October 2015 Board Story

Illinois Valley Community College will cover state financial aid payments to students this spring despite the ongoing budget stalemate in Springfield, President Jerry Corcoran announced at Thursday’s board meeting.

While other Illinois community colleges are still undecided or opting not to cover spring Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants, Corcoran vowed IVCC would honor financial aid promises made to students by the state.

 “We will send a message to those most in need that their spring financial aid is secure,” Corcoran said. “Students should not suffer from a problem not of their own making. I understand other community colleges may not be in a position to cover MAP for spring but we will continue to do everything we can to provide access to IVCC.

“Affordable tuition and access to financial aid are among the top reasons students choose IVCC,” he added.

Vice President for Business Services and Finance Cheryl Roelfsema said covering MAP awards for the academic year will cost IVCC an estimated $600,000, or $300,000 each semester.

Following a recent meeting in Champaign with the Council of Presidents, Corcoran is not optimistic.            

“Once a budget is approved, we may not see any funding for five to six months. The situation is not good and I’m concerned we may not see any state funding in fiscal 2016,” he said.

With the budget crisis looming, supporters of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at IVCC addressed the board. Oglesby accountant Jay Baxter and Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry Executive Director Boyd Palmer said the SBDC has been an important community resource for over 30 years. Kelly Klobucher of the Hegeler Carus Foundation, another member of the organization’s advisory committee, handed board members a letter and urged them to continue backing the SBDC.

In other business, the board took another step in completing the final phase of a four-year, $30.5 construction project that began with the Peter Miller Community Technology Center.

The board approved nearly $17,000 in furniture purchases for Building D including forensics lab tables and stools, instructor stations and an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) table.

An ambulance simulator was installed recently in the EMS lab and work continues on a student center and cyber café expected to open before the Jan. 11 start of classes.

The board also recognized Director of Continuing Education and Business Services Jamie Gahm for winning the 2015 “weTRaIN Joan Simon Lifetime Achievement Award” sponsored by the Illinois community college TRaining Resource and Information Network.

“Jamie has served district business and industry since 1985 when her career began in IVCC’s Dislocated Center,” said Corcoran. “Among her many accomplishments, she helped spearhead the Chief Manufacturing Executive (CME) group which was instrumental in obtaining the $500,000 iNAM Grant to promote advanced training in manufacturing.”

Corcoran noted Gahm, who will retire Dec. 31 after more than 30 years, played a key role in IVCC receiving a $563,000 NSF Advanced Technological Education Grant titled “Preparing A New Workforce for a Sustainable Economy” which drove development of two renewable wind energy certificates and a AAS degree in Engineering Technology.

In other action, the board approved:

  • The $22,414 bid of Midland Paper for multi-purpose paper for printers, copy and fax machines.
  • Authorized preparation of the 2015 tax levy. On Sept. 29, the audit-finance committee learned IVCC would be submitting a $10.3 million tax levy, up less than five percent over the 2014 levy of $9.8 million. With Exelon’s La Salle Station assessment declining from $455 million to $435 million, it is unlikely there will be an increase in the district’s EAV, Roelfsema said. The full board will discuss the levy Nov. 12.
  • The $10,000 local match to support IVCC’s Project Success, a program serving 160 low-income, disabled and first-generation students annually. In a letter to the college, Project Success director Chris Herman thanked the college for helping the program “assist and empower students from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

The board also learned:

  • Longtime Adult Education instructor Mary Tully will retire effective Dec. 31. In her letter of resignation, Tully said, “Over the years I have seen so many success stories and lives improved due to the opportunities the Adult Education Center has provided.”
  • Another longtime Adult Education instructor, M. Christine Warren, also announced her retirement effective Dec. 31. “Thank you for the opportunity to work with adult learners throughout my tenure at IVCC. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and I will always treasure it,” Warren said.
  • The college again received “Tree Campus USA” recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation for “encouraging students and college personnel to care for our planet’s tree resources.”
  • In recent Student Government Association elections, Sarah Tipton of Dalzell was elected freshman representative and Ellen Herrmann of Spring Valley and Lexi Scarpaci of Dalzell were elected to the freshman programming board.