Campus News
Michigan Community College Association President Brandy Johnson

Community college trustees want right to vote remotely

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OPEN MEETINGS:The state’s 28 community colleges want the Legislature to make it easier for their elected trustees to vote remotely at board meetings, but pending Open Meetings Act legislation by a UP senator wouldn’t accomplish that. We talk to the senator, from Vulcan, the Michigan Community College Association, a Glen Oaks Community College trustee in St. Joseph County and the Michigan Coalition for Open Government. By Liz Nass. FOR THREE RIVERS, STURGIS, LANSING CITY PULSE, MARQUETTE, IRON MOUNTAIN, SAULT STE. MARIE, ST. IGNACE AND ALL POINTS.

Business & Economy
Alpena Community College has 16 apartments that are in high demand.

Community college students struggle with affordable housing 

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COMMUNITY COLLEGE HOUSING: Community colleges are urging the Legislature to make it easier for them to afford to build housing for their students, many of them already hard pressed financially to attend. Their association wants $40 million in grants to help pay for construction of housing at about eight campuses. Twelve of the 28 public colleges offer housing, including Monroe Community College, Northwestern Michigan College, Southwestern Michigan College, Kirkland Community College, North Central College, Gogebic COmmunity College and Bay College.We hear from the Michigan Community College Association, and the presidents of Alpena and West Shore community colleges. By Kenzie Terpstra. FOR ALPENA, ALCONA, MONTMORENCY, TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, MONROE, ADRIAN, BLISSFIELD, LUDINGTON, LAKE COUNTY, OCEANA COUNTY, MARQUETTE, IRON MOUNTAIN, DETROIT, SAULT STE. MARIE, PETOSKEY, HARBOR SPRINGS, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, CLARE, CRAWFORD COUNTY AND ALL POINTS.

Education
Michigan State University assistant professor Anne Scott is testing a new method of controlling parasitic sea lampreys in northern Michigan streams.

New compound may expand sea lamprey control

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SEA LAMPREY: A recently discovered chemical compound that makes it difficult for invasive sea lamprey to find their breeding grounds in Northern Michigan streams may be a new tool for controlling a parasite that threatens Great Lakes fish. We hear from the MSU fisheries and wildlife professor who leads the research team and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. By Ben Eiler. FOR LUDINGTON, TRAVERSE CITY, MONROE, MARQUETTE, ALPENA, SAULT STE. MARIE, ALCONA, HOLLAND, OCEANA, LEELANAU, PETOSKEY, HARBOR SPRINGS, CADILLAC, CHEBOYGAN, ST. IGNACE, BIG RAPIDS, CRAWFORD COUNTY, BAY MILLS AND ALL POINTS.

Education

Pop Up Pantries bring food stability to Lansing Community College students

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his year, administrators of Lansing Community College aimed to do something about that need for its students. LCC realized that some of its students were experiencing food insecurity, so it created “pop-up pantries” for its students. According to studies from 2022 from the Greater Lansing Food Bank, more than one in six people in mid-Michigan face food insecurity, and about 92,000 residents lack consistent access to food.

Delta-Waverly
The Waverly High School building. Many students attending Waverly use Anna Piazza's mental health resources.

Anna Piazza Guides Waverly High School Students Toward Mental Wellness

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In her initial two years as the sole therapist at Waverly High School, Anna Piazza conducted 1,452 therapy sessions with students.

As part of the Expanding, Enhancing Emotional Health (E3) Program, Piazza, a therapist from Child and Family Charities, serves as a resource for students grappling with mental health issues.

Mental health issues among adolescents are on the rise. According to the CDC, in 2021, over 42% of students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, with nearly 29% experiencing poor mental health. Additionally, in 2021, 22% of students seriously considered attempting suicide and 10% attempted suicide.

Autos & Manufacturing
Students work with manufacturing equipment at Three Rivers High School

Manufacturers work to put career tech back in high schools

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PRIME PROGRAM: Michigan has more high schools participating in a national program to increase shop and technical training opportunities than any other state. The Michigan Manufacturers Association, whose members face a serious shortage of skilled workers, is leading the charge for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Partnership Response In Manufacturing Education. We hear about a program in St. Joseph County. Includes references to programs in West Ottawa, Grand Haven, Romeo, Pontiac, Grand Rapids, Rudyard and Hancock. By Liz Nass. FOR THREE RIVERS, STURGIS, SAULT STE. MARIE, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, CORP!, DETROIT, WKTV, HOLLAND, IRON RIVER AND ALL POINTS.

Business & Economy
The 13 districts currently with Promise Zones

Financial aid program could expand to include room and board

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PROMISE ZONES: Students in 13 Promise Zones may be able to receive more financial aid to assist with on-campus housing and meal plan costs at public colleges and community colleges under pending legislation sponsored by a Keego Harbor senator. Cosponsors include senators from Lansing, Trenton, Bay City and Warren.. Current zones include Detroit, Baldwin, Hazel Park, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Mason County. Meanwhile, the Treasury Department is soliciting applicants for two more communities to create Promise Zones. By Kenzie Terpstra. FOR DETROIT, LUDINGTON, LAKE COUNTY, MIDLAND, LANSING CITY PULSE, WKTV, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS AND ALL POINTS.

Campus News

Some Michigan universities see higher enrollment rates, despite statewide decline

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HIGH ENROLLMENTS: Many public campuses report record-high enrollments this fall, reversing a downward trend in recent years. A new scholarship program and an upcoming application program that guarantees admission to high school students who earn at least a 3.0 grade point average are credited, in part, with the current and projected increases. Statewide, however, enrollment is down with some campuses reporting dramatic declines. Grand Valley, MSU, Northern Michigan University, Ferris State, Michigan Tech, University of Michigan-Dearborn, University of Michigan-Flint and Oakland University report increases but Western, Eastern, Central, Saginaw Valley are down. We talk to the Michigan Association of State Universities. By Kayte Marshall. FOR DETROIT, LANSING CITY PULSE, CORP!, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, WKTV, MARQUETTE, IRON RIVER, SAULT STE. MARIE, BIG RAPIDS, GREENVILLE AND ALL POINTS.