It’s time for WITCC to stop the song and dance routine

Western Iowa Tech Community College has settled lawsuits with international students from Brazil and Chile, who were allegedly misled about their programs and forced to work in meatpacking plants. President Terry Murrell took responsibility, but the college denies wrongdoing. Critics question the settlements and demand accountability from the college’s board. The community seeks transparency and proper redress. Continue reading It’s time for WITCC to stop the song and dance routine

WITCC settles the second of two human trafficking lawsuits

Western Iowa Tech Community College has settled two federal lawsuits alleging human trafficking, paying a total of $5.3 million to students from Brazil and Chile. The college’s president took responsibility for problems with the J-1 visa program, which allegedly led to students working in meat processing plants. Defendants include the college, employees, and companies. Continue reading WITCC settles the second of two human trafficking lawsuits

To whom it may concern

I’m back with another installment of To Whom It May Concern, my multi-topic opinion column about the goings-on in Siouxland, South Dakota, the nation and the world. I’d been meaning to write this earlier – like last month – but things kept getting in the way. Like my health. I had a cold which turned into a bad sinus infection that kept me in bed for most of a week with a fever. Now that I’m almost 71, stuff like that seems to hit me particularly hard. It sucks getting old. But don’t cry for me Argentina, I’ve rebounded, for the most part. Continue reading To whom it may concern

WITCC wants to depose alleged human trafficking victims in Iowa

Western Iowa Tech Community College, a community college in Sioux City, Iowa that’s facing two multimillion-dollar lawsuits alleging it engaged in human trafficking is arguing the alleged victims must return to Iowa from Chile to sit for depositions in the case.

The former students say they can’t afford the expense of returning to Iowa and have sought the court’s permission to provide deposition testimony remotely through Zoom-type videoconferencing. Continue reading WITCC wants to depose alleged human trafficking victims in Iowa