December 2003 Board Meeting Report

The IVCC Board of Trustees approved Wednesday the 2003 tax levy, which is nearly 3 percent less than last year’s actual tax rate.

The total tax levy is $11,306,324, compared to last year's extension of $10,846,770. The total tax rate is projected to be .4551 cents, which is .0137 cents less than last year’s actual tax rate.

The levy is based on early projections for equalized assessed valuation growth at about 5 percent, said Jerry Corcoran, vice president for Business Services and Finance.

"Because of this year's above-average growth in the district, everyone benefits because we can lower the total rate and cover most of our anticipated expenses," Corcoran said.

The board also learned from Larry Rousey, director of Facilities, that many physical changes to the campus are under way while others are in the planning stages. Projects in progress include renovation of E-116 for a forensics lab, completion of the welding lab, construction of classroom and office space for truck driver training, relocation of the electronics and robotics labs to D-101 and relocation of the Assessment Center to E Building.

Projects in the planning stage include connecting the third floors of buildings A, B, D and E; reworking the concrete area outside the cafeteria and adding a ramp to the entrance of the east side of the Cultural Centre; re-keying of the entire facility; and adding an elevator to Building G.

Bob Marshall, vice president of Student Services, reported on IVCC student characteristics. The average student is almost 28 years old, and at 58 percent, the majority of the 4,450 students are female. Most IVCC students work at least 15 hours per week, and 1,283 or about 29 percent work full-time.

More students received financial aid in 2003 than in 2002: 4,105 students received $4.5 million in 2003, compared to 3,236 students receiving $3.8 million in 2002, a 20 percent increase.

In other business, the board:

Accepted the faculty retirement, effective May 31, 2005, of Jerome Annel, psychology instructor; Louis Caldwell, foreign language instructor; and Alice Steljes, accounting instructor.

Approved a $25-per-credit-hour increase for part-time faculty, beginning in the spring 2004 semester.

Authorized the Business Office to seek bids for welding lab instructional equipment and building renovations at an estimated cost of $175,000.

Approved $325,000 in exterior ADA compliance projects, which include reworking the concrete area outside the cafeteria and adding a ramp to the entrance of the east side of the Cultural Centre.

Appointed Diane Scoma as an operations professional and Sharon Barthelemy as coordinator of Employment Services and advisor.