October 2016 Board Report

Momentum continues to grow for Illinois community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in nursing, IVCC President Jerry Corcoran reported at Thursday’s trustee meeting.

“Over the past two years, the Council of Presidents has been discussing the possibility of community colleges being granted permission to offer a limited number of baccalaureate degrees in career fields, provided there was an unmet need in the district,” Corcoran said.

A council-issued white paper from 2014 has been refined to focus only on the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Corcoran said.

The white paper states: “Every community college in the state offers the associate degree in nursing (ADN). However, due to the increasing complexity of the health care system, most medical professional organizations strongly prefer the BSN as the minimal educational requirement to practice professional nursing.

“If community colleges in Illinois could offer BSN programs, including RN-to-BSN programs, Illinois could meet the workforce demands for this profession. The reduced cost and convenience of BSN programs at local community college would make it possible for RNs to move up the career ladder without leaving their current employment, incurring additional educational debt, or moving away from their families.”

Corcoran said the issue will likely be discussed at Illinois Community College Trustees Association meetings in the next few months.

IVCC graduates 60 RNs each year and from 20-25 LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurses). Most go to work in district hospitals, nursing homes and home health agencies.

In other business, the board approved moving its employee health insurance coverage to the Community College Health Consortium (CCHC) of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO network where it will join 1,681 employees from McHenry County, College of DuPage, Triton, Oakton and Moraine Valley.

The move, effective Jan. 1, more than doubles the member headcount to spread risk and enhances stop loss carrier rates. Since 2003, IVCC has been a member of the 745-member Community College Insurance Cooperative (CCIC) with Danville, Richland, Spoon River and Shawnee.

The board also approved:

  • A $9,791 bid from Global Technologies for a Simulabs SMART STAT basic patient simulator for the Emergency Medical Services program.
  • Authorization for Dr. Corcoran to prepare the 2016 tax levy to be presented Nov. 10.
  • Protection, Health and Safety (PHS) projects for the 2016-17 academic year including Building E air handler replacement for an estimated $1.024 million, HVAC control improvements for the gym building at an estimated $175,756 and replacement of overhead doors for safety reasons at east campus Building J which houses automotive, welding, and agriculture for an estimated $124,296.
  • The resignation of criminal justice instructor and program coordinator Rebecca Donna effective Dec. 31.
  • Revising the cash farm lease with Chris Kolodziej to $48,000 for 2016 and $44,700 for 2017. Kolodziej, who leases 149 acres south of campus, approached the administration about lowering the rent due to low commodity prices.
  • The annual match to Student Support Services Project Success of $10,000.

The board learned:

  • Part-time dental assisting instructor Cynthia Reif has resigned.
  • IVCC has again received Tree Campus USA recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation for “encouraging students and college personnel to care for our planet’s tree resources.”
  • Initial accreditation for the paramedic program has been secured through 2021.
  • More than 300 educators attended an Oct. 7 LaSalle County Regional Office of Education development day at IVCC focused on college and career readiness. Topics included placement practices in English and math, fine arts articulation, flipped classrooms, dual credit, technology expectations, Common Core and assessment.
  • Also on Oct. 7, Student Services hosted counselors from 18 district high schools for the annual Counselors Connections. Topics included assisting undocumented students; a brush up on admissions, financial aid and scholarship application processes; personnel updates; the rebirth of our agriculture program; a report from the Assessment Task Force; and a snapshot of student life at IVCC.
  • The Sept. 15 21st Century Scholars Society program honored 23 students for academic achievement and community-engagement activities. The Society is supported by members paying $500 annually to reward IVCC’s most promising returning students.
  • The Sept. 29 Foundation Scholarship Recognition event in the gym attracted over 300 scholarship recipients, donors and family members.
  • IVCC has begun an arrangement with Northern Illinois University that will place an NIU admissions representative in IVCC’s Counseling Center one day per month to help students move seamlessly between the schools.
  • State Sen. Jason Barickman visited Student Government Association members, faculty and staff October 4. 
  • The ninth annual IVCC-LPO Hall of Fame induction ceremony is at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18 in the Cultural Centre with a social hour beginning at 5:30 p.m. in CTC 124.
  • In a campus update, Director of Human Resources Glenna Jones discussed employee demographics. Jones said 50 of 81 full-time faculty have 10-plus years of service and are age 45 or older. Employees 55 or older with at least 15 years’ service include four administrators, 19 faculty and 21 support staff.