June 11, 2020 Minutes of Regular Meeting

The Board of Trustees of Illinois Valley Community College District No. 513 convened a regular session at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, 2020 in the Board Room (C307) at Illinois Valley Community College.

Members Physically Present:

Jane E. Goetz, Chair

Everett J. Solon, Vice Chair

Angela M. Stevenson, Secretary

Jay K. McCracken

Members Virtually Present:

Amy J. Boyles

Maureen O. Rebholz

Manuel “Tony” Galindo, Student Trustee

Members Telephonically Present:

Members Absent:

David O. Mallery

Others Physically Present:

Jerry Corcoran, President

Cheryl Roelfsema, Vice President for Business Services and Finance

Chris Dunlap, Director of Information Technology Services

Leslie Hofer, Director of Human Resources

Walt Zukowski, Attorney

Others Virtually Present:

Deborah Anderson, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Mark Grzybowski, Vice President for Student Services
Bonnie Campbell, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

Ms. Goetz informed that it is the custom and practice of the college to record Board meetings and all present were informed that the meeting was being recorded both audio and video.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Mr. McCracken to approve the agenda, as presented. Motion passed by voice vote.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Amanda Cook Fesperman informed that as the Chairperson for the IVCC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and the Coordinator of International and Multicultural Education she had a statement for public comment. Ms. Fesperman read the following: “The murder of unarmed black people by police and community members in America has a long history. Some have even argued that this history dates back to the arrival of the first slaves in the colonies, just over 400 years ago. Since that time, black people have been subjected to unspeakable violence. Roving gangs of vigilantes, law groups, and just people have enslaved, raped and murdered innocent black people. In black families, it is a well-known fact that children are given “the talk,” which involves explaining to them that police officers are not necessarily their friends, that white people will fear them and that they need to be careful with their interactions so they do not end up in jail or killed. Being black in America is dangerous. According to the Sentencing Project, African Americans are incarcerated in state prisons across the country at more than five times the rate of whites, and at least ten times the rate in five states. They are nearly three times more likely to be killed by police than whites. Either you believe that black people are more likely to commit crimes or that there is a serious problem with racial bias in our criminal justice system, and we believe that it is the later. George Floyd’s murder was sadly, just one example in a long list of unarmed black men and women killed by police. Black people have been asking for justice for decades and rarely have those voices, regardless of how they have been expressed, been heard. It is 2020 and the Senate is still debating a bill to making lynching a federal crime. They have marched and kneeled and protested and pleaded and they have been ridiculed at every turn. This injustice is all of our responsibility and so I say today to the African American students and families of the IVCC district your voices have been heard and I and many of my colleagues stand with you in this gravest of hours. We promise to listen and to understand instead of talk over and judge. We will educate ourselves, our students and our communities about racial violence and bigotry and we will do everything in our power to change our culture so that you and your families do not live in fear.”

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS

It was moved by Ms. Stevenson and seconded by Dr. Boyles to approve the consent agenda, as presented. Motion passed by voice vote.

The following items were approved in the consent agenda:

Approval of Minutes – May 18, 2020 Board Meeting

Approval of Bills – $714,202.76

Education Fund - $540,842.63; Operations & Maintenance Fund - $47,804.66; Operations & Maintenance (Restricted Fund) - $99,646.12; Auxiliary Fund - $15,764.39; Liability, Protection & Settlement Fund - $10,144.96.

Treasurer’s Report

Purchase Request

Radio Advertising Contracts – Approved the purchase of annual radio advertising in the amount of $45,080 for FY2021 from Studstill Media, Starved Rock Media and NRG Media.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Dr. Corcoran reported that last weekend wrapped up a big week for our agriculture program. Willard Mott and Kathryn Lille planted approximately 86 acres of soybeans with state-of-the-art equipment compliments of our friends from the Case IH Innovation Team located in Burr Ridge and our local Case IH partners at Stoller International in Ottawa. Dr. Corcoran noted that we are lucky to be able to work with Luke Holly, the college’s farm tenant on these field activities, as well as our good friends from Illinois Extension on research opportunities using Case IH prototype equipment. Dr. Corcoran added that all the while as Fran Brolley was taking pictures of the work, he was careful to include images of our new 6000 square foot storage and routine maintenance building in the background, which looks beautiful and is on schedule for completion at the end of June. Dr. Corcoran informed that soon we will be checking everyone’s schedules for a grand opening to showcase the facility and to thank our generous donors who helped make Phase I of our Ag Complex Plan a reality, especially Barb Davis, Representative Lance Yednock and Senator Sue Rezin. He added to stay tuned for more to follow on that front. Dr. Corcoran informed that as Cheryl Roelfsema noted in her financial highlights in the board book, all major IT functions have been restored, and many of the improvements that were scheduled to be done next fiscal year have been completed such as moving staff email to Office 365, finishing the installation of Windows 10 on every computer and moving our website to a cloud-hosted environment. Dr. Corcoran reported that the service we have received from Rehmann Technologies has been excellent. Dr. Corcoran advised that our summer term began yesterday and, in the words of Vice President for Student Services Mark Grzybowski, for all we have been through in the spring and so far this summer, enrollments look promising. Dr. Corcoran noted that it looks like we will end up with 908 students and approximately 4,600 credit hours; not far off from where we were one year ago and knowing that more will follow in several of the career and technical fields. He added that if we keep the students we now have, we should be in good shape. Dr. Corcoran informed that as a side note, Susan Monroe advised us that approximately 75 high schools students are taking classes this summer—the new low cost and pandemic concerns were factors in their decisions. He noted that transitioning to Governor Pritzker’s Recovery Phase of the Reopen Illinois Plan has gone well. Dr. Corcoran thanked all of the employees who remotely joined several all-staff debriefings in the last month and helped us ready the campus for Phase 4 of the governor’s plan, hopefully in July. Dr. Corcoran informed that the senior administration has had several positive discussions with Mayor Dominic Rivara lately about some potential partnership opportunities that could be good for both the City of Oglesby and the college. He noted that we look forward to having the Mayor visit with the Board’s Facilities Committee the next time a meeting is called in the late summer so that he can unveil what he has in mind. Dr. Corcoran added that this will also be an opportune time to discuss possible PHS projects and RAMP document submittals. Dr. Corcoran advised that our custom and practice in the past has been to bring the tentative budget to the board trustees in July then finalize the budget in August, however, our plan this year is to push the schedule out by one month so that the board’s audit/finance committee may have a chance to approve the tentative budget at a meeting we hope to schedule in late July, before finalizing the budget on September 10th. Dr. Corcoran noted that as soon as the date and time is agreed upon for the A/F Committee meeting, we will be sure to let everyone know. He added that it is beginning to look like it will be Tuesday, July 28^th at 4:30 p.m.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RESULTS – BANKING SERVICES

Mr. Solon excused himself from the meeting during this action item as he is an employee of Midland States Bank. It was moved by Ms. Stevenson and seconded by Mr. McCracken to accept the proposal of Midland States Bank for banking services for the College’s operating account, as presented. Motion passed by voice vote.

STUDENT ATHLETIC AND CATASTROPHIC STUDENT ATHLETIC INSURANCE RENEWALS

It was moved by Dr. Rebholz and seconded by Ms. Stevenson to accept the renewal from Guarantee Trust Life for the student athletic insurance coverage with 1^st Agency at $28,802, as presented. Motion passed by voice vote.

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Mr. McCracken to accept the renewal from Gerber Life Insurance Company for the student athletic catastrophic insurance coverage with Zevitz Student Accident Insurance at $2,990, as presented. Motion passed by voice vote.

LASALLE POWER STATION REAL PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Ms. Stevenson to approve the LaSalle Power Station Real Property Tax Assessment Settlement Agreement through tax year 2021, as presented. Motion passed by voice vote.

AUTHORIZATION TO CONTINUE PAYMENT FOR STANDARD OPERATING EXPENDITURES

It was moved by Dr. Rebholz and seconded by Mr. Solon to continue the operation of the college by making those expenditures required for normal operations, including salaries, approved contracts, utilities, maintenance, supplies, and regular activities for the period July 1, 2020 through budget adoption. Motion passed by voice vote.

BID RESULTS – BUILDING G AHU REPLACEMENT

It was moved by Mr. McCracken and seconded by Ms. Stevenson to accept the bid from Commercial Mechanical, Inc., Dunlap, Illinois, in the amount of $642,429 for the Building G AHU Replacement, as presented. Motion passed by voice vote.

PRESIDENT’S CONTRACT

It was moved by Ms. Stevenson and seconded by Mr. Galindo to approve the three-year employment contract for President Dr. Jerry Corcoran from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2023 with a salary increase of 2.5 percent for FY2021, providing for an annual salary of $210,778 as well as benefits and other conditions presented in the contract. Motion passed by voice vote. Dr. Corcoran commented that it is an honor and privilege to serve IVCC and he thanked the Board of Trustees for its support

VICE PRESIDENTS’ CONTRACTS

It was moved by Mr. McCracken and seconded by Dr. Boyles to approve the FY21 employment contract for Cheryl Roelfsema, Vice President for Business Services and Finance, with a 5 percent increase for FY2021, resulting in an annualized salary of $143,552 and duties, benefits, and other conditions as outlined in her contract. Motion passed by voice vote.

It was moved by Ms. Stevenson and seconded by Mr. McCracken to approve the FY21 employment contract for Dr. Deborah Anderson, Vice President for Academic Affairs, with a 2.5 percent increase for FY2021, resulting in an annualized salary of $126,015 and duties, benefits, and other conditions as outlined in her contract. Motion passed by voice vote.

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Ms. Stevenson to approve the FY21 employment contract for Mark Grzybowski, Vice President for Student Services, with a 2.5 percent increase for FY2021, resulting in an annualized salary of $92,759 and duties, benefits, and other conditions as outlined in his contract. Motion passed by voice vote.

Dr. Corcoran thanked the Board for its support of Ms. Roelfsema, Dr. Anderson and Mr. Grzybowski and thanked the Vice Presidents for their outstanding work.

TRUSTEE COMMENT

Dr. Boyles thanked Professor Lee for her comments at the May Board meeting. Dr. Boyles expressed appreciation to everyone at IVCC for their flexibility, adaptability and patience during these times as we navigate through this new normal that has impacted all facets of education and for keeping our students at the forefront of their efforts. Dr. Boyles noted the following in regard to the college president’s statement on the tragic death of George Floyd: “I know IVCC’s core values include caring, fairness and respect. I know that the college is a welcoming place and is committed to diversity. I want to thank Dr. Corcoran for speaking out against the death of George Floyd. I understand some had issues with the mentioning of the violent protests that unfortunately took place. I think we need to use this as an opportunity to learn, grow and have some dialogue. IVCC is a hub for this area, not only for education but for culture, athletics, politics, industry, and no matter what Dr. Corcoran would do, would be perceived as potentially political, and if he remained silent, which I am glad he did not, he would be complicit in his silence. So by issuing a statement, he stood for something, and I am proud to be associated with the college and glad that an official statement was issued. I hope beyond that, the social media posts and words of solidarity with Black Lives Matter that we can all do better now because we know better and hopefully we are getting a better understanding of the history and those statistics that Amanda mentioned earlier. So I challenge everyone at IVCC, including myself, to have those important, difficult conversations about systemic racism in America and really examine how it impacts various facets at IVCC and ask questions, speak up. This is an opportunity for us to learn and have that important dialogue.”

Mr. McCracken expressed appreciation for the continued support of the College and Career Start and Dual Credit programs. He noted that it is a credit to everyone at the college for meeting the needs of our district students.

Ms. Stevenson thanked Mr. Quintin Overocker and his staff for assisting her daughter with registering for summer classes and getting transcripts to the university. Kudos to the whole Admissions/Records/Transfer Services team.

Ms. Goetz informed that she was one of the first of more than 500 people to register for the free online classes for personal and professional development offered through Continuing Education.

CLOSED SESSION

Ms. Goetz requested a motion and a roll call vote at 6:55 p.m. to enter into a closed session to discuss: 1) security procedures, school building safety and security; 2) imminent or pending litigation; 3) complaint lodged against an official or employee of the public body; and 4) the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body. Motion made by Ms. Stevenson and seconded by Dr. Rebholz to enter into a closed session.

Student Advisory Vote: – “Aye” – Mr. Galindo. Roll Call Vote: “Ayes” – Ms. Stevenson, Mr. McCracken, Dr. Rebholz, Dr. Boyles, Mr. Solon and Ms. Goetz. “Nay” – none. Motion carried. After a brief break the Board entered closed session at 7:00 p.m.

Motion made by Mr. McCracken and seconded by Dr. Rebholz to return to the regular meeting.

COMPENSATION FY21 – EMPLOYEES NOT AFFECTED BY A NEGOTIATED LABOR AGREEMENT

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Ms. Stevenson to approve a 2.75 percent increase for employees not affected by a negotiated labor agreement at Levels 5-7 and a 2.5 percent for all other employees not affected by a labor agreement, contingent upon evaluations and grant support in FY21 and to approve the special salary adjustments for employees identified as warranting such an increase in FY21. Motion passed by voice vote.

POSSIBLE APPROVAL – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BACKUP PROPOSALS

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Ms. Stevenson to accept Rehmann’s proposal #1 for an IT Backup Solution at a cost of $165,111, as presented. Motion passed by voice vote.

OTHER

None

ADJOURNMENT

Ms. Goetz declared the meeting adjourned at 8:27 p.m.