IVCC sets budget controlling costs, freezing tuition, offering more scholarships and financial aid

The Illinois Valley Community College board Thursday approved a tentative $37.5 million budget for fiscal 2023.

The budget represents an 8% increase in revenue over 2022, due mainly to $4.1 million in Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds. Expenditures are $39 million, a 13% increase, again due primarily to relief fund expenses.

“The roughly $1.5 million difference between revenue and expenses will be covered by fund balances for ongoing PHS projects,” said Vice President for Business Services and Finance Matt Seaton at an audit finance committee meeting prior to the full board meeting.

The operating budget is balanced at $24 million, an 11% hike over 2022.

IVCC President Jerry Corcoran said the college is “controlling costs by freezing tuition, offering students more scholarships, significant financial aid” and “using fund balances for much-needed facility enhancements.”

A public hearing and final budget approval are Aug. 18. View the tentative budget at https://www.ivcc.edu/businessservices/financial-budgets/FY2023_Tentative_Budget.pdf

In other action, trustees approved:

• The appointment of Mary Beth Herron as director of human resources effective Aug. 8. Herron was director of human resources at St. Margaret’s Health-Peru and the former Illinois Valley Community Hospital.
• The appointment of Shannon Slaight-Brown as full-time art instructor effective Aug. 11. Slaight-Brown was a part-time instructor at Illinois Central College and an instructional assistant at Illinois State University.
• The retirement request of manufacturing technology instructor Tim Bias effective Aug. 10.
• Student athletic insurance coverage with 1st Agency for $25,064 and student athletic catastrophic insurance coverage with Zevitz Student Accident Insurance for $2,990.
• An updated risk management policy.
• The $1,050,000 bid of P.J. Hoerr of Peoria and Bloomington-Normal for exterior building work.
• Furniture bids for the D201 CETLA/Performing Arts room from KI for $79,278 and Wenger for $18,921.
• Reimbursement of $236 in expenses for trustee Jane Goetz to attend the June 10-11 Illinois Community College Trustees Association Convention in Chicago. Goetz was recognized for participating in 15 or more ICCTA professional development seminars. She was joined at the awards banquet by IVCC Paul Simon Essay Contest winner Ty Perin, 2022 Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Holly Novak (with sister Dr. Kim Novak), and Corcoran.
• Annual ICCTA membership renewal for $11,550.
• Closed session minutes from June 9.

Trustees learned:

• A total of 28 IVCC students will be honored next month at the NECA-IBEW graduation banquet. The electricians completed apprenticeships while also earning IVCC AAS degrees.
• Ten nursing graduates will be honored at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 21 at the annual LPN Pinning ceremony in the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre.
• Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a Business Before Hours at IVCC’s Ottawa Center at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9.
• The first IT department newsletter, “IT Tech Tidbits,” features a thank you to former interim director Jim Carlson. “Dr. Carlson has done an incredible job addressing a number of IT objectives in a short time,” Corcoran said. IT is now led by Justin Denton.
• Wednesday’s “Summer Explore IVCC” was attended by about 35 prospects and parents.
• IVCC will close Nov. 8 for the general election to comply with Public Act 102-0015.
• Network administrator Terry Wallin will retire Oct. 28. “I have enjoyed working with and learning from my colleagues the past 24 years and I am ready to move to the next phase of my life,” Wallin said.
• Assistant controller/bursar Carolyn Chapman resigned July 8. “I would like to thank IVCC for the 20-plus year career I have enjoyed here. The people I have worked with are some of the most caring and hard-working individuals I have ever met,” Chapman said.
• Resignations were received from part-time academic support technologist Zander Sampo effective June 15, administrative systems lead Diane Lane effective June 23, and course materials specialist Alyssa Boaz effective Aug. 19.
• IVCC’s 71-credit AAS degree in dental hygiene was approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
• IVCC’s Business office received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association for its 2022 budget.