WCC ranks near bottom in Academic Influence rankings, Recovering from COVID-19 in Washtenaw County, every new executive hire since she arrived. Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner Diana McKnight-Morton, Trustee, Washtenaw Community College Dr. Mandy Grewal, Supervisor, Pittsfield Township Brenda Stumbo, Supervisor, Ypsilanti Township Patricia Tupacz Scribner, Treasurer, Pittsfield Township Mike Moran, Supervisor, Ann Arbor Township Mayor John Hieftje, Fmr. COVID-19 Clerk/Register Operating Plan. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. All Richland Community College Board of Trustees meetings will occur in the Board Room on the Campus of Richland Community College (Room N154), unless otherwise noted. Submitted by Justin Carter, WCCEA Delegate. David DeVarti is a former Ann Arbor City Council member and served on the city planning commission and Downtown Development Authority. He has also taken classes at WCC. While the Area 1 race is now uncontested, in Area 5, three candidates vie to represent Redwood City, East Palo Alto and part of Menlo Park. “Trustees are elected to represent the best interests of everyone in Washtenaw County. The members of the board are elected on a non-partisan, at-large basis by voters living within the college district, an area that generally coincides with the boundaries of Oakland County. During her long tenure at WCC she held several positions, including Full-time Professional Faculty and Department Chair of the English department, Interim Dean of Humanities, Interim Vice President of Instruction, and President of the faculty union, the WCCEA. Based on the (ample) input we received, we developed a five-item questionnaire for candidates running for Johnson County Community College board of trustees. 30th Circuit Court Judge. She also spear-headed several collaborative initiatives and promoted mutual respect among all constituencies within of the college community, never losing site of the college’s core mission. The race for a seat on the Oakton Community College board of trustees features 13 candidates vying for three seats. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. ( Log Out /  The board defines the vision of the college, serves as a liaison between the colle ge and the community, approves annual budgets and sets policies, among other responsibilities. ( Log Out /  Candidates for Washtenaw Community College's board of trustees shared their thoughts on offering four-year degrees, campus security and diversity among students and staff at a recent forum. COMMUNITY COLLEGE. I was a Monterey county resident for 15 years prior. This ill-considered decision will cost WCC millions more than it had paid for IT services through 2024. STAY … Fleming supported the use of operational funds to pay the “Advanced Transportation Center” loan debts. Ruth Hatcher. Our community college system is dysfunctional. Since 2015, she has missed a total of 26 votes. * Through June 30, 2020. Help keep the website running, the office lights shining, and flyers flying with a one-time or reoccurring financial contribution. If bringing change to the Board was her goal in 2014, voting “Yes” on everything has been a poor strategy to achieve that. This year our committee included WCCEA members, MEA-OPT members, an AFCSME 1921 member(our WCC grounds and maintenance group) as well as a representative from HVCLC, the Huron Valley Central Labor Council. Ms. Fleming declined to respond to my invitation to speak directly to prospective voters, so I’ll examine her record as a WCC Trustee over the last 5½ years. Trustees serve as volunteers and are not paid for their services. He has taken several classes at WCC, worked successfully with the WCC Foundation, and continues to be a constant presence as a trustee on campus. Three seats on the Washtenaw Community College Board of Trustees will be up for grabs during the Nov. 4 election and nearly half of the candidates on the ballot will be … But what if it weren't? He further states that it may be necessary to consider the termination of those individuals that are at the core of these unresolved issues that are compromising the health and integrity of our college. Fleming has attended almost all regular meetings, but did miss two meetings and one retreat in 2019. This table shows the reimbursement requests submitted by WCC Trustee Christina Fleming for Board-related business, through December 31, 2019. Overall meeting attendance record through June 30, 2020: Fleming attended 57 of 59 monthly meetings; 12 of 12 Special Meetings and 8 of 9 Board Retreats. They are incumbents David DeVarti, Christina Fleming, Ruth Hatcher and challenger Martin Thomas. The members are Board Chair Christina Fleming, Trustee Ruth Hatcher and Trustee Dave DeVarti. in English. Each candidate has expressed that they fully support our commitment to provide educational excellence to … Analysis: Since 2015, all WCC Board members combined have missed 7.51% of the votes they could have cast, had they been present at the time of the vote. The 2020 elections will bring new faces to the San Mateo Community College Board of Trustees. She also supported the establishment of an armed police force on campus. We were impressed by the good will, the intelligence and commitment to public service of all ten candidates. Volunteer. She is unwilling to demand accountability from non-resident College administrators who do little more than dissipate our investment in career and technical education. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Voters should send Christina Fleming home on November 3, 2020. Titles are listed for identification purposes only. BECOME A VOLUNTEER. Daniel Williams . Each candidate has expressed that they fully support our commitment to provide educational excellence to our community. She has facilitated the creation of a structural deficit at one of the best-funded community colleges in Michigan. He encouraged faculty to continue reaching out to board members and invited us to contact him personally. WCC opened with a 6-member Board of Trustees, a newly-appointed president, and a parcel of land in Ann Arbor and Superior Townships. Her attendance record at WCC Board Meetings was as follows: * Meeting notes are not available for the April 28, 2016 meeting. I served on the Santa Cruz city school board from 2010-2014. The year-end FY19 budget included $8,109,460 for IT costs. We’d be honored to have you on the team. Mosallam earned an engineering arts degree, graduating Cum Laude, while playing on the MSU football team from 1992 through 1996. The four-candidate race also includes Martin Thomas, manager of … David DeVarti: In 2014, she was elected to the Washtenaw Community College Board of Trustees for a six-year term beginning in January, 2015. Harrison Township. It will also require a lot of work, especially on WCC's part. Ingham County. Mark Freeman has served on the WCC Board of Trustees since 2009 and is currently the board secretary. HVALF has the authority to issue endorsements only in races at the county and local level. From the glib assessments of special presentations at Board Meetings and periodic self-serving commentary, it’s hard to see how Fleming has made any positive contributions while sitting on the Board. Her overall meeting attendance record is 96.25%. Fleming does not make meaningful contributions to discussions on the substantive issues the Board considers. “Without hesitation, I endorse my former colleague and friend of fifteen years, Ernesto Querijero, as a trustee for the Ann Arbor School Board. To endorse Eli, simply fill out this form and click “Endorse Eli.” She authorized unrestricted catering services for WCC executives. Working as volunteers, board members are dedicated to the good of our community through committing time, energy, and personal resources to the work of the College. Ingham County Clerk. … The possibility of a "recovery" from COVID-19 in Washtenaw County is exciting. I read an article a few weeks ago about a town in Colorado that's counting on its community college to save it. I’m a Santa Cruz county resident since 1998. 1st District, Ingham County Commissioner. ( Log Out /  — Since her election to the Board, it is clear that Fleming has done more damage than good. One was in opposition to raising tuition in 2015. The packet of materials for each Board Meeting is available 48 hours prior to the meeting and is accessible by clicking on the link below. The other two were against the nominations of two other Board members to officers’ positions. DeVarti, Fleming and Hatcher each ran on a platform of bringing change to the board especially when it comes to the current communication problem between faculty and administration. Washtenaw County Democratic Party Real change starts locally. In her recent retirement, Ruth has continued to be a strong supporter of faculty and has helped provide guidance and insight as we’ve faced several difficult decisions in recent years under President Bellanca’s leadership. The... What if Ann Arbor weren’t a rich community? Because of her experience as technology professional, Fleming says she can help the board stay in front of changes in technology. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. The Clerk/Register’s office is available to the public in-person by appointment, only, in order to allow us to serve the public while carefully adhering to social distancing guidelines designed to protect the health of the public and staff.. We encourage you to access our services online or by mail unless it is necessary to visit us in-person. Ruth dedicated over 30 years of service to college with an unwavering commitment to student success. The three candidates where chosen based on their responses to several interview questions that in our belief, provided a measure of the necessary leadership qualities that will play a key supportive role in the decision making process involving the future of Washtenaw Community College. Learn about Anna Zinkel's Policies. Ruth Hatcher’s institutional knowledge of the college is unparalleled. Washtenaw Community College was established in 1965, when Washtenaw County voters passed a millage to provide financial support for a countywide community college. He is a very strong advocate for collaborative communication between the administration, the BOT, and the faculty and believes that those most affected by a decision or new initiative be involved and included from the outset. Oakland Community College is governed by a seven-person Board of Trustees. He previously worked as the Director of Government and Community Relations at Washtenaw Community College (WCC), where he is responsible for leading the College’s government and community outreach in coordination with local, state and federal officials, as well as civic leaders and community organizations. I am pleased to announce that the WCCEA Board of Trustee Endorsement Committee has chosen three candidates to endorse for the 2014 general election. Grand Rapids Community College Board Trustee. Last month, we asked our readers what issues they wanted to hear the candidates running for local office address ahead of the August primary. Regular meetings of the College of DuPage Board of Trustees are held once each month on the main campus in Glen Ellyn. Mr. Freeman is the only current member of the BOT who has shown any public concern for the issues that faculty have been raising and who had not publicly denigrated those concerns. At the board table they are there to set policy, provide financial oversight and support the goals of the College, while respecting the roles of the administration, faculty and staff. I first met Ernesto while I served as the English Department Chair at Tecumseh High School in 2005. Washtenaw Community College Education Association, WCC Board of Trustees: May 27, 2014 Speeches, WCCEA Faculty Union Cares: Student Emergency Fund. The term of office is four years, and members are elected by the voters in the trustee area they represent. We are hopeful that he will continue to be a rational voice on the BOT in a new term. Brian Mosallam was elected to the MSU Board of Trustees for an eight-year term beginning January 1, 2013. She seems to have bought into the idea that the Board of Trustees is in place to “advise” the College president. During his interview, Mark expressed that the current board dynamics need to change and that he strongly supports the addition of more teachers to the BOT. Board members are elected officials who serve six-year terms without compensation. Meeting Information. Endorsements made by the state or national federation are included for informational purposes and are… DONATE. Yesterday, I looked at the impact of COVID-19 on recent high school graduates. LANSING — Candidates running for a spot on the Lansing Community College Board of Trustees want to see more students enroll not just to study but to finish. He views faculty as the key to student success at the college and values how their efforts result in what he refers to as the final product, that is, educated, graduated students. WCC Trustee Christina Fleming rarely contributes to discussions at monthly meetings, which should be a significant red flag for taxpayers who expect real oversight. Dr. If you believe the WCC Administration, Ann Arbor is a rich community. There are four candidates for these seats. Mr. DeVarti also voiced a concern over the currently bloated upper administration and the costs associated with such an institutional model. **Data reflects meetings through June 30, 2020. Endorsement: Hoffman, Anderson, Henderson and Han for LACCD - Los Angeles Times It does not serve all the populations of our community. DeVarti describes himself as a progressive political activist and finds the current Board of Trustees responsible for the current state of affairs at the college. Fleming is clearly unprepared to guard the taxpayers’ substantial investment in Washtenaw Community College. Martin Thomas. Donate. View our full list of endorsers here. Christina Fleming has become an enthusiastic cheerleader for the WCC Administration. By Eileen Peck on September 8, 2020 In the November 3, 2020 election, three Washtenaw Community College Board of Trustee seats are open. She does not appear to exercise any authentic oversight or allegiance to the Washtenaw County taxpayers. Fleming has attempted to whitewash other Trustees’ inquiries regarding oversight of the Police Academy. Board of Trustees Member, Washtenaw Community College (vote for no more than TWO): There are 10 candidates running for 2 six-year terms on the board. Fleming has attempted to whitewash other Trustees’ inquiries regarding oversight of the Police Academy. Her approach as a board member would focus on transparency and student success, as well as budgeting priorities and the importance of maintaining a quality education. The public is welcome to attend these meetings. Fleming has supported every new executive hire since she arrived. Grand Rapids Community College Board Trustee. Harrison Township Trustee. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. AUTHORITY - REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN A Proposal Authorizing the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan (RTA) to Levy an Assessment According to Devarti, his commitment is to the students, staff, faculty, taxpayers, and community leaders. The Times endorses one incumbent and three newcomers for the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees. He is in strong support of underprivileged students having accessible and affordable education, as well as more detailed metrics on how to define student success. Brandy Lovelady Mitchell. As a Board of Trustee member, he would also work to craft a resolution to put an end to the current conflict within the college. The Washtenaw Community College Board of Trustees candidate for the 11/8/16 election that you can trust; Anna Zinkel. Wanda Stokes. ( Log Out /  Ruth has regularly attended the Board of Trustee’s meetings and has a keen awareness of the state of crisis the college now faces. Help out a standing committee throughout the year, work on campaigns, or network with other organizations. Additionally, she supported a $26M no-bid outsourcing contract for IT services, then used the opportunity to publicly insult the IT staff she just voted to terminate. Endorsements The following are some of the community leaders who have endorsed Eli Savit for Washtenaw County Prosecutor. I served as an ad hoc counselor at De Anza College in 97-98. Slightly more than a year later, WCC’s IT costs have exploded under the new managed services contract. These endorsements are from the individuals listed and unless explicitly stated, should not be perceived as an official endorsement from the organizations they represent. Washtenaw Community College Board of Trustees Member.Vote for not more than 3.