2 incumbents, 1 newcomer battle for seats on WCC Board of Trustees

Lily Cole

Editor

On the horizon of the Nov. 5 election, two WCC Board of Trustee seats are up for grabs. 

While the ballot includes races for president, senator, congress, and more, the Board of Trustees seats directly impact students, faculty and WCC. 

Board members vote on various topics, including tuition costs, staff contracts, presidential appointments, new academic programs and campus projects.

Here’s a look at the candidates:

Alex Milshetyn

Milshetyn has been ingrained in WCC culture from a very young age. When his parents immigrated from Kyiv, Ukraine, and landed at WCC to attend English as a second language classes, he was ultimately “dragged” to campus. 

“Snow days in regular public schools didn’t mean snow days at WCC,” he said. “So I got the opportunity to visit campus on numerous occasions. Whether I was in the back of their classroom or for various events, I just remember being in awe of the campus.”

When he was in 10th grade, he had the opportunity to transfer to WTMC and stayed for three years. Milshetyn graduated with an associate’s degree and a high school diploma. He then moved to Eastern Michigan University for a business degree. 

Milshetyn’s three primary values in his campaign are affordable education, student success and community engagement. 

He has been involved in various stakeholder groups, such as the board of WTMC and the WCC Foundation. He attributes these as a unique aspect of his campaign.

As a real estate agent for over twenty years, Milshetyn has been involved in the community and has seen people come out of school with debts that are sometimes larger than their mortgage payments. Being out in the community allows him to return what he hears to the board table. 

“We have a really great tool here in WCC, and my goal is to keep it affordable so that people aren’t strapped with debt for the rest of their lives,” he said. 

While sitting on the Foundation board, Milshetyn learned the importance of student success and the resources they need.

“It’s not about getting students in the classrooms but making sure that they are successful in the classroom,” he said. “Whether its counseling or Foundation student emergency funds… I want to make sure that students at WCC are successful right now and for the future.” 

Milshetyn explains the Board of Trustees’ role as “not an operations body, but more strategic.” He describes them as “keepers of the community” and ensures that WCC is here for that greater group. 

“I want WCC to be driven by the community we are already in, and I want to make sure that we have really good strength with the community to move WCC forward and our greater area forward.” 

Diana McKnight Morton

A large chunk of McKnight Morton’s career has been at WCC. She had been working as a part-time counselor when a seat on the Board of Trustees opened after a member left. 

At the time, she had been on a committee with a department head through Washtenaw County. During a conversation one day, the department head asked what she planned to do after she finished her master’s degree. As the conversation went on, McKnight Morton concluded she wanted to serve as a trustee.

“I was born and raised in Ann Arbor,” she said. “This was something to help me out so that I could further my skill and educational level.”

When she returned to school and saw the difficulties and fears students experienced, she made it a point to give back to the community that had helped her immensely throughout her educational journey. 

McKnight Morton’s campaign revolves around seeing students succeed. She has served on the Board of Trustees since 1996 and says she still has a purpose there. 

“Every time the election comes around, for me, I feel that my purpose is not completed,” she said. “And that comes after my third president.”

Although she has served on boards, been involved in organizations, and won many awards, her main goal is to see students succeed. The board is, in her eyes, the foundation of the college.

On graduation day, when she shakes hands with recent graduates, she asks them, “What will you do now?” The answers she gets surprise her, as they range from going to law school to being a hairdresser. But nothing changes, as seeing them succeed in pursuing their dreams motivates her. 

“It is so inspiring for me. I know there’s still a lot of dreams out there that want to be fulfilled,” she said. “As long as I’m on that board, I feel that with my presence, my vote and understanding what’s being offered is beneficial for our students and this community.” 

Eileen Peck

Peck has spent most of her time in Ypsilanti Township. She has been a resident of Washtenaw County for 35 years and holds degrees from WCC and the University of Michigan.

She worked in digital technology at both colleges and Merit Network for over 10 years. In 2007, she left to create her own business as a freelance business and technology writer. She’s been writing for 17 years. 

Peck, whose personal blog focuses on WCC, has been a public critic of the college for years. She views the board as an overseer and assesses it on her website. “What I see is the board moving away from its oversight role instead of leaning into it,” she said.

She highlights concerns about students’ cost of attendance, the board’s use of funds, a lack of focus on associate’s degrees, and addressing economic disparities.  

“I would like to see some restraint on administrative hiring, I think the size of the administration has gotten to the point where it’s extremely large in comparison to the size of the full time faculty, and so I would like to see the administration be right sized,” she said. 

One of her main goals is to bring a new perspective to the board. As a longtime resident of Ypsilanti Township, Peck has expertise in that specific area and says she will bring a new view to a board which is more than half dominated by Ann Arbor residents. 

“I think that there are huge opportunities to improve the circumstances for people that live in these areas that aren’t Ann Arbor,” she said. 

If elected, Peck hopes to recognize that there are parts of the county that aren’t prosperous, and she believes that WCC has a responsibility to help students in those areas. 

“I would always be asking, ‘How is this benefiting the taxpayer?’ ‘How is this benefiting the student?’ ‘How is this benefiting Washtenaw County?’” She said, “I would be the voice that says, ‘let’s take a step back and take a look at what we’re doing. Is it really in the best interest of the people paying for it?’”

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