On Nov. 10 Oakland University President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz formally adopted the Okanagan Charter.

The charter provides institutions with a common language, principles and framework to become a health and wellbeing promoting campus and outlines two calls to action: to embed health into all aspects of campus culture, across the administration, operations and academic mandates, and to lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally.

“We know that a mentally and physically healthy community leads to a thriving campus. Adopting the Okanagan Charter means we’re joining a global movement of health-promoting universities and reaffirming our commitment to embed health into every part of campus life,” said Becky Lewis, director of University Recreation and Well-Being and chair of OU’s Healthy Campus Network. “As part of the adoption, and as we move forward, we will foster an environment where everyone can live well in all areas of wellness – physical, mental, social, environmental and financial.”

Oakland is one of the first 50 universities in the country to adopt the charter.

“We’re so proud to lead by example and adopt the Okanagan Charter,” said Pescovitz. “By doing so, we are reaffirming our commitment to care for one another, nurture a campus where all can flourish and build a future rooted in health.”

The Roeper School has announced a new transportation service beginning in the 2026–2027 school year.

O’Neal Turner, Roeper’s director of enrollment and financial aid, said inaugural routes will serve families in and around the Livonia area and the southwestern suburbs.

“We’re proud to partner with Cranbrook Schools to make this service possible. By sharing a single route, both schools can reduce costs for families and minimize environmental impact,” Turner said in a statement. “This collaboration helps meet the needs of families who commute from communities as far as Ann Arbor while ensuring their children can continue to enjoy a Roeper education.”

The annual fee includes round-trip transportation and before-care/after-care services. For 2026–27, the cost will be $2,500 for the first child with a $500 discount for each additional sibling.

The proposed schedule includes a 6:45 am pick-up and 5:45 pm drop-off, though these times may be adjusted.

Registration for new and returning families will open in spring 2026. The exact pick-up locations and additional details will be shared before registration begins.

The Roeper School is a pre-kindergarten through grade 12 day school for gifted children located in Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham.

Thousands of students from southeast Michigan experienced hands-on learning in a new way.

Over 9,000 high school students from 132 schools across six counties turned out for MiCareerQuest Southeast, the region’s largest career exploration, at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.

The event in its fifth year featured more than 210 career demonstrations in advanced manufacturing, construction, health sciences and technology. The interactive exhibits and hands-on demonstrations exposed students to industrial technology and may have helped some decide what their career choice will be.

“Some of these engineering tools really make me want to pursue something in that field when I go to college next year,” said Jared Jackson, a senior at Novi High School. “The tools they use to create cars and buildings and other things is amazing.”

“Hands-on events like MiCareerQuest open our students’ eyes to real-world career paths and inspire them to imagine their futures,” said Lisa Butts, director of K-12 Career Focused Education at Oxford Community Schools.

Alyssa Valdwin, a sophomore at Brandon High School, was interested in a specific career, but got a chance to see what other careers were available.

“I really want to be a postpartum nurse so the healthcare area was what I really wanted to see, but I wanted to see what other things they had to offer,” Baldwin said after she helped take lugnuts off a tire at the Baker College Auto Diesel Institute display.

One display that drew a crowd was a virtual reality set up from Emerge.

The company, started in 2017 and based in Troy, offers “virtual extended reality experiences”, according to Joe Bamberger, co-founder of the company.

Students put on virtual reality headsets and to explore the galaxy, oceans, deserts and more. Emerge can bring those experiences into classrooms through virtual field trips.

“We can do anything related to any educational area and we can provide in-building field trips and educational lessons in an immersive way,” said Bamberger. “Students can dissect things, try anything that is too dangerous or impossible or expensive to create in a classroom setting we can do over and over again. If you can think of it, we can create it.”

The company has been to all 28 school districts in Oakland County and last year went to schools in 29 different counties in Michigan.

“The kid that usually has his head down and asleep in class is usually the kid that we can’t get out of the headset,” said Bamberger.

Carissa Hanna and Apple Gillum, juniors at Royal Oak High School, gave their evaluation of the technology after a few minutes of moving planets around.

“It was fun and it was weird and it was cool,” said Hanna. “We were walking among the planets!”

Ken Gutman, superintendent of Oakland Intermediate Schools, explained the value of the event.

“With industry having the opportunity to share what they do, they can fill jobs they struggle to fill, but they can also show the value in what they do,” said Gutman. “There are over 200 careers here that they (students) may have never heard of. What a great opportunity for our kids.”

“I would recommend this to everyone because it is very helpful if you are still looking for your career and you get to do hands-on things and learn what you want to be in life,” said Erandy Ferreyra from Avondale High School.

A survey of students and administrators from last year’s event shows how effective the event can be:

89%t of students said they learned about career and training opportunities previously unfamiliar to them.
78% said the event helped them plan their post-high school education.
93% of educators said it effectively showcased potential career paths.
98%t agreed it represented a strong cross-section of in-demand careers

An Oakland Community College faculty member continues to make an impression in the art world.

Tylonn Sawyer had two pieces in art exhibitions this fall, ART Basel Paris and Palais de Tokyo, as well as fashion magazine W.

Art Basel is a global series of art platforms connecting collectors, galleries and artists, while Palais de Tokyo (Tokyo Palace) hosts contemporary art exhibitions as part of Paris Art Week. This marks Sawyer’s second consecutive year exhibiting in Paris.

His pieces were selected to represent Detroit artists by Detroit-based cultural organization Salonnière.

Sawyers’ 30 x 22-inch oil on paper, “The King James Version,” featured at ART Basel Paris depicts a young Black man holding an American flag.

At the Palais de Tokyo, his 8 x 6-foot charcoal, pastel and glitter on paper, “Black Man on Horse Bayard,” shows a Black man in a white riding suit on a black horse.

“This is the second year Salonierre has sponsored my trip to Paris to display my work. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to participate in Paris Week alongside other Detroit-area artists and curators,” Sawyer said.

His art was also highlighted in “W” magazine’s feature, “How Two New Art Exhibitions Are Spotlighting Black Queer History.” The magazine showcased his 72 x 48-inch lavender pencil on paper piece, “Strata Drawing 4: Cake Walk.”

Sawyer has taught art at OCC since 2016, covering all levels of drawing and oil painting.

He has also created public murals and collaborative projects for organizations such as Quicken Loans Corporation, Market International Festival at Eastern Market, Detroit’s Museum of Contemporary Art and The Detroit Institute of Arts.

“I like to teach art students as if they have never seen a pencil,” Sawyer said. “Once a student has learned foundational skills, then we work on establishing ways to use those skills to manifest whatever they observe or imagine.”

Oakland ISD administrator Dwight Levens Jr. has been awarded the 2025 Exemplary Service and Innovation for Technological Advancement Award.

This national award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and innovation in advancing educational technology.

Levens, Jr. is the chief technology and information officer for Oakland Schools, which serves over 175,000 students and 40,000 educators across 28 public school districts.

Levens’ team is responsible for instructional technology coaching and infrastructure modernization to cybersecurity and statewide application support.

The department’s initiatives include the AI Collective, which explores artificial intelligence applications in education in all 28 districts.
“Dwight’s leadership has fostered a culture where operational excellence meets educational innovation,” said Oakland Schools Superintendent Kenneth Gutman. “Oakland Schools Technology Services exemplifies the very mission of an educational service agency: to deliver visionary leadership and equitable access to high-quality services that improve outcomes for all learners.”

The hiring of a new assessor in Clarkston has led to confusing communication with Independence Township in northern Oakland County over their intergovernmental agreements, which includes police and fire services in the city.

Clarkston City Manager Jonathan Smith told the city council on Tuesday night he received a text message from Independence Township Supervisor Chuck Phyle on Sept. 23 stating his intention to cancel the three-year agreement signed by the two municipalities in June.

It came one day after the council voted 7-0 to approve hiring Kim Fiegly Assessing for assessing services for Clarkston.

“Supervisor Phyle texted me to say that because we had selected Kim, the township would be canceling the police, fire, department of public works and Deer Lake Beach agreements,” said Smith. “He texted that to me.”

That text from Phyle was followed by “I will send official notice from (township attorney) Dan Kelly.”

In a statement to The Oakland Press on Wednesday, Phyle seemed to change his position.

“Independence Township is reviewing all intergovernmental contracts with the City of the Village of Clarkston to ensure fairness, compliance, and protection for residents of both communities,” Phyle said. “As township supervisor, I have both the authority and the responsibility to initiate these reviews when terms appear inconsistent with the township’s fiscal or legal obligations. Any final action to amend or terminate a contract will, as always, go before the full board for approval.”

Clarkston’s Smith told the council there was a meeting on Oct. 2 between Phyle, Kelly and Clarkston city attorney Jerry Fisher to discuss cancellation of the agreement.

“I was hoping it was just a big misunderstanding, but that was not the case,” said Smith, who was also in the meeting. “He suggested that the city could not afford to be a city anymore and we should consider folding into the township.”

Smith and Trustee Amanda Forte met informally with Phyle after a township meeting on Oct. 7 to find out what the problem was with the hiring of Fiegly, the former Independence Township director of assessing.

“He noted that Kim would not be able to work with their (Independence Township) building department due to the way she left things,” said Forte. “We asked if there was any major incident that happened and he said ‘no’ and we asked if she was fired and he said ‘no,’ so he did not give us any specifics on why that would be an issue.”

“He cannot provide any reason why we should not do business with someone who is completely independent from them,” Trustee Erica Jones said. “It is nothing that a publicly elected official should be doing.”

It turns out Fiegly left her position at the township because Phyle was on track to overload the assessing department in order to cover the townships assessing costs.

Back in April, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners approved a cost increase on assessing services done through the county, which led to several communities looking into bringing in their own assessors.

Assessing contracts with Oakland County drop by more than 50%

Fiegly said Phyle began talking with those communities about signing on with his department for their assessing services.

“Mr. Phyle was soliciting other governmental contracts for me to head up an assessing division for profit for Independence Township,” said Fiegly. “He was soliciting as many municipalities as he could that the county had alienated. He was trying to make money off of other municipalities to offset his own (assessing) costs.”

She said he had been in contact with Commerce, Springfield, Orion and Oxford townships, but knew the amount of work it would bring would overload her department.

“I agreed to take on one or two small units for him, but it blew up much larger to the point where we could not do it without compromising the quality of service,” she said. “It was in my best interest to bow out and leave.”

Fiegly resigned in April, opened up her own business and submitted one of four proposals for the Clarkston assessor position.

The three-year proposals were from: Kim Fiegly Assessing - $22 per parcel, AAS Assessing - $23.68 per parcel, WCA Assessing - $27.16 per parcel and Oakland County - $32.11 per parcel. Independence Township has since contracted with AAS for their services.

Clarkston would have paid Oakland County an average of $32.24 per parcel if they had agreed to a proposed three-year contract for county assessing services from 2026-28.

The threat of pulling police and emergency services from Clarkston due to her hiring did not dissuade Fiegly from signing the contracton Tuesday. She notified the state that her company is now the assessor of record for the city.

“I did a lot of soul searching with the city and I said, ‘I don’t want to bring harm to you,’  and they said this has nothing to do with you and you are the one we want for our assessor,” said Fiegly. “I grew up in this community. I have 40 years of real estate knowledge here and this is something I could give back to the village.”

By not going along with Phyle’s plan, she said their dynamic changed.

“(Phyle) went from advertising us as the greatest assessing office to me being incompetent,” said Fiegly. “He is retaliating and he is angry at me and he is taking it out on (Clarkston), but he has no authority to tell the village who they can hire.”

Fiegly drew nothing but praise from Clarkston Treasurer Greg Cote.

“Kim Fiegly is a startup company with Kim having 30 plus years of experience. Kim grew up in Independence Township and is quite capable of serving this community,” Cote said at the Sept. 22 where she earned board approval. “If a resident wants to talk to an assessor, Kim being born and raised in this community, indicated that she would come here to the office and sit down and explain rationale. So, I believe Kim is more than capable of performing the duties we are requesting.”

“She is highly regarded in the field and has nothing but the highest reputation,” said Smith.

Clarkston has three intergovernmental agreements with Independence Township for police services, fire services and building services (including building and code enforcement services).

The police agreement commits Clarkston to pay 2.7% of the township’s total cost for police services and a $300 a month administration fee.

The fire agreement commits the city to pay the township the same millage rate that the township charges its residents - 3.37-mills.

The city has been contracting with Code Enforcement Services, a division of Ann Arbor-based Carlisle- Wortman Associates ,for building services since 2017.

The Deer Lake Beach agreement committed Clarkston to lease the beach to the township for $1 per year with the Independence Township Parks and Recreation Department offering multiple services including swim lesson, a boat launch and open swimming for residents of both municipalities. The township would keep the collected fees to offset their costs.

Trustee Jones said it would impact Clarkston significantly if the agreement was canceled.

“It affects the actual emergency services that would be provided to our community,” she said. “(Phyle) is putting resident safety in jeopardy. This is basically a breach of contract. We signed a contract for those services in June and those contracts have gone into effect.”

Fiegly also recognizes the consequences of leaving the city without a fire department.

“When you start threatening to take away fire services in a historical district with homes from the 1800’s, that is some pretty major stuff,” she said.

Jones said the possibility of “folding” Clarkston into Independence Township was unrealistic.

“It legally cannot happen because of the way our charter is worded. A township cannot absorb a city,” she said. “(Phyle) wants the brand affinity of the Clarkston name for Independence Township.”

Oakland County loses more than half its assessing customer base

Rochester Christian University will feature the inauguration of Reggies Wenyika as its 11th president on Oct. 23rd and 24th.

Inaugural activities begin with a Community Blessing Service at 7 p.m.on Thursday, Oct. 23 in the Westside Central Chapel.

The official inauguration will occur at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 24,in the Alumni Center and later that day, an alumni reception will be held at 6 p.m. in the Gallaher Welcome Center.

“I’m deeply honored and excited for the journey ahead. I look forward to working together as we strive to elevate RCU to new heights,” Wenyika said when he was named to the position back in March.. “This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with the entire university community of students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and partners as we collectively enhance the student experience, and foster innovation through a vibrant and values-driven transformative campus culture. Together, we can continue to make RCU a destination for many, from the region, nation and beyond.”

Wenyika started at RCU on June 1, 2025 and previously served as president of Ottawa University Kansas from 2018 to 2024 and of Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, Oklahoma, from 2014 to 2018.

He earned his Doctor of Education degree from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is currently pursuing another doctorate in ethnomedicine and indigenous knowledge systems from Chinhoyi University of Technology in Zimbabwe. He also holds degrees from Southwestern Christian University, Logos University and the University of Zimbabwe.

He will replace Brian Stogner who resigned in 2024 to become president of the Michigan School of Psychology in Farmington Hills.

For more information, go to rcu.edu/inauguration.