Commissioners met Monday with Bay College President Dr. Nerita Hughes, posing questions about the college’s financial standing, its diversity, equity and inclusion policies and what the future might bring.

Hughes said Bay now has 511 people taking courses in Dickinson County, including high school dual enrollees. “I’d like to see us eventually double (Dickinson) enrollment,” she said.

Commissioner Joe Stevens asked what a millage defeat might mean for the Iron Mountain campus.

Hughes offered a projection that tuition rates would have to rise 16%, besides other implications. “It would be a challenge,” she said.

NERITA HUGHES

Founded in 1963, Bay de Noc Community College has campuses in Escanaba and Iron Mountain. Property tax support from Dickinson County began in 2007 in conjunction with the opening of the Iron Mountain facility. The 20-year levy, rolled back slightly from the initial 1 mill, is due to expire.

The proposed Dickinson 20-year renewal is 0.9987 mills, or just less than $1 per $1,000 of taxable value. It would generate an estimated $1.2 million when first levied in 2027, according to the ballot language.

Bay College is governed by a seven-member board elected by voters in Delta County. A nine-member advisory board serves the Iron Mountain campus.

Dickinson County more than a year ago asked for direct representation on the governing board but learned that to gain voting power the county’s tax levy would have to match that of Delta County. Commissioners abandoned the idea, as Delta County is levying 3.5 mills, or $3.50 per $1,000 of taxable value.

Hughes explained that community college funding in Michigan is a mix of tuition and fees, state appropriations and property taxes. The Bay College Board of Trustees is committed to supporting an Iron Mountain campus, as evidenced by the enrollment goal, she said.

Minutes from a January 2024 meeting of the board indicate a May 2027 election would likely be the last opportunity to avoid a lapse in the Dickinson levy, should a first attempt fail.

Hughes said adult learners are increasingly important to Bay’s success, citing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s 60 by 30 goal of having 60% of the state’s population earn a post-secondary degree or industry-recognized certificate by 2030. Communication and coordination with employers is key to aligning programs with workforce needs, she added.

The Bay College Foundation, Hughes reported, has an endowment of about $14 million dedicated to scholarships. The scholarship program is open to all students who submit an application and more than $650,000 is awarded each year to more than 300 incoming and returning students, according to Bay’s website.

Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging polices are in keeping with state requirements and are meant to cultivate an environment where everyone feels valued and included, Hughes said. Diversity, she added, has a broad definition and includes more than honing in on a specific consideration.

The ultimate goal, she said, is student success. If there are changes in the legal framework, the college will meet them, she said.