December 2017 Board Report

Illinois Valley Community College is planning the launch of a Certified Medical Assistant program in 2019 thanks in part to the generosity of 1951 alumnus Ralph Scriba, trustees learned Thursday.

IVCC President Jerry Corcoran said district hospital officials have encouraged IVCC to consider starting the program as employment opportunities for CMAs are expected to increase dramatically over the next decade.

By 2026, the number of working CMAs is expected to rise 29 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Medical assistants perform both administrative and clinical work in physician’s offices, hospitals and clinics.

Scriba, a philanthropist from Palos Verdes, Calif., has pledged $50,000 in 2018 to assist IVCC with the purchase of equipment, software and licensing to ensure accreditation in advance of the fall 2019 start-up.

“Our goal is to add CMA to our already impressive list of health career options,” said Corcoran. “Ralph’s support ensures the program will have the resources it needs to succeed.”

Scriba, a native of Troy Grove, was honored Oct. 23 with the naming of the Ralph Scriba Conference Center in the Peter Miller Community Technology Center for his previous $250,000 in donations to IVCC. An alumnus of La Salle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College, Scriba moved to California in the early 1950s and eventually founded aircraft parts supplier Swift-Cor.

In other action, the board gave final approval to an $11.8 million tax levy for 2017, up less than five percent over the actual 2016 levy of $11.3 million. As a result of the levy, the owner of a $120,000 home can expect taxes equal to or slightly less than 2016, said IVCC Vice President for Business Services and Finance Cheryl Roelfsema.

Roelfsema said the levy assures the college is at the maximum rate for the education fund and operations and maintenance fund, the two accounts most crucial to IVCC’s daily operations.

There will likely be a slight increase in the district’s equalized assessed valuation due to Marquis Energy’s Hennepin plant adding $18 million in EAV and preliminary numbers from La Salle County, the district’s largest county, showing a 2 percent increase in EAV.

The assessment for Exelon’s La Salle Station nuclear power plant remained at $430 million but will rise to $435 million in 2018 and $460 million in 2019.

IVCC draws taxes from all or parts of eight counties: La Salle, Bureau, Putnam, Marshall, Lee, Livingston, Grundy and DeKalb.

In other business, the board approved:

  • An Associate of Applied Science degree in agronomy that will begin Jan. 10. By fall, the college’s revitalized ag program will be offering 14 courses, up from three classes two years ago.   
  • The appointments of Patrice Hess as Director of Learning Resources, Shane Lange as Dean of Workforce Development and Judy Day as Secretary to the Board.
  • The bid of Southern Bus & Mobility for the lease of two vans for 36 months for $9,498 annually. The vehicles will replace the existing shuttle buses when their leases expire in February.
  • An intergovernmental agreement for “joint action in regard to certain real estate valuation proceedings” with Exelon’s Generating Plant. The taxing bodies want to negotiate an extension of the 2008 agreement they signed with Exelon that expires at the end of 2019.
  • Board meeting dates and times of 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, Feb. 8, March 8, April 12, May 10, June 14, July 12, Aug. 16, Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 8 and Dec. 13.
  • Release of closed session meeting minutes from Jan. 15, 2015 “Reduction in Force” and destruction of audiotapes of closed session meetings from June 18, 2013 to May 12, 2016.
  • A bid for multi-purpose paper from Midland Paper for $23,472 for use in printers, copy and fax machines.
  • Renewal for 2018 of the 23 ccSpringboard (Career Cruising) Software licenses from Anaca Technologies.

The board also learned:

  • Board chair Jane Goetz recognized retiring Executive Assistant to the President Jeanne Hayden for 34 years of exemplary service. Goetz said Hayden served five presidents and interim presidents and 55 trustees during her tenure. Hayden, working her last of more than 300 board meetings, was credited for her “unerring exactitude and reliability in managing records” and for being respected across the college for her “competence, work ethic and professionalism.”
  • The Nov. 15 Fall Open House attracted 150 prospective students and family members. In evaluations of the event, guests complimented IVCC’s “knowledgeable and accommodating staff,” Corcoran said.
  • About 30 former employees attended the IVCC Foundation’s 12th annual Retirees Reception Nov. 16. 
  • In his remarks, Corcoran noted last week’s death of longtime Jacobs Library employee Evelyn Moyle. “Evelyn gave 27 years of her life to IVCC, eight as head librarian. Ed Anderson, our director of learning resources when Evelyn retired in 1997, credited her with ‘bringing the library into the 21st Century by leading the effort to get the library automated and online.’” Moyle was inducted into the IVCC-LPO Hall of Fame in 2012.
  • The Nov. 29 Support Staff Craft Fair raised $1,165 for the Foundation’s Student Emergency Living Needs fund.
  • Seven students received certificates and another five earned AAS degrees at the Dec. 5 therapeutic massage graduation.
  • The Dec. 6 “Honorspalooza” featured Honors Program capstone project presentations by dozens of students.
  • More than 100 students participated in the Section 7 FFA Agronomy and Dairy Foods contest at IVCC Dec. 6. “Many of the section agriculture instructors and FFA advisors had not been on campus in a while, especially since the CTC was built and new wings were added to J Building,” said Willard Mott, ag program coordinator. “They were impressed with our campus and supportive of the agriculture program.”
  • Former IVCC President and trustee Larry Huffman will deliver the keynote address at IVCC’s 52nd annual commencement May 19 in the gym.
  • IVCC’s annual Holiday Luncheon for staff is set for noon Tuesday, Dec. 19 in the cafeteria.
  • Karol Baker has been hired as third shift custodian and Terry Wallin as network administrator.