Thank you all for everything you do in pursuit of “Keeping Learning at the Center.”
Notable Accomplishments provided by Faculty and Staff
This section recognizes the good work being done and linkages to the Strategic Directions (SD) and Institutional Effectiveness Criteria (IE) are provided where possible.
- The NMC Foundation is pleased to share that the Dennis and Barbara Fedorinchik Family and Hallmark Construction, Inc. Scholarship has been jointly established and endowed by the family and the company to honor Denny’s many years of service and his great love of NMC, as the next generation of company ownership takes over Hallmark Construction, Inc. Denny is a former Foundation Board member and co-led the campaign for the campus originally called M-Tech. The scholarship is to provide financial assistance to NMC Construction Technology students, with a preference for students pursuing a career in the construction trades. (IE1, IE2)
- On March 13, the Hagerty Center was presented with an award in Lansing for its partnership with Traverse House, a rehabilitation program for people with mental illness. The award recognizes the Hagerty Center’s commitment to providing valuable employment opportunities for the members of Traverse House. (IE2)
- NMC’s college newspaper, The White Pine Press, brought home ten awards from the April 6 Michigan Community College Press Association Conference held on CMU’s campus in Mt. Pleasant. WPP Faculty Adviser is Jacob Wheeler and Design Adviser is Kathy Schwartz. The awards included:
- 1st Place: Sports News Story, Kelsey Pease
- 1st Place: Best Serious Column, Ann Hosler
- 1st Place: Inside Page Design, Eli Watts
- 2nd Place: Personality Profile, Emily Slater
- 2nd Place: Illustration, Adam Crocker
- 2nd Place: Overall Newspaper Design, WPP
- 2nd Place: General Excellence (Division II), WPP
- 2nd Place: Student Journalist of the Year (Division II), Ann Hosler
- Honorable Mention: Inside Page Design, Nick Moug
- Honorable Mention: Best Humor Column, James Robinson (IE1, IE3)
- Maintenance installed LED lights in the Physical Ed Building, resulting in an annual savings of $3,425 with an ROI of 15 months (excluding a rebate). With the rebate, we actually got more money back than was spent. The environmental impact is equivalent to planting 7 acres of forest, removing 5 cars from the road, and a reduction of burning 11 tons less of coal. (IE5)
Activities of Note: Tim
- Chris Bott and I attended the MCCA Spring Board of Directors Meeting at Schoolcraft College on March 21-22. As a part of the meeting agenda, I presented a legislative update.
- On April 3, the NMC Retirement & Recognition Reception was held to celebrate past and new retirees, present the Staff and Team Excellence Awards, and acknowledge the many years of service given by faculty and staff. Congratulations to the Excellence Award winners Jan Root, Communications Academic Area Office Manager; and the Open Educational Resources (OER) Team of Tina Ulrich, Ryan Bernstein, Mark DeLonge, Kristen Salathiel, Sarah Wangler, Joelle Hannert, and Nicco Pandolfi.
- On April 11, I attended multiple meetings here in Traverse City with Governor Whitmer in regard to her proposed state budget.
- Thank you to all who were able to attend the Taste of Success on April 12 at the Hagerty Center. The sold out event benefits the Great Lakes Culinary Institute.
- Thank you, also, to those who attended the Big Little Hero Race on April 13, organized by students of Kristy McDonald’s Business Communications class.
- Along with two other community college presidents, I presented on “Design Thinking Projects” at the American Association of Community College’s (AACC) Annual Convention in Orlando, FL on April 14.
- Last week, I traveled with Gabe Schneider, Director of Advocacy and Government Relations, to meet with all members of the Northern Michigan legislative delegation including Senator VanderWall, Senator Schmidt, Senator Stamas, Representative O’Malley, Representative Hoitenga, Representative Rendon, Representative Inman, Representative Cole and Speaker of the House Chatfield, as well as the Governor’s office, to discuss our budget priorities.
- This past Friday, April 19, Marguerite Cotto and I attended the Traverse City Economic Club presentation by Tom Watkins, former Michigan state superintendent of schools, and were able to visit with him after the event. Watkins also spoke at the International Affairs Forum on April 18 with his lecture “Trumping China: Will China’s rise come at our demise?”
Legislative Issues
State
Following their return from spring break recess, the Michigan Legislature is back in Lansing and busily working on the FY2020 budget. NMC FY20 Budget priorities include:
- Supporting Governor Whitmer’s proposed 3% increase for the community college budget, which would result in a 2.8% or $270,000 increase over FY19 levels for NMC.
- Support the Governor’s request to funding community college MPSERS retirement obligations at $10 million dollars statewide. For this fiscal year, state support for NMC’s retirement obligation was just over $2 million dollars.
- Support the Governor’s request to maintain funding for student financial aid programs.
The Governor included language in her budget proposal that would place restraints on community college tuition, something that we oppose because it inhibits and restricts local control over this type of decision making.
Also included in the Governor’s budget was funding for the Michigan Reconnect program, which would address the 28% of Michigan’s population between the age of 25 and 64 that have some or no college and no formal credential. We are supportive of the Reconnect Program and will be working with the legislature as this proposal moves forward.
Federal
We continue to monitor congressional efforts to reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA). However, despite recent hearings and negotiations, enacting legislation remains challenging. Key priorities for any HEA legislation would be:
- Strengthen the Pell Grant Program with sustained increases in the maximum grant
- Create new opportunities for students enrolled in shorter term programs
- Provide second chance opportunity through the Pell Grant Program
- Reject risk-sharing
- Prevent unnecessary borrowing
- Establish a unit record data system that accurately reflects community college student outcomes
- Facilitate FAFSA filing for low-income students
We also continue to monitor the federal FY20 budget process. Currently, the Administration is working with Congress to set the caps on non-defense discretionary spending.
Miscellaneous
- Friday, May 3—Honors Convocation, 4:45 p.m., Milliken Auditorium
- Saturday, May 4, 2019:
- Commencement, 2:00 p.m., Traverse City Central High School
- Navy Commissioning Ceremony, 5:00 p.m., GLMA
- GLMA Graduation Dinner, Reception at 5:30 p.m., Dinner at 6:30 p.m., Hagerty Center
- Sunday, May 19—NMC BBQ, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.