The SMC Board of Trustees bid farewell to long time trustee William White, December 14. Honoring White were (left to right) SMC President Dr. Joe Odenwald, Trustees Becky Moore and Keith McKenzie, Trustee William M. White, Chairman Tom Jerdon and Trustees Tracy Hertsel, Dr. Elaine Foster and Beth Cripe.
Southwestern Michigan College’s Board of Trustees bid farewell Wednesday, December 14, to retiring Trustee William M. White, who has served since 1992. White Hall was named in his honor in 2013 for his appreciated service to the college.
At a breakfast in his honor after the meeting, the Jones, Mich., farmer, and SMC alumnus said, “This board has not always agreed on everything, but we’ve always been able to work together and to focus on what’s best for this community and its taxpayers we serve.”
Board Chair Tom Jerdon said, “Bill has been a dedicated trustee for nearly 31 years, and he and his family have generously created a sizable endowment, which is a great legacy for the Whites.” Jerdon and the board presented White with a crystal book service award with inscription honoring his service and generosity.
Provost Dr. David Fleming highlighted curricular changes resulting from a fall review. The AA in health information technology (HIT) is being sunsetted. Graphic design’s two options are being consolidated into one AAS, with the last semester an internship leading to a career or transfer.
An AA in entrepreneurship and a small business management certificate will merge into an online Certificate of Business Management.
“It’s 25 hours of core business courses, including accounting, economics and marketing, a student can add to any degree,” Fleming said. “It should be attractive to dual-enrolled students because they can complete it before finishing high school.”
Medical assisting will join Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology and Neurodiagnostic (EEG) technology in a consortium through the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA) with Bay College in Escanaba, West Shore Community College in Ludington and Gogebic Community College in Ironwood.”
“It will run a lot like MRI with a couple of general courses our students take from SMC,” Dr. Melissa Kennedy, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Services, said. “Medical assisting and introduction to electronic health records will transition online. There will be intensive checkoff days by Professor Shelley Todd to assure students are competent and capable and a 194-hour internship.
“When you go to the doctor’s office,” Kennedy said, “everyone thinks you’re dealing with a nurse,” when it’s more likely a medical assistant.
The board also voted to add an Associate of Arts degree in athletic training and sports medicine, available starting in Fall 2023.
“It’s very exciting for all of us to have athletics back,” Kennedy said. “Programs that would help attract high-quality students and athletes immediately popped into my mind. Students can take different pathways,” even to a physical therapy doctorate. Intensive entry-level kinesiology can lead to transfer to Central Michigan University or Grand Valley State University, where Roadrunners trainer Elise Bancroft studied.
“Elise suggested two 48-hour clinicals, one that’s more observational, to at least four different sites that offer some type of athletic training, sports medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, high schools and orthopedic surgery offices, with the ultimate goal of identifying a professional pathway. The second clinical would be the chosen pathway,” Kennedy said.
Those interested in athletic training/sports medicine or any other program can apply to the college for free at www.swmich.edu/admissions/apply/
In his brief President’s Report, Dr. Joe Odenwald confirmed that spring enrollment is on track to goal and the residence halls are projected to be over 90-percent full for the Spring 2023 semester as interest remains high in SMC’s active campus life.
Vice Chairman Keith McKenzie presented a 10-year service pin to Judy Mustak of Elkhart, administrative assistant to Dr. Keith Howell, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.
Mustak, 2016 staff member of the year, holds a certificate in paralegal studies from Indiana University South Bend. Her husband, Nick, is SMC’s institutional research coordinator.
The board adopted the 2023 meeting schedule, acknowledged nine donations totaling $10,675 to the SMC Foundation and accepted 10 gifts totaling $3,683 to the college.
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