IVCC approves balanced operating budget

The Illinois Valley Community College Board of Trustees on Thursday approved a $41 million tentative budget and set a public hearing on the document next month.

The budget represents a 6.2% increase in revenue because of an increase in sales and service revenue as well as investment income. Expenditures are set at $45.1 million, a 16.8% increase from the fiscal 2024 budget, largely because of proposed master plan initiatives.

The operating budget is balanced at $29.7 million, which includes $1.7 million for master plan initiatives.

The board set a public hearing and final budget approval for the August meeting at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 15 in Room C307. The tentative budget will be on file and available for public inspection through Aug. 15 in the College Business Office, Room C-338, during normal business hours or at ivcc.edu/businessservices/financial-budgets/FY2025_Budget_Tentative.pdf.

The board also approved submitting requests to the Community College Capital Resource Allocation Management Program for $10 million worth of renovations to the Jacobs Library/Academic Support Center and a nursing simulation lab expansion. Projects can be submitted to the Illinois Community College Board each year.

The ASC and the library will be remodeled and updated to consolidate academic support services – tutoring, a student help desk and the library – in one location. The total project cost is estimated at $7.1 million, with the college providing $1.7 million. The nursing simulation lab in the B201 nursing lab space would mimic a hospital wing and provide students with simulation of real-life events that could occur in a hospital or clinic setting. The total project cost is estimated at $2.9 million, with the college providing $736,000 of the funding. IVCC also is seeking grant funding for the project.

In her monthly report to the board, IVCC President Tracy Morris reported:

• The college automotive program has been awarded $90,000 in an Electrical Vehicle Technology Grant for fiscal 2025 as part of the $9.4 million state Rev Up EV Community College initiative, which is intended to promote development and growth of training programs that prepare individuals for careers in EV technology and manufacturing.
• A new Transitional English course created by IVCC in partnership with Seneca High School will give high school graduates another option for placement into a college-level course. Students who complete the course with a C or higher can move into a college-level English course at any state community college without placement testing.
• Summer enrollment head count and credit hours increased, compared with last year, and fall enrollment is on track to also increase.
• Geology professor Michael Phillips’s participation in a recent Ocean Observing Initiative workshop in North Carolina was recognized.

In other action, the board:

• authorized the appointment of Rebecca Zamora as dean of workforce development.
• approved the purchase of elevator maintenance services from ThyssenKrupp Elevator Corp. of Peoria at an annual cost of $34,271, and the purchase of janitorial supplies from Home Depot Pro of Atlanta for $50,000. Morris noted that the college has joined with others in purchasing associations that handle the bidding process for the groups.
• approved the purchase of an estimated $45,000 in fuel for the truck-driving training program using WEX Inc. fuel cards.
• authorized the payment of fiscal 2025 annual dues of $10,520 to the Illinois Community College Trustees Association, which provides services such as legislative advocacy and updates; lobbying organization; trustee training; and college faculty, graduates and partners recognition.
• accepted a proposal from Wellfleet Insurance Co. for blanket student-athletic insurance coverage at a cost of $69,200, and from Zevitz Student Accident Insurance for student-athletic catastrophic insurance coverage at a cost of $4,500.
• authorized a change order for the salt storage facility to install a front-end wall and door frame and a fabric gathering door, and provide building design drawings, all at a cost of $37,100 – bringing the project’s total to $407,000.
• authorized an amendment to Morris’ contract to reflect a 3.75% salary increase, a percentage that is in line with that granted to all employees for fiscal 2025.
• approved board policies governing presidential succession and updating administrative and personnel hiring policies.

The board also learned:

• of the appointment of Eric Peterson as IT support lead, and the resignations of Lea Ann Solberg as dual credit specialist and Jayna Leipart Gutilla as collections development and access librarian.