IVCC has been able to freeze tuition for past 5 years

Illinois Valley Community College President Jerry Corcoran said Thursday that with the community college controlling its costs, it has been able to freeze tuition for the past five years.

After a public hearing, the IVCC board gave final approval to a $37.5 million budget for fiscal 2023.

The budget represents an 8% increase in revenue over 2022 because of $4.1 million in Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds. Expenditures are $39 million, a 13% increase, because of HEERF expenses.

IVCC can point to a number of positive fiscal signs going into the academic year, Corcoran said.

“We’ve provided students with millions of dollars in assistance through financial aid, HEERF and scholarships,” the president said. “Much-needed facility enhancements have been completed and, on top of everything, we have zero debt.”

In other business, the board approved:

• The hiring of Camden Parks as chemistry instructor to replace Promise K. Yong. Parks taught previously in Michigan at Grand Rapids Community College and Grand Valley State University.

• The appointment of nursing instructor Sara Legrenzi, effective Aug. 29. Legrenzi earned her registered nursing degree at IVCC and her bachelor’s in nursing from Western Governor’s. She has worked in a variety of health care settings including more than 10 years in social work.
• The appointment of financial aid specialist Miguel Hermosillo as interim bursar. Assistant controller/bursar Carolyn Chapman resigned July 8.
• The purchase of $50,000 in WEX fuel cards for the Truck Driver Training program.
• Janitorial supplies from Home Depot Pro of Peoria for $35,000 through the Illinois Public Higher Education Cooperative.
• Elevator maintenance from ThyssenKrupp Elevator of Peoria for $31,531.
• Purchase of Coursedog for master scheduling and room bookings for $110,550 (paid for through HEERF).
• Microsoft maintenance and support from CDW for $37,000.
• An 18-month marketing campaign with Interact Communications. Interact has worked with more than 700 community colleges – including IVCC – and serves two-year colleges exclusively. Interact’s $42,000 fee will be covered by a $220,000 ICCB Bridge grant.
• Seeking bids for ag equipment totaling almost $95,000. Ag will upgrade its soil nutrient testing with an “Inductively-coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer” for $64,000 and its in-field, real-time soil analysis with a “Handheld/Portable X-ray Fluorescence Analyzer” for $30,000.
• Seeking proposals for a bookstore textbook and online course management vendor. The bookstore will retain management of non-textbook products.
• Compensation enhancements for administrators and support staff including retirement incentives, four remote workdays a year and paid leave increments as short as two hours (down from the previous minimum of four). Retirement options mirror those in the contract signed this summer with faculty represented by AFT Local 1810. Qualifying employees can choose one-, two- or three-year packages.
• Closed-session minutes from July 14.

Trustees learned:

• There were 140 summer graduates earning 167 degrees and certificates compared with 167 graduates earning 187 degrees and certificates in summer 2021.
• IVCC ag is now licensed to operate under the Community College Cannabis Vocational Pilot Program.
• In fiscal 2022, Continuing Education and Business Services served 2,268 students through 372 courses. “We are meeting IVCC’s mission by offering community enrichment, continuing education and professional development to district residents and our business and industry partners,” Director Jennifer Scheri said.
• IVCC extended its $1 million cyber liability coverage with CFC for $9,850.
• Campus maps will be upgraded by Modern Campus.
• IVCC is partnering with Voltus Energy to curb electricity at peak demand times. The college will receive $22,000 annually to participate and $16,000 per reduction event.
• Part-time dental assisting instructor Katie Henkel resigned this summer, and writing tutor Ethan Frobish resigned July 26.
• Kira Pfeffinger was hired as early childhood education support coordinator. Pfeffinger was Tri-County Opportunities Council Center director in Streator.
• Hunter Elias has been hired as accounting clerk-payables/cashier. Elias attended IVCC before earning his bachelor’s in accountancy at NIU.
• Board policies regarding “refund of tuition and fees” and “withdrawal from class” were revised.
• 73 IVCC graduates were honored Aug. 12 at the NECA-IBEW Joint Apprenticeship graduation ceremony in Joliet. Each of the students finished their apprenticeship and earned an AAS degree.
• Ten nursing graduates were honored July 21 at the LPN pinning ceremony.
• Corcoran credited Director of Learning Resources Patrice Hess and others for organizing fall all-staff activities Aug. 11. The president also lauded Vice President for Students Services Mark Grzybowski and his team for coordinating Welcome Week activities.
• Corcoran praised Vice President for Business Services and Finance Matt Seaton and others for completing facility enhancements in time for this week’s start of classes including reopening the fitness center and providing child care, food service, classroom furniture, wayfinding signage and laptops for faculty.
• Corcoran, who announced Tuesday that he will retire July 1, said to trustees, “I will do everything I can to work closely with [presidential search consultant] James Carlson and the board to make sure the transition to a new president will be smooth and seamless. When former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced he would not run for a third term, he said, ‘Being the mayor of Chicago is the job of a lifetime, not a job for a lifetime.’ ”