WC NEWS

The Weatherford College Board of Trustees received an update on the Coyote Care Center at their May board meeting on Thursday.  

Dr. Alex Ibe, assistant vice president of student services and athletics, began the presentation by highlighting May’s designation as Mental Health Awareness Month and its theme, “more good days, together.”  

“This emphasizes that a good day is personal and emphasizes community support rather than perfection,” Ibe said as he introduced the college’s leaders of the medical clinic and the counseling center, the two parts of the Coyote Care Center.  

Nancy Shelton, RN, operates the medical side of the center through a telemedicine agreement with the Parker County Hospital District. She treats 30 to 40 patients a month, typically for upper respiratory illness, allergies, colds, flu and strep throat. There is no copay for the visit.

Aimee Schwartz-Jarrett, LPC, oversees counseling. She averages a caseload of 40 students per month; however, she noted seeing 126 students during April. Again, there is no copay for these visits.

She serves students on both the Weatherford and Wise County campuses for depression, anxiety, trauma, neurodivergent struggles, and other issues. The populations who most frequently use her services include athletes, international students, veterans, students in health science programs, TRIO students, first-generation students, honors program students, LGBTQ students and those in the substance abuse program.  

“Coming to college for the first time can be overwhelming,” Schwartz-Jarrett said. “And we’re trying to be creative with our program."

She works with interns completing clinical hours for their degrees to help fill the gaps, and Doug Jefferson, dean of student life and development, steps in to help with crisis cases.  

Her team is also looking at platforms that would provide students access to a mental health professional 24/7.  

“As our enrollment increases, we want those services to increase as well,” she said. 

In other business, the board:

• Approved the minutes from the April 9 board meeting.
• Approved the financial reports ending March 31.
• Approved the cancellation of the July 9 board meeting.
• Approved a request for proposals for facilities management services.
• Approved a contract quote from Flair Data Systems for the purchase of wireless access points.
• Approved a TIPS contract from Ford Audio Video Systems for smart classrooms.
• Approved a TIPS contract from SHI for faculty, staff and classroom computer lab refresh.
• Approved the disposal of obsolete and surplus items.
• Approved creation of the Associate of Applied Science in Pediatric Sonography.
• Approved the creation of a barber's advanced skills certificate.
• Approved the creation of a medical coding and billing certificate.
• Approved creation of a real estate level 1 CEU certificate.
• Received written reports from WC Wise County, academics and a student services update.
• Received a written preliminary 2026-27 budget report.
• Received a verbal update, including new visual renderings, of the Student Union project. 
   
  In this President’s Report, President Tod Allen Farmer:
• Recognized WC rodeo for sending both the men’s and women’s teams to the CNFR for the first time in the same year.
• Announced the $658,141 grant received by the Associate Degree Nursing program.
• Recognized the men’s golf team for winning the conference for the second year in a row and for taking the NJCAA Region Championship for the first time.
• Announced the retirement of Mike McGough, director of the occupational therapy assistant program, and the resignations of Dr.
• Michael Saylor, business and computer sciences department chair, and Shelley Hampe, life science department chair.
• Updated the board on summer and fall enrollment. As of May 11, summer enrollment was up 5.6%, and fall enrollment was up 5.5% year-to-date.