March 2004 Board Meeting Report

Faculty leaders Wednesday stepped forward during the monthly board meeting to express their confidence and support for IVCC President Jean Goodnow, her staff and administration.

Art instructor and past union president David Bergsieker, representing the faculty Union Executive Board Local 1810, said Goodnow has created a "positive climate … that directly benefits our students, employees and community.

"We support the innovative educational initiatives this administration has introduced and implemented in recent years, which have allowed IVCC to assume a leadership role within the larger state community college system," said Bergsieker.

Bergsieker also praised the board saying, "We recognize the enormous contributions the board has made in an effort to support the academic values and goals of IVCC."

Later, the board approved Goodnow’s contract and job description.

In other action, the board heard an update on IVCC's grant-funded program for high school students taking college courses at their local high schools.

Coordinator Giacomo Leone said participation in the Early Enrollment College program has increased 53 percent over the past four years. The number of students enrolled has grown from 128 in 2000 to 373 in 2004.

Primary advantages of the program include students being better prepared for rigorous college course work, substantial savings to students and parents, and the ability to take college courses while in high school.

"Both students and parents benefit from this initiative," said Mitch Landgraf, director of counseling at Mendota High School, in an electronic testimonial presented by Leone, dean of the division of Humanities, Fine Arts and Social Sciences, and Marianne Dzik, dean of English, Mathematics and Education.

The board also:

• Approved the hiring of Dean of Student Development Juletta Patrick of DeKalb. Patrick was assistant to the Dean for Recruitment and Retention at Northern Illinois University.
• Approved a new full-time English instructor position. The position will be partially funded through a federal grant.
• Approved bids for energy management system upgrades at a total cost of $680,265. Projects include $531,850 to Midwest Mechanical Contractors of Henry and $40,800 to Commercial Mechanical Inc. of Dunlap.
• Approved an initiative to seek proposals from banks interested in serving as the college’s depository.
• Approved the expenditure of $218,000 to complete the campus-wide security/surveillance system and $30,000 to replace the roofs on the Truck Driver Training and Maintenance buildings on East Campus.
• Denied the request for a five-year real estate tax freeze from the developers of Grand Bear Lodge and Vacation Villas across from Starved Rock State Park.
• Approved revisions to the Tech Prep agreements in automotive and computer aided engineering and design.