August Board Meeting Report

The Illinois Valley Community College board of trustees Thursday approved a $36,369,266 fiscal 2011 budget following a public hearing.

Vice President for Business Services and Finance Cheryl Roelfsema said the budget ensures quality education, fiscal responsibility, builds reserves for the Community Technology Center, supports initiatives such as the new Ottawa Center and balances the operating budget but for the transfer to building reserves.

The Operating Funds (which include Education and Operations & Maintenance), are balanced having increased by 5.7 percent over fiscal 2010 to a total of $21,219,321.

In other business, IVCC President Jerry Corcoran reported IVCC’s Ottawa Center has launched successfully. Corcoran said about 100 people attended the Aug. 9 Grand Opening, over 165 attended the Aug. 10 Business After Hours and about 300 attended the Aug. 12 Open House.

“All activities related to unveiling the Center went very well,” said Corcoran. “(Ottawa Center Administrator) Sue Isermann has reported that students and faculty are very upbeat and appreciative of the facility. Overall, this has been a great experience.”

Ottawa Center is at more than 70 percent capacity with 371 students enrolled and a third of those students have never taken an IVCC course before, said Isermann, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.  

The board also approved:

  • Extension of the lease with Central Illinois Trucks Leasing for two 2005 Volvo cabs and two trailers for one year at $3,637.24 per month.
  • The purchase of 240 tons of rock salt from Cargill Incorporated Salt Division through the Illinois Department of Central Management Services at $58 per ton for a total of $13,958.
  • Transfers from the auxiliary enterprises bookstore fund to support athletics ($185,000) and childcare ($7,000).
  • Seeking bids for an online academic catalog at an estimated two-year cost of $40,000.
  • Renewal of all insurance coverage with the same carriers at a total cost of $327,308.
  • Termination of contracts with four instructors assigned to the NECA-IBEW Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee program of Local 176 after the program shut down July 31.
  • The appointment of Scot L. Allen as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) instructor and program coordinator. Allen has a bachelor’s from the University of Illinois and 20 years of paramedic experience as the EMS manager for Illinois College of Emergency Physicians in Downers Grove and the Richton Park and Monee fire departments.
  • An open house for the newly renovated biology lab at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21. The board will have its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. that evening.

The board learned:

  • Diane Scoma, an operations professional in IVCC’s Continuing Education program, has been hired as a counselor for Project Success. Scoma is a graduate of Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago (masters in educational administration), Northern Illinois University and IVCC.
  • Drew McConville, a graduate of Suffolk University in Boston, Western Illinois University and IVCC, has been hired as research analyst. He was a legislative aide in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts House of Representatives and a research assistant at Suffolk.
  • Jenna Stinson, a graduate of Columbia College of Chicago’s technical theater program, has been hired as theatre technical coordinator.