WC board renames quad for former President Mince

The Weatherford College Board of Trustees approved naming the college’s central quad after former President E.W. Mince, creating a permanent tribute to the longest-serving president in the institution’s history. 

The action comes two years after the demolition of the E.W. Mince Building, which was removed to make way for additional campus parking. Since then, college administrators have explored ways to continue honoring Mince’s legacy through a campus landmark that existed during his tenure and remains central to student life today. 

The quad, located west of the Speaker Jim Wright Library, east of the Liberal Arts Building, south of the Academic Building and north of the Don Allen Health Science Building, serves as one of the busiest gathering spaces on campus. The area regularly hosts student life events and functions as a social hub for students. 

College officials said the quad will remain a prominent campus destination even after completion of the new student union. 

“Our goal was to designate a part of the Weatherford campus that existed during President Mince’s era that is still relevant to students today,” said Brent Baker, vice president of institutional advancement, on the naming selection. “After taking input from the Mince family, we feel that naming the quad after President Mince is an appropriate way to celebrate our college’s history and heritage.” 

The board also received a verbal report from Grant Mills, student life coordinator, on the series of Coyote Orientation and Registration Experience (CORE) events held over the summer. 

More than 1,300 students and parents attended one of the eight events, up from 700 the previous year. 

Mills said that the momentum generated during CORE has carried into the fall semester, with strong participation during Welcome Week and increased involvement in student organizations, campus activities, leadership programs, and service opportunities. 

Following an executive session, President Tod Allen Farmer announced the board is taking applications to fill the Place 2 seat on the board left vacant by the unexpected passing of Tom Vick. The application process can be viewed on the college website here with applications being accepted through Oct. 1. 

In other business, the board: 

• Approved the minutes of the Aug. 13 and Aug. 27 board meetings. 
• Approved the financial reports ending July 30. 
• Approved sealed bids for pediatric cardiovascular sonography lab equipment. 
• Approved an annual lease for the AVIVE automated external defibrillator (AED) system 
• Renewed a commercial landscaping and irrigation services contract. 
• Approved moving the October meeting to Thursday, Oct. 15. The meeting will remain at 12:30 p.m. in the community room located on the third floor of the Emerging Technologies and Workforce Building. 
• Received written reports from WC Wise County, academics and a student services update. 

In his President’s Report, Farmer: 

• Congratulated the entire WC team on another semester of record enrollment. As of Tuesday, Sept. 8, 7,539 students were registered compared to 7,245 students last year, representing a 4.06% increase and seven consecutive semesters of record enrollment. 
• Announced a recent articulation agreement with East Texas A&M University for students in WC’s Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science in Organizational Leadership program. 
• Announced the WC Coyote volleyball team’s 3rd-in-the-nation ranking.