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DOWAGIAC — Southwestern Michigan College’s Board of Trustees capped a Wednesday morning of strategic planning updates with an afternoon monthly business meeting and a tour of the housing units recently added to the second and third floors of Keith H. McKenzie Hall.

Last January, the board approved the addition of new rooms with living capacity of 36 beds to the three existing residence halls on the Dowagiac campus to address growing housing demand.

Three bids were opened on May 8, with a contract awarded to E&L Construction Group of Flint, which has a Berrien Springs office.

Construction of 12 rooms in McKenzie and William M. White Hall took place over the summer. Thomas F. Jerdon Hall will be completed next summer.

Architect Tony Leininger of Carmi Design Group in Niles accompanied the board, highlighting the improvements.

In other business, trustees:

• Set tuition rates for the next three years.
• Approved a new Radiography Technology program shared with other two-year community colleges similar to the MRI Technology and Neurodiagnostic (EEG) Technology degrees SMC now offers.
• Re-elected officers, Chairman Tom Jerdon, Vice Chairman Tracy Hertsel, Secretary Beth Cripe and Treasurer Becky Moore.
• Reviewed a letter from U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., congratulating the college on its 60th anniversary in November.

Dr. Joe Odenwald read Peters’ letter as his president’s report:

“Dr. Odenwald, congratulations to you and Southwestern Michigan College on celebrating its 60th anniversary. This incredible milestone is a testament to the college’s dedication to providing high-quality education empowering students to achieve their full academic potential. Your leadership and dedication in fostering academic excellence and innovation have played a vital role in bettering the college and its community. Congratulations again. I look forward to your continued success,” the senator wrote.

The board also accepted a $20,000 gift to SMC from the AEP Foundation and Indiana Michigan Power to fund the next year of Grady Scholarships and acknowledged 22 donations to the SMC Foundation totaling $47,785, including $35,000 from The McLoughlin Family Foundation of Cassopolis.