January 2016 Board Report

By the end of 2016, Illinois Valley Community College will end its 30-plus year relationship with the Illinois Small Business Development Center.

As previously discussed, the IVCC board moved Thursday to cease financial support for the ISBDC Dec. 31, an action that will save the college approximately $50,000 in in-kind and cash support annually, IVCC President Jerry Corcoran said.

The move gives the SBDC time to transition to another grantee in 2017. The SBDC has provided one-on-one counseling and outreach to business at IVCC for over three decades.

“The SBDC provides a valuable community service and has helped many successful small businesses get off the ground,” said Corcoran. “However, with the ongoing uncertainty with state funding, we must focus our limited resources on credit-generating programs.”

The employment of SBDC Director Beverly Malooley and business specialist Gina Czubachowski will be terminated effective Dec. 31.

In other action, the board approved:

  • A 60-month lease with CIT Group at $3,470 per month (plus 14 cents per mile maintenance) for two 2017 Volvo 630 tractors and a 60-month lease with PAL Trailer for two 2016 Hyundai trailers at $750 per month. Annual cost of leasing the tractors is approximately $61,000.
  • Transfer of $40,640 from the auxiliary fund to the education fund for classroom technology and tabled revisions to 17 board policies.

The board learned:

  • Laura Hooper has been hired as an Institutional Research/Information Technology programmer analyst.
  • Resignation letters were received from part-time peer tutoring program coordinator Cathi Nelson effective at the end of the summer session, part-time English instructor Marian Dzwonnik at the end of 2015 and senior bookstore assistant Jill Patterson effective Jan. 20.
  • This fall, 204 students graduated with 246 degrees and certificates compared to 200 graduates earning 233 degrees and certificates the previous year.
  • Corcoran said the first day of spring classes went smoothly today thanks to the leadership of student services officials Mark Grzybowski, Quintin Overocker and Aseret Gonzalez. 
  • As an agriculture steering committee continues its work, Corcoran reported interest in the program is growing. “Although we’ve been fortunate to work closely with the University of Illinois Extension and the College of ACES, I’ve received calls in the last two days from Illinois State University and Southern Illinois University about their interest in also working with us on transfer opportunities for our students.”
  • IVCC athletes achieved an overall average 3.02 GPA last fall.
  • The public is invited to a grand opening for IVCC’s new Student Center and Cyber Café at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19.