Sammy Jepsen would spend hours talking with the Tarrant County College board of trustees about why the TCC Northwest campus doesn’t have enough food options.
Students told him cafe prices were too high.
Jepsen is just like other student leaders across TCC who try to get the board of trustees to address the unique student body problems that might not be in the minds of the everyday voter.
On June 10, voters will decide the final trustee students can talk with.
Newcomer Laura Forkner Pritchett forced a runoff election by claiming 42.26% of the vote, almost 12 percentage points more than incumbent Bill Greenhill’s 30.46%, according to official results. A runoff election is required because both candidates didn’t receive a majority of the vote.
Partisan issues played an important role between Greenhill and Pritchett, including diversity, equity and inclusion in public higher education and TCC finances. Students, however, have other concerns about items such as food selections and resources available to them.
Jepsen has been involved in Tarrant County Community College student government since 2021. As student government president, he received hundreds of comments from his peers about their concerns.
The main concern is the campus’s food options, Jepsen said. Northwest only has a cafe that serves small meals and vending machines.
Students should have more affordable options because they are working hard to earn an education, Jepsen added.
Addressing this issue is a bit complicated because the Northwest campus is in the transition of having a new campus, Greenhill told the Fort Worth Report in an interview.
In 2019, TCC voters approved a $825 million bond that includes $311 million going to TCC Northwest’s redevelopment.
Pritchett criticized Greenhill and TCC’s board for how they handled the budget during the Fort Worth Report debate on May 25. Too much funding goes to the administration instead of workforce development programs, she said. Pritchett declined to speak with the Fort Worth Report on record.
Anthony Guevara, TCC Connect’s upcoming student president, enjoys the flexibility of the virtual campus, but his peers said they would struggle to find a sense of belonging.
“While we do have many resources available for online students, it’s sometimes a little bit difficult for them to find it,” Guevara said.
The board is working to redesign the TCC website to make resources easier to find and the renovated Northwest campus should address the concerns about food options, Greenhill said.
Both student leaders appreciate the board’s willingness to listen, especially Greenhill.
“He has shown genuine care for people, which I find very interesting,” Jepsen said.
Talking to students is Greenhill’s favorite part of the job, making him the right person for the job, he said.
“I’m doing this as a community service, Greenhill told the Fort Worth Report. “We meet students where they are.”
During the debate, Pritchett said TCC is a great resource to Tarrant County but needs new leadership.
Pritchett would put the students and the taxpayers first, she said.
Early voting begins May 30 and ends June 6. Election Day is June 10.
Disclosure: Bill Greenhill has been a financial supporter of the Fort Worth Report. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
Juan Salinas II is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at juan.salinas@fortworthreport.org or on Twitter. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
