VICTORY TOWNSHIP — The regular meeting of the West Shore Community College Board of Trustees scheduled for Monday, March 16 has been rescheduled for Monday, March 23. The regularly scheduled meeting was postponed due to weather.
The Board of Trustees will consider a new tuition policy for Michigan public institutions, review financial reports and vote on a long-term lease with the Michigan Dyslexia Institute during its meeting Monday in Scottville.
The board’s agenda for the 4 p.m. meeting in the John M. Eaton Board Room will also include revenue projections for fiscal year 2026-27, a tuition discussion for fiscal year 2026-27, staff recognitions and an academic presentation on the Literacy Network.
Among the key items will be a second reading of proposed Board Policy 6088, which would allow WSCC to apply its in-district tuition rate to students whose enrollment is fully funded by a Michigan public institution through a contracted training or educational agreement with the college. College President Scott Ward said the policy is intended to support workforce development, strengthen public-sector partnerships and reduce administrative complexity while keeping programs financially sound.
Under the proposed policy, the in-district rate would be applied regardless of a student’s individual residency status when a public institution — such as a school district, municipality, county, law enforcement agency or fire department — directly funds participation through a formal agreement with the college. The policy would not change residency determinations for any other purpose.
Trustees will also review the college’s Feb. 28 financial statement, which shows general fund expenditures of $1,647,956 and auxiliary fund expenditures of $80,422. Year-to-date general fund revenue stands at $13,977,531, or 73% of budget, while total expenditures are $12,119,889, or 64% of budget. The financial statement notes revenue is slightly below budget, with lower-than-expected interest income and Business Opportunity Center revenue cited among the reasons.
The board will also consider annual budget estimates for 2026-27, including $9,206,493 in property tax revenue for operations, $4,231,391 for capital and $3,054,729 in state allocation. A memo to trustees states the figures are preliminary and will not prevent the board from adopting different amounts later in the budget process.
Another major item will be a proposed lease agreement with the Michigan Dyslexia Institute for office and instructional space at the college’s new Hart building. College administrators said the agreement would further position the facility as a regional education hub and expand access to literacy services in Oceana County and surrounding areas.
The proposed lease would provide the institute about 500 square feet of space, consisting of four offices, for a 20-year term. Annual rent would begin at $10,000, with increases built into the agreement. The college said the partnership could provide rural communities with access to specialized literacy instruction, educator training and diagnostic services that are often difficult to obtain locally.
Trustees will also discuss tuition and fees for 2026-27 ahead of committee work in April. According to Ward’s memo, the administration is recommending a $4 increase in in-district tuition, raising the rate to $135 per contact hour, along with a $2 increase in student fees to $26 per contact hour. The memo states that would amount to a 3.87% increase in the total cost per credit hour.
WSCC’s current in-district tuition rate is the second lowest among Michigan’s “Small 10” community colleges and remains the lowest effective rate when fees are included. The memo also says most students graduate with little to no debt because of the college’s low tuition and available financial aid resources, including scholarships, Pell Grants, Michigan Achievement Scholarships and promise zones.
In addition to business items, the board will recognize Rachel Henderson, associate dean of student services, as Staff Member of the Fall 2025 Semester, and Julie Page Smith, director of the Wellness Center, as Staff Member of the Winter 2026 Semester.
At its February meeting, the board appointed Daniel LaMore to fill a vacancy through Dec. 31, 2026, and approved the first reading of the proposed in-district tuition policy.
____________________________
Please Support Local News and Sports Coverage
Receive daily MCP and OCP news briefings along with email news alerts for $10 a month. Your contribution will help us to continue to provide you with free local news.
To sign up, email editor@mediagroup31.com. In the subject line write: Subscription. Please supply your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number (indicate cell phone). We will not share your information with any outside sources. For more than one email address in a household, the cost is $15 per month per email address.
We can send you an invoice for a yearly payment of $120, which you can conveniently pay online or by check. If you are interested in this method, please email editor@mediagroup31.com and we can sign you up. You can also mail a yearly check for $120 to Media Group 31, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454 (please include your email address).
Payment must be made in advance prior to subscription activation.
We appreciate all our readers regardless of whether they choose to continue to access our service for free or with a monthly financial support.
_____
This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2026, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.
As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.
.png)
