Western Courier

Issue date: 3/7/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Adam Sacasa Mayor Mick Weissland is part of the five-member CUPP executive committee.

The Community-University Partnership Program of McDonough County has recently undergone some substantial changes. Members hope the transformation will benefit the relations between members of the Western Illinois University and Macomb communities.

One of the biggest changes was the addition of a five-member executive committee. Along with Mayor Mick Wisslead and Western President Al Goldfarb, three positions were voted into the executive committee. Bill Jacobs, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of McDonough County, was named chair; Jessie Kallman, Board of Trustees student, was named vice chair; and Janice Whitfield, assistant professor and director of field education in the social work department at Western, was named secretary/treasurer.

Another major change made to CUPP was the inclusion of bylaws. Wisslead said the bylaws have not yet been adopted, but will probably be approved by the next meeting.

"Having bylaws will give the organization more structure, and various duties are described," he added.

Jacobs said the bylaws that have been proposed will "establish a framework for who will participate in CUPP and establish responsibility for the conduct of the organization's business."

In addition to bylaws, CUPP membership will be broadened to include more involvement from organizations such as the Macomb Chamber of Commerce, NAACP, landlords and liquor license operators.

"Hopefully (the changes) will bring (students and Macomb residents) together on a more positive note," Kallman said.

Other executive committee members are also hopeful the changes will foster good relations between Macomb and Western communities.

The final major alteration to the CUPP program was the redrafting of the mission statement, which now reads: "The mission of the Community-University Partnership Program is to strengthen and maintain the quality of life for McDonough County citizens by improving and promoting a cohesive, equitable and inclusive community for all."

"We never had a real defined statement before," Wisslead said. "We decided later on we needed to develop different strategies."

"Together we will attempt to create a mechanism to establish a broad dialogue that will provide a vehicle for real dynamic change," Jacobs added.

For other information concerning CUPP, visit www.macombcupp.org.

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