February 2007 Board Meeting Minutes

The Board of Trustees of Illinois Valley Community College District No. 513 convened a regular session at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 in the Board Room (C307) at Illinois Valley Community College.

Members Physically Present

David L. Wilcoxson, Board Chair
Dennis N. Thompson, Vice Chair
Paula J. Endress, Secretary
Lori E. Scroggs
Thomas C. Setchell
Deborah L. Sweeden
Megan Guilfoyle, Student Trustee

Members Absent

David O. Mallery

Others Physically Present

Larry D. Huffman, President
Jerry Corcoran, Vice President for Business Services and Finance
Harriet Custer, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Bob Marshall, Vice President for Student Services
Walt Zukowski, Attorney

FACULTY TENURE RECOMMENDATIONS

It was moved by Mr. Thompson and seconded by Mrs. Scroggs to approve the tenure status of Anna Marie Pietrolonardo, world languages instructor in the Humanities, Fine Arts and Social Sciences division and Karen Zeilman, art instructor in the Humanities, Fine Arts and Social Sciences division.  Mr. David Bergsieker, Interim Dean of Humanities, Fine Arts and Sciences summarized criteria on which their tenure recommendations were based upon - teaching performance, contributions to the college and community, and professional involvement.  Motion passed by voice vote.

RECESS

It was moved by Mr. Thompson, seconded by Mrs. Endress, and carried unanimously to recess at 6:08 p.m. to a dinner in room C316 to honor the faculty who were granted tenure.

RECONVENE

It was the consensus of the Board to reconvene the meeting at 7 p.m.

FINANCIAL AID PRESENTATION

Mr. Steve Crick, Financial Aid Director, gave a presentation which summarized the services of the Financial Aid Office.  He reported on the number of awards and amount awarded for federal aid, state aid, veterans programs, scholarships, trustee tuition waivers, and loans in FY06.

CONSENT AGENDA

It was moved by Mrs. Sweeden and seconded by Ms. Guilfoyle to approve the consent agenda as presented.  Motion passed by voice vote.

The following items were approved in the consent agenda:

Approval of Minutes –Board Minutes of January 24, 2007 and the Audit/Finance Committee Minutes of January 12, 2007.

Approval of the Bills - $1,440,768.77

Education Fund - $727,256.12; Operation and Maintenance Fund - $105,153.14; Operation & and Maintenance Fund (Restricted Fund) - $45,819.00; Auxiliary Fund - $453,738.95; Restricted Fund - $99,432.46; Liability, Protection and Settlement Fund - $9,369.10.

Treasurer’s Report

Personnel

Approved the stipends for the payrolls ending January 13, 2007 and January 27, 2007 as presented.

Authorized the College to officially notify the Sheridan Correctional Center instructional and academic support staff (Harry Bell, Jr., Ken Carothers, Jerry Christensen, Bruce Markwalter, Mary J. Neps, Janice Sharp, Keith Stevenson, Steve Swett, and Mark Woodward) of the Reduction in Force.

Bid Request – Renovation of One Display Case in Building E

Authorized the Business Office to seek bids to renovate one (1) display case in Building E.

Bid Approval – Welding Instructional Supplies

Accepted the items from S.J. Smith Welding Supply, Streator, Illinois in the amount of $4,248.07 and items from Airgas North Central, Peru, Illinois in the amount of $10,426.69 for a total of $14,674.76

Bid Rejection – Industrial/Electrical Equipment & Instructional Supplies

Rejected all bids and authorized the administration to re-bid the equipment and instructional supplies.

Warehousing and Distribution Certificate

Approved the New Certificate in Warehousing and Distribution as presented.

Technology Plan Purchase – Smart Classroom Equipment

Approved the purchase of 2 Sympodium Interactive Displays and 3 Airliner Wireless Slates from Klaus, Co. of Peoria, IL in the amount of $4,494.00

Board Policy 1008 – Board Meetings and Operations

Approved the revised Board Policy on Board Meetings and Operations – 1008 as presented.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Dr. Huffman introduced Laurie Ellis, a student who turned a project for her business writing class into a recycling program on campus.  Ms. Ellis researched IVCC’s recycling program and by switching to a new waste hauling agreement, the college will realize a savings and will be contributing to a better environment.  Dr. Huffman then introduced Lauren Sandberg, Director of the Bookstore.  She informed the Board of a textbook rental pilot program that will be implemented in the fall of 2007.   Four to six courses that have high enrollments will be in the pilot program with the hopes of expanding and looking at other courses.  More details on this pilot program will be available in the future.  Each Board member had received a Transfer Activity Report in their packet.  Comments included:  1) very comprehensive report; 2) good marketing tool.  Dr. Huffman reported that IVCC has always had a good history of students transferring to four-year universities.  The College is able to track the students as to where they go.  In the future, the college will be able to know where the students eventually end up and track their academic success.  Dr. Huffman stated that continued good news speaks well to the College’s academic programs and the faculty.

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

Megan Guilfoyle attended the National Legislative Seminar in Washington, D.C. in February.  She had a great experience and visited with Representatives Jerry Weller and Ray LaHood.  Ms. Guilfoyle was very pleased with the amount of items collected at IVCC for the ICCB/SAC project to assist the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in their recovery from Hurricane Katrina.  She turned in the paperwork for the Gigi Campbell award and thanked the Board for nominating her.  Ms. Guilfoyle reported the Student Government Association is conducting a safety survey to 200 day students and will open the survey up to evening students.  The report on how safe the students feel at IVCC will be compiled over spring break and shared with the Board at the next meeting.  Student Government elections will take place March 29 and 30.

Mr. Wilcoxson thanked the Board members for helping with the nomination for Ms. Guilfoyle.  Mr. Wilcoxson read a letter from the Inspector General’s office listing nine cases at governmental agencies which are being investigated.  IVCC is not being investigated. He noted upcoming dates for Board member activities:  March 9 and 10th – ICCTA meeting in Schaumberg; April 25th – Lobby Day in Springfield; June 8-9 – ICCTA Annual Convention; September 26-29 – ACCT National Convention in San Diego, California.  He also noted IRS rules for travel are if you spend more than ½ of your time for personal or non-business, the travel to and from is not deductible.

FY08 BUDGET

It was moved by Mr. Thompson and seconded by Mrs. Sweeden to adopt the Resolution designating the fiscal year be from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008; adopt the resolution designating Dr. Larry Huffman as the District’s officer appointed to prepare the tentative budget; and approve the budget calendar as presented.  The motion passed by voice vote.

ADJUSTMENT OF TUITION AND FEES

It was moved by Mrs. Endress and seconded by Mrs. Scroggs to increase tuition by $2.50 from $56.00 to $58.50 per credit hour beginning with the summer 2007 semester; decrease tuition for students enrolled in Early Entry College (E2C) courses from $35 to $29.25 per credit hour; discontinue the $20 graduate fee and the $2 per transcript fee; and, adjust 51 course fees detailed on the attached pages per the College’s Course Fee Guidelines.  Ms. Guilfoyle questioned why the increase and decrease in the course fees.  Dr. Custer explained the course fees are based on a formula.  The increase in the dental assisting courses was due to the increase in costs for consumable supplies.  The largest increase was in the nursing courses. The nursing students wanted access to software from home.  Also, nursing students who graduate attend a review course for their board exams.  This course costs between $200 and $250.  This amount was built into the second-year nursing courses so there would be no cost for the review course. With no cost for the course, hopefully more students would take the course and this would help to increase the pass rate.  Motion passed by voice vote.

MIDWEST ENERGY ALLIANCE LLC AGREEMENT

It was moved by Mrs. Scroggs and seconded by Mr. Thompson to approve the agreement with Midwest Energy Alliance LLC, as presented.  The agreement includes a provision for payment made to MEA per kilowatt-hour up to a maximum amount should IVCC continue to use electrical services other than an Alternate Retail Electric Supplier.  The administration checked into other large companies in the area to see how they purchased electricity.  It is the administration’s recommendation, given the current market and given the knowledge base of B.J. Hilton, to go with Ms. Hilton’s recommendation.  The motion passed by voice vote.

CLOSED SESSION

It was moved by Mrs. Sweeden and seconded by Mrs. Endress to convene a closed session at 8 p.m. to discuss 1) collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives; 2) the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body; 3) discussion of minutes of closed session meeting.  The motion passed by voice vote.

On a motion by Mr. Thompson, seconded by Ms. Guilfoyle and carried unanimously, the regular meeting resumed at 10:22 p.m.

CLOSED SESSION MINUTES

It was moved by Mr. Thompson and seconded by Mrs. Sweeden to approve and retain the minutes of the January 24, 2007 closed session meeting.  The motion passed by voice vote.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved by Mrs. Scroggs, seconded by Ms. Guilfoyle, and carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 10:23 p.m.