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By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
VICTORY TOWNSHIP — West Shore Community College’s Board of Trustees will consider a facilities master plan Monday, Oct. 19, that identifies five priorities for future campus improvements, including student housing, a new fieldhouse and expanded public safety training facilities.
The board will meet at 4 p.m. in the John M. Eaton Board Room in the Administrative and Conference Building on the college’s main campus.
The college’s top priority is the renovation and modernization of the Administrative and Conference Building, a project that has already received planning authorization from the State of Michigan as part of the 2026-2027 state budget.
College President Scott Ward is recommending that the board approve the building renovation as WSCC’s primary request for state capital outlay funding.
The college’s facilities master plan must be submitted to the state by Nov. 1. A board-approved master plan is required before the college can receive state capital funding for building projects.
According to Ward, the Administrative and Conference Building is the last existing structure on campus requiring modernization following approximately two decades of infrastructure improvements.
Proposed renovations would focus on improving the building’s entrance and welcome areas while providing better separation between visitors attending community conferences and events and college administrative offices.
The project is the first of five priorities identified in the college’s facilities plan.
The second priority is the development of student housing. According to the administration’s recommendation, the college has identified housing, food and transportation insecurity as significant barriers affecting students.
Student housing is viewed as a potential way to attract and retain students while supporting the college’s long-term sustainability.
The third priority is a proposed campus fieldhouse. The project follows recommendations from the college’s Recreation Task Force and feedback gathered from the community.
During the board’s September meeting, Ward recommended placing the fieldhouse ahead of proposed public safety training facilities on the college’s priority list. Board Chair Sherry Wyman supported advancing the fieldhouse, citing its identification as a priority by the Recreation Task Force.
The fourth priority is improvements to the college’s driver training facilities, including the addition of a skid pad. The proposed improvements would support highway safety training.
The fifth priority is construction of a public safety station or garage that would provide equipment storage and training space for the college’s fire, police and emergency medical services programs.
Although the projects are ranked in order of priority, Ward stated that the order does not necessarily determine when they would be constructed. Funding availability, scheduling, potential campus disruptions and coordination with other projects could affect their implementation.
The college is also developing what it describes as a “Living Master Plan,” intended to provide a long-term framework for facility improvements at all WSCC locations.
In May, the board approved a contract with Design Collaborative, working with MGT and ISES Corporation, to develop the comprehensive plan.
The planning process includes an evaluation of campus space utilization, assessments of existing facilities and input from faculty, staff, students, board members and community representatives.
The completed planning framework is expected to be presented to the board in December.
The October facilities recommendation was reviewed favorably by the board’s Administrative Committee on Oct. 14.
The board will be asked Monday to authorize submission of the Administrative and Conference Building renovation as the college’s top capital outlay funding request.
Cost estimates, construction schedules and funding arrangements for the other proposed projects were not included in the board meeting packet.
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