IVCC to honor 5 retired presidents, directors

Five retired presidents and directors of Illinois Valley Community College and its predecessor, L-P-O Junior College, will be recognized the week of Sept. 18 for their distinguished service to higher education and the college.

After adopting a policy establishing emeritus status, the Board of Trustees extended the honorary designation Thursday to presidents. Recipients include the the late Thomas J. McCormack; the late Frank Jensen; the late Francis H. Dolan; Alfred Wisgoski, the longest-serving president and the first L-P-O alumnus to become president; and Jerome Corcoran, who retired last spring.

In her monthly report to the board, President Tracy Morris recognized the dental assistant program’s passage record for the national board exam and touted the early-season successes of the men’s golf and women’s volleyball teams.

In sharing adult education enrollment numbers, she said class offerings were brought back to two local communities by popular demand.

Morris concluded her report noting that the college continues to meet the needs of its students, citing the utilization rate of the on-campus child watch and food pantry programs and the award of PATH grants totaling $16,500 to 40 students, with 15 more awards to be distributed.

In other action, the board:

• Confirmed the appointment of Sue Smith as director of nursing.
• Heard recent enrollment figures that show the number of part-time and night students increased, as did extension site enrollment, the number of GED students, and students older than 40.
• Authorized the purchase of TouchNet Payment software for $61,479 annually for five years. Implementation and training services were an additional $29,581.
• Accepted the base bid of $747,935 from JB Contracting Corp., Peru, for site lighting and security camera upgrades.
• Agreed to join several local taxing bodies affected by property tax appeals filed by Menards and the Peru Mall.
• Authorized a $10,000 payment as the college’s matching share of Project Success – Student Support Services. Grant and match funding offsets tuition and supply costs for low-income students.
• Contracted with OSF Health Care, Ottawa, for athletic training services.
• Learned that the Illinois Community College Board approved the emergency medical technician certificate program.
• Learned that IVCC, along with more than 30 other Illinois community colleges, is part of a grant proposal to develop a statewide curriculum to produce thousands more skilled manufacturing workers.

The board also learned of the following:

• The appointments of Kelli Shan as Health Professions administrative assistant and Patricia Glade as East Campus administrative assistant.
• The resignations of Financial Aid and Veterans Benefits adviser Isamar Taylor, GED instructor Kristi Bartolucci and assistant baseball coach Leonard Newell.