WC NEWS

Following an executive session to iron out details, the Weatherford College Board of Trustees approved a guaranteed maximum price for the construction of the new Vickie and Jerry Durant Hall during this October meeting held Thursday.  

The price to construct the new 116 bed student housing facility is not to exceed $27.9 million. This price does not include furniture, fixtures, equipment and fees.  

A groundbreaking ceremony for Durant Hall was held in April and the project is projected to be complete in 2024.  

Located on the corner of East Park Avenue and College Park Drive, the 57,000-square-foot building will house students from WC’s Honors Program and athletic programs. The facility will include a weight room, cardio room, multipurpose room and balcony.  

 In his President’s Report, Farmer:  

• Congratulated Lauren Tidwell, Sharon Johnson and WC’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapter on receiving a 2022 Honors in Action grant from Phi Theta Kappa and the Mellon Foundation for their recycling project.  
• Announced biology professor, Dr. Bishnu Twanabasu, recently attended an international botany conference in Anchorage, Alaska representing his students’ research.  
• Announced WC’s new volleyball team was first in conference with an 8-1 conference record and congratulated coach Kailee May on the success of the new team.  
• Announced that WC’s Bachelor of Applied Technology in Medical and Health Services Management degree program has joined the ranks of top Texas universities such as Baylor and Texas A&M with a membership in the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.  
• Announced the resignation of Dr. Peter Klimo, instructor and program director for echocardiography; Jessica McKee, workforce education director; and Justin Porter, campus police officer.   
• Provided a Fall 2022 enrollment update. The total number of students as of census date was 5,449 compared to 5,302 last year with full-time enrollment growing at a faster rate than part-time. State contact hours increased from 999,280 contact hours last year to 1,037,924 hours this year.  

  In other business the board:  

• Approved the minutes from the Sept. 8 board meeting.  
• Approved the financial reports ending Sept. 30.  
• Approved sealed bids on color and web printing.  
• Approved a renewal of sealed proposals on insurance coverage, loss of control and risk management services.  
• Approved a TIPS cooperative contract quote from Blackmon Mooring and BMS CAT on HVAC system cleaning for Coyote Village.  
• Approved the chief executive office reporting requirements.  
• Received written reports for an academics and student services update; access and affordability report; and the annual Clery Act report.  
• Listened to a report on Day-One Access from Dr. Scott Tarnowieckyi and instructor Jared Steward. Day-One Access includes the price of course textbooks, at a discounted rate, with the tuition payment saving students from waiting on financial aid to be available in the bookstore, allowing them to access the text needed on the first day of class. It results in an average savings of $64.90 per book.