Ibrahim Atallah

The meeting began with the acknowledgment of the new Chairperson. Key discussions included the recognition of several pre-engineering students for achievements in an international competition and a regional engineering showcase, as well as recognition for faculty work in a photography exhibition and a holiday radio production. The President updated the Board on various items, including college enrollment being slightly above the credit hour goal for the Winter 2026 semester, progress in securing a long-term interim VP/CFO, and a revision to the Learning Management System (LMS) contract with D2L. The Board revisited the D2L contract, opting to rescind the previous ten-year approval and approve a new structure composed of two consecutive five-year terms to allow for a five-year review point, despite an increased cost of approximately $261,000. Other action items approved included roof repairs for Technology Building E and the Child Development Center, and the Fiscal Year 2026 Mid-Year Budget Adjustment. Business sections covered an update on the Presidential Search process, including establishing a timeline for interviews and ensuring the confidentiality of semi-finalists, and a lengthy discussion regarding the Code of Conduct stipulations concerning communication between Trustees about presidential candidates to ensure process integrity and compliance with the Open Meetings Act.

The meeting began with a roll call, followed by the approval of the minutes for the October 20, 2025, regular board of trustees meeting. A significant portion of the meeting involved recognizing and acknowledging Kenny Isacson, a distinguished alumnus and first-generation college student who overcame significant adversity in the foster care system to become a firefighter paramedic for the City of Detroit and top graduate of the Henry Ford College paramedic program. Updates were provided on campus construction and renovation initiatives, including the completion of campus topographic and underground utility surveys, ongoing discussions regarding the chiller plant, and preliminary discussions on landscaping needs. Schematic designs for buildings A and K, as well as a new unlettered building, were received. A productive town hall provided faculty feedback on the plans for the NB building demolition and K building renovation, with similar feedback sessions planned for the A building renovation, which is scheduled to commence in May 2026. Plans are also underway for a community town hall focused on engaging local vendors and suppliers for the new construction project. Other highlights included recognizing the college as a Gold Level Veteran Friendly School for the eighth consecutive year and honoring an Associate Dean with a teaching excellence award. The President also noted the full complement of trustees present for the first time.

The meeting opened with the formal call to order. Key discussions included the introduction and presentation by an outstanding student, Lillian Jones, who detailed her academic journey, plans to transfer to the University of Michigan, and future goals in library information sciences, referencing her work in archival studies and seed keeping. The President provided updates, noting attendance at the national legislative summit in Washington D.C. to discuss federal policy impacting community colleges and meetings with Senators Stabenow and Peters regarding the Pell Grant program. A significant item was the recommendation to contract Mr. Bradley Mitchell as the interim VP CFO through an entity called The Registry, allowing him to start full-time soon. Additionally, the President reported receiving high praise from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) for the college's assurance argument document, which the HLC requested to post as a best practice example. There was also a note about Henry Ford College being mentioned on the television program Jeopardy.

The meeting commenced with welcoming attendees back from winter break. Key updates included sharing preliminary winter enrollment numbers, which indicated the institution was 96% towards its goal of 113,689 credit hours. Several employee milestones were celebrated, including welcoming new teammates, recognizing those in new roles, congratulating colleagues who achieved tenure, and acknowledging recent retirees. Four employees were honored for earning doctoral degrees. Significant institutional updates covered the highly favorable outcome of the Higher Learning Commission accreditation visit, where the institution received the highest rating of 'Met' across all criteria and was not required to undergo interim monitoring. Furthermore, an update was provided on the successful first semester implementation of the CourseDog platform for curriculum and course management, aimed at modernizing operations and providing actionable data. Finally, the transition from the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) to the new D2L Brightspace LMS was announced.

The special meeting primarily involved the Chair addressing external reports concerning the college presidential search advisory committee's recommendation of semi-finalist candidates. The Chair emphasized adhering to the established democratic process, the confidentiality promised to applicants, and the committee's role in recommending candidates based on qualifications, stressing that the Board makes the final decision. Several committee members and faculty representatives spoke during the public comment period, largely affirming their confidence in the integrity and fairness of the established search process, noting its similarity to previous searches, despite recent public controversy. The board also addressed a procedural motion to reorder the agenda, moving citizen participation earlier.