July 13, 2017 Minutes of Regular Meeting

The Board of Trustees of Illinois Valley Community College District No. 513 convened a regular session at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 13, 2017 in the Board Room (C307) at Illinois Valley Community College.

Members Physically Present

Jane E. Goetz, Chair
Everett J. Solon, Vice Chair
David O. Mallery, Secretary (entered the meeting at 6:32 p.m.)
Jay K. McCracken
Melissa M. Olivero
Amy L. Boyles
Angela M. Stevenson
Matthew F. Pehoski, Student Trustee

Members Absent

Others Physically Present

Jerry Corcoran, President
Cheryl Roelfsema, Vice President for Business Services and Finance
Bonnie Campbell, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
Mark Grzybowski, Associate Vice President for Student Services
Walt Zukowski, Attorney

MOMENT OF SILENCE

Ms. Goetz noted this morning the College received the sad news that Mark Green, husband of Dr. Deborah Anderson, had passed away.  She asked that everyone please join her in a moment of silence in memory of Mark Green.

APPROVAL OF AMENDED AGENDA

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Ms. Olivero to approve the agenda as amended (deleted agenda item #22).  Motion passed by voice vote. 

PUBLIC COMMENT

Mr. David Mallery spoke as a resident of the district with his concerns of the recent state budget.  He stated the Illinois House and Senate passed an unbalanced budget and raised income tax.  ICCB immediately started notifying colleges of their individual windfalls.  For IVCC it meant that it would immediately be allocated $1.2 million in a supplemental payment for FY2017.  IVCC was also notified it would see dramatic contributions and increases from the state for FY2018 and $500,000 for MAP grants which were already paid in previous months.  The Adult Education and Career Technical grants have not been calculated by ICCB.  So there is more to come.  Mr. Mallery stated unfortunately the reality is the new money is flowing from the common person’s pocket directly to the college’s pocket.  He asked the Board to consider some relief for the taxpayers and for the students.  He asked the Board to reduce the additional tax by one cent of the levy.  As for the students he asked that the $6 per credit hour increase be temporarily postponed.

Mr. Steve Alvin stated Mr. Mallery’s comment that the budget is unbalanced is not true.  The budget is balanced.  The money that is being released to community colleges is not money that is now suddenly coming out of the resident’s pockets.  This is from $690 million that has been collected in taxes over the last year and has been sitting in an account that the controller did not have the authorization to release.  This is money that was due IVCC.  The passing of the budget gave an appropriation that allowed that money to be released.  Even with this money, there is still no guarantee that IVCC will get everything that is promised for FY2017.  In FY2018, IVCC is still looking at 10 percent less than it received in FY2015.  The College is already down in headcount for full-time faculty by a significant number.  The inability of the College to hire the faculty to maintain all the courses needed to keep enrollment is a real issue.  Simply by saying that the College should return tax money is a disservice to the College.

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS

It was moved by Mr. McCracken and seconded by Mr. Solon to approve the consent agenda, as presented. Motion passed by voice vote.

The following items were approved in the consent agenda:

Approval of Minutes – May 31, 2017 Special Board Meeting and June 8, 2017 Board Meeting

Approval of Bills - $1,182,000.96

Education Fund - $971,299.24; Operations & Maintenance Fund - $83,455.75; Operations & Maintenance (Restricted Fund) - $20,009.22; Auxiliary Fund - $32,428.16; Restricted Fund - $20,581.53; Audit Fund - $2,250.00; and Liability, Protection & Settlement Fund - $51,977.06

Treasurer’s Report

Personnel

Approved the stipends for pay periods ending May 27, 2017; June 10, 2017; and June 24, 2017

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Dr. Corcoran reported there was a nice turnout on June 12 for the program that Jill Guynn and Reed Wilson put together to welcome Dr. Kim Kidwell, the new dean for the University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. As the board saw from a copy of Dr. Corcoran’s thank-you letter to Dean Kidwell, the partnership in place with Illinois Extension is something the College is very proud of and a possible model for others to consider across the state. Special thanks went to Willard Mott for his update to the group on how far the College has come in launching its new agriculture program in only one year, and to Trustees Goetz, Olivero, Boyles and McCracken for attending the program on behalf of the IVCC Board of Trustees.  The LPN pinning ceremony is scheduled for Monday, July 24 at 5 p.m. in the gym since the Cultural Centre is under construction. If board members could join the administration, they were encouraged to do so. Director of Nursing Julie Hogue advised Dr. Corcoran that there will be 17 LPN graduates being pinned this year.  A newspaper reporter called Dr. Corcoran late last week and asked for his thoughts on the new state budget. The term Dr. Corcoran used was “ecstatic.” Dr. Corcoran is most pleased that the budget brings stability and predictability to the picture by (1) providing supplemental funding at the close of FY2017 (including IVCC’s commitment to crediting student accounts for those who were MAP-eligible); and (2) although the FY2018 appropriation is down 10 percent across the board for all of higher education, IVCC will plan accordingly based on what is known, versus being left hanging in the surreal world of the unknown, which has been the case for the last 700+ days. IVCC students, faculty, staff and board of trustees have all handled this unfortunate problem well, without anyone overreacting. Similar to what State Representative Bob Pritchard said when commenting on why he voted for the budget, Dr. Corcoran also believes this is what was needed to turn things around and help stabilize declines in student enrollment.   Dr. Corcoran appreciated Cheryl Roelfsema’s deft ability to guide the College the past year.  The College would not be where it is without her.  Ms. Goetz commended Ms. Roelfsema and Dr. Corcoran for all their work.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

None.

FY2018 TENTATIVE BUDGET

It was moved by Dr. Boyles and seconded by Mr. McCracken to adopt the Resolution approving the FY2018 Tentative Budget, as presented and authorize publication of the Notice of Public Hearing.  Motion passed by voice vote with Mr. Mallery voting “nay.”

STAFF APPOINTMENT – DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

This agenda item was tabled.

FACULTY APPOINTMENT – MADDALENA ALFANO, NURSING INSTRUCTOR

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Dr. Boyles to appoint Maddalena Alfano as Nursing Instructor at B-6, an annualized salary of $48,307 on the 2017/2018 faculty salary schedule, effective August 14, 2017.  Motion passed by voice vote.

NAMING RIGHTS – RALPH SCRIBA CONFERENCE CENTER

It was moved by Mr. Mallery and seconded by Mr. McCracken to name the Pre-function area and rooms CTC124/125 the Ralph Scriba Conference Center.  Ralph Scriba, a 1951 LPO Junior College alumnus, moved to southern California and started a business which made computer cases and airplane parts.  When he retired and sold the business, his focus was on philanthropy.  He has opened ten schools in foreign countries for low-income students.  He discovered IVCC through a blind mailing.  At his age he does not travel much, but IVCC is planning a dedication ceremony and hopes he can participate through Zoom.  Motion passed by voice vote.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN LAKE LAND COLLEGE AND ILLINOIS VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Dr. Boyles to approve the intergovernmental agreement for Lake Land College to provide courses at Illinois Department of Corrections facilities located in Illinois Valley’s district, as presented.  Motion passed by voice vote.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF STREATOR

It was moved by Mr. Solon and seconded by Mr. Pehoski to approve the intergovernmental agreement with the City of Streator regarding two new TIF districts, as presented.  Motion passed by voice vote with Dr. Boyles abstaining due to being employed in the TIF district.

STUDENT ATHLETIC AND CATASTROPHIC STUDENT ATHLETIC INSURANCERENEWALS

It was moved by Ms. Olivero and seconded by Dr. Boyles to accept the recommendation of the insurance consultant to approve the renewal from Guarantee Trust Life for the student athletic insurance coverage with 1^st Agency at $35,460 and to accept the recommendation of the insurance consultant to approve the renewal from Axis Insurance for the student athletic catastrophic insurance coverage with Ramza Insurance Group at $3,251.  Motion passed by voice vote.

PROPOSAL RESULTS – ENROLLMENT DRIVER MAGAZINE

It was moved by Mr. McCracken and seconded by Dr. Boyles to authorize the administration to contract with United Graphics of Mattoon, IL, for the printing and mailing of the Enrollment Driver magazine for $10,430.  Mr. Mallery wanted to know if there were any targeted goals for tracking enrollment.  Fran Brolley noted there is a unique URL attached to the magazine.  The targeted age group is 20- to 40-year olds.  It will be mailed by November 1 for spring registration and by March 31 for summer and fall registration.  Motion passed by voice vote.

BLACKBOARD CONTRACT – FISCAL YEAR 2018

It was moved by Mr. Mallery and seconded by Mr. Pehoski to authorize the administration to pay $76,384 to Blackboard for Fiscal Year 2018.  Since this is the final year of a five-year contract with Blackboard, Mr. McCracken asked if the administration had started doing comparisons with other software.  Ms. Bonnie Campbell noted that she is looking at a potential three-year contract with Blackboard.  Because IVCC’s headcount has dropped, the price has dropped significantly.  She is hesitant to change because more and more faculty are getting involved with Blackboard.  Motion passed by voice vote.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS – WEBSITE CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

It was moved by Ms. Stevenson and seconded by Dr. Boyles to authorize the administration to seek proposals for a Website Content Management System.  Mr. Mallery asked if this is part of what Interact was hired to teach the staff to do.  Ms. Roelfsema noted this is the platform that the current website will work from.  The current content management system is reaching its end of life.  The administration is looking at a new product and will then incorporate ideas from Interact to make a better website.  The estimated cost is $40,000 and this amount is included in the budget.  Motion passed by voice vote.

TRUSTEE COMMENT

None.

CLOSED SESSION

It was moved by Ms. Stevenson and seconded by Mr. McCracken to convene a closed session at 6:55 p.m. to discuss 1) the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body; 2) litigation and 3) closed session minutes.  Motion passed by voice vote.