March 2011 Board Report

Illinois Valley Community College will this summer end a near 40-year practice of offering classes at Sheridan Correctional Center.

At Tuesday’s monthly board meeting, President Jerry Corcoran said IVCC will ask another Illinois community college to take over the Illinois Department of Corrections-funded program by July 1.

“It no longer makes good business sense to continue this arrangement with the IDOC,” said Corcoran. “Over the last five to seven years, our Sheridan employees have received two pay raises and IDOC has not allowed us to fill several open positions.”

“With state funding being what it is, we need to take a hard look at the essential programs and services we must provide, and be willing to let go of others,” said Corcoran. “We need to let go of this program and let another college take it over.”

IVCC offers six programs at Sheridan: commercial custodian, computer A+ certification, food service, horticulture, warehousing and beginning welding. There are six instructors and one administrator serving 164 inmates this semester.

Beginning in 1973, IVCC offered a vocational technology course at the prison and by 1978, associate degree programs were offered.

The board will take action on the administration request at its April 19 meeting.

In other business, Corcoran announced the college is considering replacing its Safety Services department with an outside professional security agency. Recent personnel changes within the department have provided the college an opportunity, he said.

“The time has come to begin exploring alternative options for security that would ultimately raise the bar for what we expect in terms of providing a safe and secure campus,” Corcoran said.

The college will investigate security trends at other community colleges and whether “we need to consider partnering with an outside agency that could include having at least one armed security member,” he added.

Corcoran hopes to have new security in place by July 1.

“I want our campus to be as safe as possible for our students, staff and visitors,” he said.

The board approved:

  • The $962,700 bid of Lite Construction of Montgomery for the chemistry lab renovation and Lite’s alternate bid for casework in the biology lab for $4,500.
  • Illinois Community College Trustees Association nominations for two faculty members. Geology instructor Mike Phillips of Lostant, winner of the 2011 Stephen Charry Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence, will be nominated for the ICCTA’s Outstanding Full-time Faculty Member Award. Education instructor and Disability Services Coordinator Tina Hardy of La Salle is IVCC’s nominee for the Outstanding Part-time Faculty Member Award.
  • The purchase of a 2011 Ford F-150 truck at a cost of $16,650 to replace the 1998 Dodge Ram 1500.
  • Seeking bids for the purchase of a vertical milling machine for an estimated $17,000. The mill, paid for by Carl Perkins funding, will be used by students in Manufacturing Materials and Process II and Tooling Processes I and II.

The board also learned:

  • Custodian Darrell Cochran will retire March 31.
  • IVCC’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, led by part-time accounting instructor Rick Shields, as of last weekend had served 161 taxpayers. The program will also assist 80 Horizon House clients and staff this year. “They are doing a wonderful job representing the college with their community service,” said Corcoran.