January 20, 2026 Minutes of Regular Meeting

The Board of Trustees of Illinois Valley Community College District No. 513 convened a regular session at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 in the Board Room (C307) at Illinois Valley Community College.

Members Physically Present

  • Jay K. McCracken, Chair
  • Angela M. Stevenson, Vice Chair
  • Everett J. Solon
  • William F. Hunt
  • Lynda Marlene Moshage
  • Danica E. Scoma, Student Trustee

Members Virtually Present

  • Rebecca Donna

Members Telephonically Present

Members Absent

  • Maureen O. Rebholz, Secretary

Others Physically Present

  • Tracy Morris, President
  • Kathy Ross, Vice President for Business Services and Finance
  • Mary Beth Herron, Director of Human Resources
  • Walt Zukowski, Attorney

Others Virtually Present

 

MOMENT OF SILENCE

A moment of silence was held to remember Patricia L. Trench, mother-in-law of Manessa Trench in the Humanities, Fine Arts, and Social Sciences division; Charles G. “Chuck” Scoma, father of Project Success Counselor Diane Scoma and grandfather of our student trustee Danica Scoma; Lois Wilmot, scholarship donor and daughter-in-law to Harry Wilmot, Dean of LPO Junior College; Betty Dudek, donor of two scholarships and a donation being made this evening for the Agricultural Education Center; Dr. Jesse B. Smith, stepfather of Jeannette Phalen, recently retired Ottawa Center Coordinator; Helen T. Zens, mother of Foundation Board member Bill Zens; Raymond Bartolt, father of shipping department retiree Raeleen Bartolt; Kevin Roy Kramer, adjunct faculty member and continuing education instructor; and Donald E. Fike, scholarship donor and IVCC/LPO Hall of Fame inductee in 2010.

Trustee Donna was determined to be eligible to participate in tonight’s meeting electronically in accordance with the Open Meetings Act and Board Policy.

Trustee Hunt was appointed Secretary Pro Tem in the absence of Trustee Rebholz.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Ms. Stevenson to approve the agenda.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Dr. Rebholz, Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Mr. Volker has spoken to many young people who don’t know what they want to do with their lives. IVCC should keep that in mind as it’s good to have the ability to get that kind of counseling at this level.

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS

It was moved by Mr. Hunt and seconded by Mr. Solon to approve the consent agenda, as presented.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Dr. Rebholz, Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

The following items were approved in the consent agenda:

Approval of Minutes – December 16, 2025 Board Meeting.

Approval of Bills - $2,477,475.37

  • Education Fund - $978,039.87; Operations and Maintenance Fund - $368,689.68;
  • Operations and Maintenance (Restricted) - $962,102.51; Auxiliary Fund - $65,923.42;
  • Restricted Fund - $20,228.25; Audit Fund - $15,000.00; Liability, Protection, and
  • Settlement Fund - $65,821.53; Grants, Loans, and Scholarships - $1,670.11.

Treasurer’s Report

Personnel

Approved stipends for pay periods ending December 13, 2025 and December 27, 2025.

STUDENT TRUSTEE’S REPORT

Ms. Scoma stated the Student Activities Department participated in IVCC’s Spring Preview in January and is hosting its annual Soul Food Buffet in conjunction with Black History Month activities in February. Transformative Growth’s newly hired Peer Mentor is trained and working. There will be at least one mental health related event each month this semester.

The Student Government Association and Women’s Cross Country participated in the Princeton Lighted Christmas Parade and the Men’s Soccer team participated in the Spring Valley Light Up Parade. The Athletic Department hosted about 20 students from LaSalle Lincoln’s Adventure Club at a recent IVCC basketball game.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Dr. Morris highlighted construction progress in the Assessment Center and classrooms in buildings A and E, Cafeteria and adjacent hallway, and Agricultural Education Center.

Dental clinics are being held from January 15 to May 5, 2026 with appointments available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The public pays $30 for cleanings unless Medicaid eligible. Exams, x-rays, and sealants are free. IVCC students and employees receive all services at no cost.

Kudos to Allison Schweickert-Smith, Financial Aid Veteran’s Benefit Advisor, for working to re-invigorate our Veteran’s Lounge. Many employees kicked off the semester by working at a table near the front entrance to welcome students, help them find their classes, and answer questions. Nearly 100 new students were invited to Spring Preview in January. Evaluation results show attendees were appreciative of the information/support received.

Kudos to Doris Burke, Career Services Specialist, who assisted and supported an international student getting settled in her apartment as she transferred to Iowa State University. Congratulations to Jeannette Phalen and Steve Gillio on their recent retirements.

Dr. Morris participated in the Mad Hatter Ball held on January 16 as a board member of NCI Artworks. The event featured local art students. Kudos to Aseret Loveland, Project Success Counselor and NCI board member who led the event planning. Shannon Slaight, IVCC art instructor, was a candidate for the Queen of the Arts.

Eagles Peak had 818 visits between October and December 2026, which is the highest quarterly number to date. 200 unduplicated households, 306 children in households, and 870 total in households were served in the quarter.

Monthly update on enrollment, as of the first day of classes, included an increase of 3.97% in headcount and an increase of 1.55% in credit hours compared to Spring 2025. We are at 104.88% of budgeted hours and 101.76% of actual prior 10th day hours for Spring. Total annual budgeted credit hours is at 106.8%.

Dr. Morris provided an update on the Strategic Plan. Goals and objectives are being updated and will be communicated to the Board in February. The Key Performance Indicators (KPI) updates are complete. The five KPIs are 1) Student Academic Success; 2) Student Experience; 3) Employee Experience; 4) Resource Management; and 5) Community Engagement and Representation. The full plan update will be reviewed by the Strategic Leadership and Planning Council (SLPC) in February and SLPC will begin goal discussions for FY27 in February or March.

The Ag Forward campaign, as of January 8, 2026, $1,560,058 has been pledged or donated, representing 62% of our fundraising goal. Naming opportunities claimed or pending include the building, soil lab, classroom, student lounge, courtyard, solar table, mosaic bench, and both faculty offices. Four of the naming opportunities will be presented this evening as well as an RFP for proposal for a donor wall.

Transformative Growth, our mental health services, provided the following information on their services for 2024-2025. Transformative Growth provided 468 sessions, 17 students continued therapy after receiving 4 free sessions, an average of 7.1 hours of therapy per student, and 124 hours of free therapy was used. They organized 14 events for students, staff and the broader community and reached over 500 students through communication and outreach. Workshops and table events have been even more successful. A survey with 333 responses showed a 4.94 average rating of events on a 5-point scale. The Peer Mentor Program launched as a result of their survey in 2023-2024 and their services were utilized by three students and ten peer mentoring sessions were delivered, in addition to events during their first few months.

State legislative updates include Dr. Morris watching a lot of bills that were filed in the first round. Friday legislative meetings are keeping Presidents informed. Topics include FOIA costs, credit card statement transparency, cybersecurity, student Bill of Rights, immigration protections, Open Meetings Act, and the Community College Baccalaureate.

Federal legislative updates include the issuance of a preliminary injunction by a U.S. District Judge blocking the Trump Administration’s cancellation and discontinuation of several TRIO grants during the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY 25) cycle, which does not impact IVCC at this time. The Department of Education is in the process of transferring to the Labor Department. Dr. Morris is watching appropriations bills and potential shutdown.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

None

PURCHASE REQUEST – TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT – MICROBIOLOGY LAB, CLASSROOM AUDIO/VISUAL (A/V), AND CAMPUS DIGITAL SIGNAGE

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Ms. Scoma to approve the purchase and installation of instructional A/V systems and digital signage for the new Microbiology Lab, adjacent classroom, and nearby common areas at a cost of $72,670.13, to be funded from the FY2026 IT Budget.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

PROPOSAL RESULTS – VIRTUAL LICENSED COUNSELING SERVICES

It was moved by Ms. Stevenson and seconded by Mr. Hunt to approve contracting with Uwill for one year at a cost of $43,000. This is covered primarily with TORT funds.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

APPROVAL – BOARD POLICY 06.12 SEX OFFENSES ON CAMPUS

It was moved by Ms. Moshage and seconded by Ms. Stevenson to approve the Board policy, as presented.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL – DR. ALFRED E. WISGOSKI AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION CENTER DONOR RECOGNITION WALL

It was moved by Ms. Stevenson and seconded by Ms. Scoma to seek proposals for the Dr. Alfred E. Wisgoski Agricultural Education Center Donor Recognition Wall display.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

NAMING OF THE COURTYARD FOR THE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION CENTER

It was moved by Mr. Hunt and seconded by Dr. Donna to approve the naming of the Midland Bank Courtyard for the Agricultural Education Center.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

NAMING OF A FACULTY OFFICE IN THE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION CENTER

It was moved by Ms. Moshage and seconded by Ms. Stevenson to approve the naming of First State Bank Faculty Office in the Agricultural Education Center.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

NAMING OF A FACULTY OFFICE IN THE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION CENTER

It was moved by Mr. Hunt and seconded by Mr. Solon to approve the naming of Dr. Jerry and Katherine Corcoran Faculty Office in the Agricultural Education Center.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

NAMING OF THE SOLAR TABLE FOR THE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION CENTER

It was moved by Ms. Moshage and seconded by Ms. Stevenson to approve the naming of the Norbert J. and Elizabeth L. Dudek Solar Table for the Agricultural Education Center.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

ITEMS FOR INFORMATION

Mr. McCracken pointed out the information items on pages 46-49 of the Board book.

TRUSTEE COMMENT

Mr. Hunt was contacted by former student Drew Knipper, who he met at the 2023 Scholarship Dinner. Drew is looking to do an internship with United Airlines and remembered Mr. Hunt worked for them. It was great being contacted by Drew and it is important that we reach out to students and remember that we do make a difference in their lives.

Mr. McCracken mentioned the upcoming Small Business Accelerator Program with facilitator Connor Cofoid, an IVCC alumni. IVCC Continuing Education along with the Ottawa Chamber and IVAC are working on the program.

Ms. Stevenson recognized Tracy Beattie and her staff for the great work they are doing with the Ag Forward campaign.

CLOSED SESSION

Mr. McCracken requested a motion and a roll call vote at 5:18 p.m. to enter into a closed session to discuss: 1) the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body; 2) pending or imminent litigation; 3) collective bargaining; and 4) closed session minutes. 

It was moved by Ms. Moshage and seconded by Mr. Solon to enter into a closed session.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

The Board entered closed session at 5:19 p.m.

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Mr. Hunt to return to the regular meeting.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

The regular meeting resumed at 5:27 p.m.

CLOSED SESSION MINUTES

It was moved by Ms. Stevenson and seconded by Ms. Moshage to approve and retain the closed session minutes of the December 16, 2025 Board Meeting.

Student Advisory Vote: “Aye” – Ms. Scoma. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Mr. Hunt, Ms. Moshage, Dr. Donna, Ms. Stevenson, Mr. Solon, and Mr. McCracken. “Nay” – none. Motion carried.

OTHER

None

ADJOURNMENT

Mr. McCracken declared the meeting adjourned at 5:29 p.m.