, as even he himself has trouble explaining it. He suggests coordinating with the financial aid office, and says he is going to meet with reps from the State government next week.
The report was adopted unanimously and now the Finance/Personnel/facilities Standing Committee
The presenter said that the higher than average Fed rate has made investments more complex. Nonetheless, tuition is up.
The school is campaigning for a grant that funds updating emergency services with technology to streamline emergency response in district buildings
The tuition revenue increase is over $2 million more than expected
The expenditures dune the last meeting are in line with expectations
That is to say, actual expenditures are in line with budget expectations
Having heard that report, The Committee of the Whole has adjourned and reconstituted itself as the full board
The board is now hearing about HVAC updates to various campus buildings. I'm not sure where this is on the agenda, and I'm not sure if this is part of the Finance/personally etc committee. I don't know why they adjourned the COW if they haven't completed the agenda item
Sorry about the terrible quality, I'm in the back of the room.
Allen says that the high costs seen on the slide is reflective of "startup costs" of the Pathways program, and that costs will go down.
A motion has been made on item I 11, which is for raising the millage to pay for parking lot improvements. It passed unanimously
All reports in agenda section J were accepted and filed unanimously
Now the board is hearing a presentation from Dr. Christian Nwamba about the 2024 Summer Water Research Project
After thanking Chancellor Ivery for his efforts on behalf of the program, Dr. Nwamba explained how this program is intensive, and is more superficially similar to a graduate program, as opposed to an undergraduate or survey course.
Several students in the program are now coming forward to praise the program and thank the board
The students have been conducting open-ended research centered around the Detroit River
Several of the students have thanked Chancellor Ivery by name
One student studied the levels of E. Coli in the river, another studied levels of heavy metals, etc
There are 8 students total standing in this room, before the conference table, and one by one describing their research, and then thanking the board and the Chancellor.
Dr. Nwamba is praising the website for the program, describing it as "accessible instantly all over the world" and saying it puts the school "on the map"
He says that their research has led to a beach closing due to high E. coli levels, and praises the research program for helping people who may have otherwise been exposed to unsafe water
Dr. Nwamba thanked the board and concluded his presentation. Trustee Rahman praised the program and Dr. Nwamba.
Dr. William McConico is now presenting about the paralegal program at the college
Tasked with improving the paralegal program, Dr McConico held a series of popular symposia on important local issues in the law
such a domestic violence law, the ins and outs of jury duty, and one examining police violence against Black people, and the curious dearth of such incidents in the Detroit PD
He emphasized the focus on practical applications in the symposia and classes, and described how many of the students in the class gained employment in the field.
Dr. McConico is highlighting the accomplishments of individual students, including one who works now at a prominent firm, and another who became a clerk Dr. McConico himself
He described a high number of students entering the professional workforce and "entering the middle class"
He said that the program has become so successful that they have had to develop strategies for students to actually finish the program before being recruited out.
It seems Administrative Law courses have been cut across the country because the entire field has been rendered obsolete by the Supreme Court. He suggests expanding the paralegal program to fill the holes left by the loss of an entire field of law being destroyed
The board is moving on to individual trustee reports, that so far have consisted of thanking the presenters and praising the shorter meeting format.
Chancellor Ivery described an program put on by the American Legion to teach kids about the American political process and suggested a similar program for the college.
Well folks, this closes my coverage of the WCCCD board meeting for July 17. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings at
documenters.org
If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line