Chairperson Boswell asked Mr. Corneliussen if he had anything to add. |
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Mr. Corneliussen introduced Mr. Johnson, who spoke about the project |
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on behalf of the College. Mr. Johnson related that he was filling in for the |
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Vice President, Clint Pleasant. He explained that the project was initiated |
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about five years ago, but because of funding, it never came forward. They |
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now had a partner who had breathed new life into the project, and he |
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commented that it was extremely dear to their hearts. The College had a |
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National Championship basketball team, and a student body who was in |
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desperate need of a Health and Life Sciences Center, classroom space |
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and a gym. They were very excited about it. |
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Mr. Yukon asked if there was currently a Health and Life Sciences |
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program at the College. Mr. Johnson advised that they had an |
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Interdisciplinary Studies course, partnered with Oakland University, and |
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they were looking to add Health and Life Sciences in partnership with a |
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hospital. Mr. Yukon clarified that they needed a new building because |
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they needed to expand. Mr. Johnson said they were at capacity with |
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classroom space, and they did not currently have a gym. Mr. Yukon |
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asked how many classrooms they currently had. Mr. Johnson said they |
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had about 20, and a lot of those were smaller. Mr. Yukon asked if the |
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current enrollment projection supported the building, which Mr. Johnson |
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confirmed. Mr. Yukon questioned how far out the projection was, and Mr. |
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Johnson was not exactly sure. They had a slight decrease in enrollment, |
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but he did not know if they had put a number of years to the projection. |
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Mr. Yukon asked if they would definitely occupy the building rather than |
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build it and have empty classrooms. Mr. Johnson said they definitely had |
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enough students. Mr. Yukon asked what the old gym would be used for, |
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and Mr. Johnson said that they planned to use it as a practice court, as it |
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currently was. They now played home games at Rochester or Stony |
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Creek High. Mr. Yukon commented that he felt that what they were doing |
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with the Clinton River was very important, and he was glad they were |
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taking it into consideration. He stated that it was a very important natural |
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resource, not only to the community of Rochester Hills but also to the |
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