WCCCD, Board of Trustees — IN-PERSON ONLY
Wayne County Community College District
Education
801 W Fort St Detroit, MI 48226 (Directions)
IN-PERSON ONLY MEETING!
Check the source website for additional information
Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Note-taking by
Brianna Dorrough
In its last meeting of the year, the WCCCD Board of Trustees highlighted the college’s innovative programs and real-world partnerships as being integral to the success of their diverse student population.
Live reporting by
Perry Sylvester
In its last meeting of the year, the WCCCD Board of Trustees highlighted the college’s innovative programs and real-world partnerships as being integral to the success of their diverse student population.
Perry Sylvester
@PerrySylvester6
Hey Detroit! Today 11/13 at 6:30 PM I live tweet WCCCD Board of Trustees for @DetDocumenters #DETdocumenters & media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @michigan_public @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
01:46 PM Nov 13, 2024 CST
The meeting is held at the Curtis L. Ivery Downtown Campus, 801 West Fort Street. Agenda's are available, but not online, just at the meeting. Here is the meeting notice 👇📜
So we can expect to hear from the Audit Standing Committee, the Educational Affairs and Student Services Standing Committee & Finance/Personnel/Facilities Standing Committee. Kinda like the last one, sorta blend of dollars-people-concrete. I remember when HR was 'personnel' 😏
Here are the trustees...Vernon Allen Jr and Roy Edmonds ran unopposed in this election. And, um, they won 🙃
WCCCD Chancellor, Curtis L. Ivery, will likely also be at the meeting. The meeting is held in the building named after him. You can learn more about him here ⬇️🔗 wcccd.edu/about/chancell…
wcccd.edu/about/chancell…
Oops...I missed posting the list of trustees above. Here they are; arrows point to incumbents who ran unopposed in last election 👇🖼️
#DETdocumenters they are starting on time—6:29 PM they are talking about it, and then begin…2 changes to agenda that I didn’t catch
This is going to be very tough to cover…I can barely hear the woman running the meeting as she has a very soft voice that also occasionally cracks
They also have the door open to hallway and sound from there is distracting
I won’t be able to see the screen if there is any kind of a visual presentation 🤨
They are discussing the most recent audit…pretty much in same position as previous year, but slight increase in funds from positive market returns for investment accounts and upswing in property tax values
He is page 2…I will scan and upload to the Documenter’s website
Chancellor Ivery thanks them for their work and then states how the college must be bold in its investments for he future…this was at about the 6:41 mark
We are now at item F in the agenda…4 students present to share their experiences
First student talking about being part of WCCCD Water STEM program—she is in the nursing program and discovered through her participation in a joint program that she loves research (and is good at it)
Her research was on water safety and e-coli levels…real world experience! Students recognize prof who led program—who recognizes Chancellor Ivery for having pushed these projects
The next student speaker is in criminal justice program and recounts his experience with WCCCD joint program with U of M and his first hand experiences working with security technology at Michigan Stadium
2 more students—dual enrollment (High School & Community College)—speak of their experiences in WCCD/UofM criminal justice experience at Michigan Stadium
Person speaking for the Educational Affairs & Student Services Standing Committee is now giving the run down of WCCCD student demographic…refers to the declining overall number of students and how 4 year schools fighting for same students
Changing face of work impacts the situation…now more students are seeing a successful outcome as earning while in school and earning credentials that are in demand…WCCCD students also require that the program be flexible and affordable
Thrust is ‘we must be doing something right’…the Chancellor follows with more of the same
He mentions several of his program/department leaders by name, with emphasis on importance of distance learning, mobility and joint/real world partnerships
So, 7:11 PM and we are still on item F…first mention tonight of the Pathways Program
Ivery emphasizes it is vital that every student has contact with an advisor consistently each and every semester…not just about academics but the range of issues that can impact the non traditional student
An example of this helping a student with access to childcare
Now another person within student services is discussing best practices, especially for the non traditional part time student
He also notes WCCCD emphasis on getting feedback from students to understand what is effective
Now a person is talking about Downriver Campus, CERT emergency training program tat was started 19 years ago
“WCCCD’s Downriver Campus is home to the Michigan Institute for Public Safety Education (MIPSE)”⬇️🔗 wcccd.edu/WCCCDcampus/MI…
wcccd.edu/WCCCDcampus/MI…
Gives impressive run down of training they do…it is like, well, everything
Describes range of federal agencies that train there and wild range of types of trainings (drones, robot dogs for bomb squad, homeland security etc)
One of the trustees—impressed with the energy; another speaks out, impressed with the strength of the relationships present
We now move to item G in the agenda—FinancePersonnel/Facilities standing committee…an hour and 11 minutes from start😲
They begin to work through the list… -no new lawsuits -due to changes in interest rates, they will look to longer term instruments -review of general state of finances…they are overfunded for OPEB and no unusual variances -tuition revenue up 14%
Continuing on, critical emergency equipment mapping project was completed
They now change meeting status…move to the Regular Board Meeting to approve various items…the earlier part of the meeting was the information meeting, the Committee of the Whole
Kinda sorta the public meeting version of Liturgy of the Word/Liturgy of the Eucharist…no epiclesis, but still…
I found a seat in the grand stand…can actually see the board👍
Despite leveraging tech, they don’t use chatbots or AI connect to a real human with real answers
They are developing content on a weekly basis…tightly connected to the WCCCD brand
So looks like we are going to itemize I in the agenda…Recommendations. You will be able to see the titles in the agenda I upload….but you won’t have any details 🤷🏼♂️
And let me put it this way…I will post if they say ‘no’ to anything 😲😆
While hitting letters with the stylus, Chancellor Ivery has been restating his commitment to openness and transparency at all levels
You can read all about the WCCCD accountability & transparency here⬇️🔗 wcccd.edu/dept/transpare…
wcccd.edu/dept/transpare…
A host of self-satisfied chuckles as a contract — 3 years—is discussed. My sense is this is for faculty…regular and adjunct. This added to the agenda…I believe 1.5 has been mentioned for the adjunct teachers
They are concluding with visit from community college lobbyist from Lansing
Finance legislation wins, constant advocacy, collaboration and evidence based best practices…and of course, conferences! This group here ⬇️🔗 mcca.org
mcca.org
8:31 PM…and finally we are at the individual trustee reports/remarks
Trustee Edwards-Wheeler speaks to her experience with WCCCD…8:35 or so in the transcript and worth a listen (3 degrees, lots of challenges and uplift from an institution that cares and empowers)
So that is my coverage for the 11/14 WCCCD Board of Trustees Regular Meeting. If anything is inaccurate, email documenters@media_outlier.org with 'Correction Request' in the subject line.
As always, check out for more local coverage on this and other topics! documenters.org
documenters.org
Agency Information
Wayne County Community College District
The story of Wayne County Community College District is one of continuing growth and innovation in providing educational training and leadership for the metropolitan region. The College was established in 1967 by the Legislature of the State of Michigan, and its initial seven-member Board of Trustees was elected the following year: The first operating budget was based on a $1,000,000 grant from the State of Michigan, as well as a $300,000 stipend from New Detroit, Inc., and anticipated student tuition payments at that time.
WCCCD’s five campuses are located in industrial, rural and metropolitan areas where a major share of Michigan’s technical and skilled occupations is located. Because of the diversity of its service areas, WCCCD places a strong emphasis on occupational and career programs, and traditional college and university transfer programs, including those within the liberal arts discipline.