May 12, 2022 Planning Committee Meeting

The Planning Committee of the Board of Trustees of Illinois Valley Community College District No. 513 met at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 12, 2022 in the Board Room (C307) at Illinois Valley Community College.

Committee Members Physically Present

Jane E. Goetz, Committee Chair

Amy L. Boyles

Jay K. McCracken, Board Vice Chair

Committee Members Virtually Present                                

Committee Members Absent    

Board Members Present

Others Physically Present

Jerry Corcoran, President

Gary Roberts, Vice President for Academic Affairs

Matthew Seaton, Vice President for Business Services & Finance

Mark Grzybowski, Vice President for Student Services

Bonnie Campbell, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

Matt Suerth, Director of Institutional Research

Leslie Hofer, Director of Human Resources

Others Virtually Present

The meeting was called to order at 4:30 p.m. by Ms. Goetz.

Public Comment

None

Accreditation Update

Dr. Roberts provided updates on re-accreditation for the college. He informed that the Interim Report on Assessment and Strategic Enrollment Plan for Persistence, Retention, and Completion would be submitted to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) prior to November, 2023. Dr. Roberts noted that members of the Student Services team led by Mark Grzybowski plan to enroll in the Student Success Academy scheduled Summer 2022. He added that the Quality Initiative Proposal is due by June 2024 and the Comprehensive Evaluation will be 2026-2027. Dr. Roberts informed that programmatic reaccreditation will occur or has occurred during 2022-2024 for the following programs:  Automotive (Fall, 2022), Dental Assisting (February, 2022), EMS (January, 2022), Medical Assisting (Spring, 2024), and Nursing (February, 2023).

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2021 Data Feedback Report

Dr. Roberts informed that IVCC uses the IPEDS Feedback Report for benchmarking against a group of nine Illinois peer institutions and for tracking IVCC statistical trends over time. The nine colleges are Highland, Logan, Kankakee, Kishwaukee, Lake Land, Lewis and Clark, McHenry, Richland and Sauk Valley. He noted that as far as enrollments, our numbers are comparable to our peer institutions. Regarding enrollments, Mr. Suerth informed of data available in a new report just made available today from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Mr. Suerth shared that the study deals with students who dropped out before earning a certificate or degree. NSCRC found that of the more than half-million former community-college attendees who re-enrolled at an institution of higher education in the 2020-21 academic year, 44 percent returned to the community college they had attended the most recently before dropping out. Dr. Roberts noted that the feedback report reveals that the percent by race/ethnicity composition of IVCC has changed dramatically since fall 2011. The fall 2020 Hispanic/Latino population remains at 16 percent for the second year after holding steady at 15 percent the previous years. He reported that more females are coming to college. The percent of women enrolled remains steady at 58 percent and this percentage has remained consistent since fall 2014. The cost of attendance at IVCC is much lower in comparison to others as the college held the line on tuition thus providing a competitive advantage. The college along with four peer institutions experienced decreases in net price of attendance for FY2019-20, which includes tuition, fees, books, supplies, room and board, and travel expenses. Dr. Roberts informed that the college experienced a two-year span of increased graduation rates. Mr. Grzybowski commented that we have been proactive in reaching out to students and working with them for degree completion. Mr. Grzybowski added that going to a 60-credit hour degree at IVCC has also been a positive contributing factor. Graduation rates by financial aid type also show improvement for Pell Grant recipients. In addition, Dr. Roberts informed that the college’s transfer-out rate increased from 18 to 21 percent and IVCC now ranks third in this category among its peers.

High School Market Penetration Report (Class of 2021)

Dr. Roberts reported on the high school market penetration rates and trends. The pandemic’s onset in spring 2020 forced many colleges and high schools to rapidly convert to online instruction which continued into the fall 2021 and spring 2022 semesters. It was thought that this rapid and unprecedent shift would immediately impact IVCC’s spring 2020 penetration rate, however spring 2020 had a rate of 27.6 percent. Despite this major disruption in spring 2020, six schools led by LaSalle-Peru, with 45.4 percent, achieved rates in the 30 percent and above range. St. Bede led private schools with a 38.5 percent penetration rate. Six schools attained rates in the twenty percent range. Dual Credit enrollment, as a percent of total enrollment experienced a relatively small surge (22.4 percent) above fall 2018 numbers (20.4 percent), the last year the college achieved this high a percentage. Data from the National Student Clearinghouse indicates that 51.1 percent of spring 2021 high school graduates did not attend college in the first three semesters after spring high school graduation. Since 2019, non-college attendance has increased from 45.3 to 51.1 percent. Of spring 2021 graduates who attended community colleges, 71 percent (80 percent in 2020) attended Illinois Valley Community College. An additional 24 percent enrolled in the seven neighboring community colleges adjacent to District 513’s boundary. Dr. Roberts commented that there seems to be a tone that higher education is not needed which is affecting college populations. There are contributing factors as a number of students after graduating are going into the workforce. Competitive wages currently exist and employers indicate that workers do not need a college degree for employment. That is the environment at this time, however, as the economy changes college enrollments will also change.

Dr. Roberts provided information on the Early Middle College model, which is also known as the fifth-year model. This is an opportunity for full programs that allow students to complete an associate degree or college certificate in full while still in high school. Dr. Roberts noted that these programs are extremely rigorous, with a competitive admissions process and typically require a three-year commitment from the student, as the individual will enter in grade eleven and continue in the program for three years, adding one more year of high school. Mr. McCracken noted that this model seemed very similar to the College Start program. Dr. Seaton explained that the difference is that Early Middle College is a cohort model with students together from start to finish. Further, the same cohort does not have to be at the same high school and it opens the opportunity to share coursework and access that coursework in the same sequence. Dr. Seaton added that we are applying for a grant that would involve ten Zoom-ready classrooms at the college that could then share work with other schools. This option would be ideal for Early Middle College. Dr. Roberts noted that there are incentives with Early Middle College, for example if the students drop out or fail, the parents would repay the state for the expenses involved. Further, students are interviewed for entry into the program, monitored through the program, and coaching is built in. He added that on recent visits to the campus Rep. Yednock and Sen. Rezin both expressed great interest in the Early Middle College model. Mr. McCracken commented that the opportunity appears to be very promising.

Transfer Programs

Dr. Roberts pointed out in the information provided on grade distribution that the college has success in the transfer areas as indicated by our students receiving a grade of a “C” or better in the mid-70 percent range during Fall 2019 through Fall 2021. Student completion falls in the 80 percent range during that timeframe as well. Transfer success is seen when we look at the number of degrees that were awarded and the large number of students that moved on to four-year institutions. Data reveals that our students are doing very well after transferring to Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Western Illinois University. He commented that while our enrollments are down currently we are working to grow our enrollments, and we are still the “best ticket in town.”  Dr. Roberts noted that we have top-notch programs in the transfer areas, we have top-notch instructors who are devoted to their students and devoted to the mission of the college, and we are getting that message out. He added that we are fortunate to have a supportive community, a good tax base, aid from the state, and HEERF funding. We are in a good position to grow our enrollments as we come out of this pandemic with marketing and with Fran Brolley’s leadership we will be getting that message out that will turn us around in the next couple of years. He added that we can look to explore new programs as well, perhaps with the Early Middle College model. Ms. Goetz thanked Dr. Roberts for the presentation and noted that we are very proud of the work that all of you are doing at the college on behalf of our students.

Board Policy 4.13 - Investments

Dr. Seaton reported that in working with the new investment provider, PMA an update to the college’s investment policy is needed. He informed that the investment tools described in the proposed updated policy are allowable under relevant state and federal regulations. Dr. Seaton noted that with these investment tools in place the college’s investment benchmark will be set at 2.77% with a mixture of short-term investments and one to five-year term investments that will maximize returns on the college’s fund balances. The committee recommended that the updated Board Policy 4.13 – Investments be shared with the full Board.

Inter-District Cooperative Agreement Update

Mr. Grzybowski informed that the administration is reviewing and considering providing a recommendation to exit two longstanding Inter-District Cooperative Agreements which allow students enrolled at split district high schools to attend either community college at the in-district tuition rate. He noted that the spirit of the agreements was to potentially generate greater enrollments by allowing out-of-district high school students the opportunity to enroll at IVCC at the in-district rate. In actuality, the college has not realized an enrollment increase from the split district high schools as a result of the agreements being in place. Mr. Grzybowski informed that this potential action will not affect the students’ ability to enter into a programmatic cooperative agreement and enroll at an out-of-district community college at the in-district rate so long as IVCC does not offer the program of study.

Other

Dr. Boyles commented that she appreciated all of the work that went into producing the reports as well as the presentation provided to the committee. She expressed many thanks to all involved.

Mr. McCracken thanked all for the great work.

Adjournment

Ms. Goetz declared the meeting adjourned at 5:07 p.m.