IVCC Board approves contractor for new Ag education center

The Illinois Valley Community College Board of Trustees hired a building contractor for the College’s new agricultural education center on Tuesday, according to an IVCC news release.

The Board accepted a bid of $7.643 million for the Agricultural Education Center from Vissering Construction Company in Streator, the news release said.

The contract still awaits approval from the Economic Development Administration, which, with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, is supplying grant funds, according to the release.

Additional funds will come through the IVCC Foundation Ag Campaign and from the College’s Education and Operations and Maintenance Fund.

This latest phase of the College agricultural complex will bring classrooms and a lab closer to the test fields.

The 10,250-square-foot building will feature lab space, classroom and meeting spaces, student collaboration space, and an innovation lab, according to the news release. The facility will allow IVCC to train and upskill agricultural workers in the development of sustainable practices and utilize technology in the field of agriculture.

IVCC will break ground on the facility on Aug. 22.

During her monthly report, President Tracy Morris said in a news release that IVCC’s distance learning initiative is off to a strong start.

Students at Serena High School will earn dual credit as they join three IVCC classes from their home campus. Other area high schools are expected to connect to the IVCC hub through the program that is funded by the schools and a U.S Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant, Morris said.

Morris also noted that the College is seeing a slight increase in fall enrollment in both headcount and credit hours compared to Fall 2024.

In other action, the Board:

• Approved the resolution to adopt the FY2026 budget. 
• Set a public hearing at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 16 in the Board Room to review the College’s intent to issue Working Cash Fund bonds of up to $1.650 million to increase the working cash fund. 
• Authorized the purchase of software to ensure the accessibility of course content programs for $56,000 over the next three years. 
• Authorized the college to seek proposals for a vendor to ensure overall website accessibility. 
• Approved the appointments of Dr. Jessica Wofford, English and reading instructor and Angela Doermann, CNA instructor/program coordinator.