January 2020 Board Report

Former Illinois Valley Community College trustee Melissa Olivero of Peru will deliver the college’s May commencement address, President Jerry Corcoran announced at Thursday’s board meeting.

Olivero, an administrative law judge, was elected twice and served the college from 2009 to 2019. She was board chair from May 2013 through April 2017.

“No one has been more loyal or shown more leadership than Melissa,” Corcoran said in July when Olivero announced she was stepping down from the board. “Sitting next to her when she was chair for four years was one of the highlights of my life.”

The 54th annual commencement will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16 in the gymnasium.

In other business, the board approved the release of closed session minutes from six 2019 meetings: Jan. 10, June 18, July 11 and Aug. 12, 15 and 22.

Board members learned:

• IT help desk specialist Janna Stash has been hired as an administrative assistant in financial aid.
• Thursday was the first day of spring classes.
• In his report, Corcoran credited IVCC theatre department leaders Dr. David Kuester and Don Grant Zellmer for coordinating the Dec. 16 memorial service for theatre technical director Matthew Boehm. “The service was expertly handled by two of Matt’s closest friends, David and Don,” Corcoran said.
• Corcoran also praised Jeannette Frahm, Valery Calvetti, Aseret Loveland, Gracelyn Quesse and Isamar Taylor for working Saturday’s last chance registration at Ottawa Center that resulted in nine enrollments.
• Overall fall GPA for IVCC student athletes was 3.05.
• Observed a moment of silence at the beginning of the meeting for Harvey Jackson Eaton of Central City, Ky. Mr. Eaton, brother of board secretary Judy Day, died Dec. 29.