VOLUME 48 ISSUE 7
AGORA MONROE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MARCH 30, 2006
Board of Trustees to challenge new state mandate requirements Amanda Lundy Copy Editor Monroe County Community College (MCCC) Board of Trustees plans to challenge a new mandate that requires state approval of projects and expenditures of $1 million or more. The mandate – known as the Joint Capitol Outlay Use and Finance process, or Use and Finance - was issued from the Legislative Joint Capitol Outlay Subcommittee (JOSC), chaired by Sen. Shirley Johnson (R-Troy). Among the requirements of this mandate is the state approval necessary for construction projects, including maintenance, remodeling, additions, land acquisition, utility, landscaping, equipment, telecommunications, and road and parking lot projects. Failure to comply with the law results in no Joint Capitol Outlay funding for two years, and, except for in the case of emergencies, a ban on selffunded projects for one year. Vice Chairman William J. Bacarella Jr. feels that the state should not have a voice in projects paid for by tax payers’ money — such as the new
Campbell Learning Resources O’Connell said. up with the law, and we don’t Center parking lot, which was “Certain schools, such as want that to happen anymore. paid for by the Board of Wayne State, have made So we sent this out as a Trustees and Administration mistakes. They didn’t know refresher.” maintenance and replacement that their policies didn’t match O’Connell stated that all 28 fund. However, he fully supports state approval when the state’s money is involved – such as the La-Z-Boy building project. Overall, the seven-member board feels that this mandate signifies a “significant loss of local control.” “This college is funded by voters – it’s their college, not Lansing’s. It has been funded by the community for 42 years, and I don’t think they have the right to change that,” Bacarella said. This viewpoint has Sen. Johnson’s Chief of Staff, Brian O’Connell, worried. “This law has been around since 1960. MCCC stating that this law is ‘new’ is an example of the Magician Steve Ryder entertains children at the Family Fun Night, reason we distributed hosted by Monroe County Community College on March 24. the mandate,”
Oh oh, it’s magic!
community colleges have responded to the mandate. MCCC is the only school to take issue with it. Bacarella feels that the reasoning behind this is that, “a lot of other community colleges are getting significant funding from the state, so they don’t want to rock the boat.” MCCC reports that half of the 28 public community colleges in the state have major construction projects on the table that involve 50 percent state funding. Bacarella stated that changing the law will take time because it is not a large concern for lawmakers right now. Despite this, MCCC has taken steps necessary to inform legislators Representative Kathy Angerer (D-Monroe, Washtenaw) and Senator Bev Hammerstrom (RTemperance) of its concerns. MCCC has also considered involving gaining support from other members of the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA). Bacarella feels that in order to gain the necessary support, other community colleges will need to realize that “this is a
see “mandate,” page 7
Lecture series delves into Monroe’s heritage Rebecca Kennedy Copy Editor On March 8, historian Anthony Pitch kicked off a series of lectures leading up to the War of 1812’s bicentennial with his presentation on “The Importance of Remembrance: From the Conquest of Washington to the Birth of the Anthem.” The event was organized by the War of 1812 Bicentennial Symposium Committee, a collaboration between Monroe County Community College (MCCC)
Inside:
and the Monroe County Historical Society. Because the River Raisin Massacre, one of the major battles of the War of 1812, was fought here in Monroe along the banks of the River Raisin, the war played a substantial part in Monroe’s history. The Symposium Committee began planning the lecture series last fall, hoping to raise awareness of the significance of the War of 1812 in Monroe County’s history and the importance of preserving the battlefield. “For newcomers, the
Opinion 2
Meet Mark Hall The new director of admissions and guidance services joins MCCC staff with big plans in store. (3)
series makes them aware of the historical richness of Monroe; in particular the War of 1812,” David Nixon, MCCC president, said. For their first speaker, the committee chose Anthony Pitch, a renowned War of 1812 historian and author of “The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814.” Pitch has given presentations in notable places like the Library of Congress, the U.S. Capitol, and the Smithsonian Institution as well as an annual speech on the anniversary of the writing of the national anthem.
Campus News 3
“We thought a ‘PBS-type’ person would be good, someone with a story to tell who was also good at telling stories,” said Bruce Way, dean of humanities and social sciences and a member of the Symposium Committee. Pitch’s presentation, given in MCCC’s Meyer Theater, focused on the attack on Washington D.C. and the burning of the White House, which Pitch called “the lowest point in American history.” “Mr. Pitch did a wonderful job of personalizing history by concentrating on roles played
Feature 4-5
Caffeine craze Many students face the addiction to caffeine, since it is readily used as a stimulant. Are you addicted? (4)
A&E 6
by otherwise unexceptional individuals in a moment of crisis, where ordinary people sometimes do extraordinary things,” Way said. Nixon agreed. “Pitch created a word picture of the first invasion of America when the British burned the White House,” he said. “His comments provided vivid detail on the events and reminded us about the shaky beginnings of America.” The committee plans to present similar symposiums every year leading up to the war’s bicentennial in 2012.
Spotlight 8
From student to soldier, and back again MCCC student Spencer LaVoy prepares for his second tour of duty in Iraq. (5)