CLC Lakeshore Campus prepares for future expansion
With expansion of the Lakeshore Campus coming in a few years, the College of Lake County is preparing by expanding academic programming at the Waukegan campus and conducting an awareness-building campaign.
Dr. Al Baldwin, dean of the campus, provided a presentation on the initiatives at the board of trustees' July meeting, held at the Lakeshore Campus Tuesday night.
State funding has been approved for a $47.9 million expansion project, intended to enhance facilities, expand academic offerings and offer a full-service campus experience in Waukegan. The construction timeline is currently being developed.
To ensure that the expanded campus is fully utilized, the college is beginning now to expand academic offerings and create greater awareness of the opportunities at Lakeshore among northeast Lake County residents, Baldwin said.
Students can currently take all courses needed for an Associate in Arts degree at the Lakeshore Campus, and the campus also offers health care programs in medical assisting, dental hygiene, phlebotomy and nurse assisting. Starting in the 2015 Spring Semester, Lakeshore will add classes leading to the Administrative Office Systems General Office Certificate and the A.A. degree in criminal justice. The campus will also expand its academic and support services and sponsor awareness-building activities such as the Summer Saturdays series of events currently being held in downtown Waukegan.
Master plan discussion
During a Committee of the Whole meeting before the board meeting, the trustees reviewed estimates for constructing the college's Sustainable Campus Master Plan.
The CLC master plan will expand and modernize facilities on all three of the college's campuses through a combination of state and college funding. In February 2013, the board of trustees approved a $74 million budget for portions of the Master Plan that will be college-funded through reserves and alternate revenue bonds.
Since then, additional needs have been identified and cost estimates refined, including factoring in recent construction inflation.
The board of trustees asked the college administration to develop recommendations to bring the project in at an appropriate cost level.
Board Chairman Amanda Howland stressed the importance of the master plan for making essential campus improvements to reduce energy costs, improve technology and serve students better.
"We need to keep this project moving forward as quickly as possible, but we also need to be accountable and see what can be done to contain costs," she said.
Grants and contracts
The trustees accepted a non-competitive grant $443,865 from the Illinois Community College Board's Carl D. Perkins Title III Program to fund services for career and vocational services.
The board also approved a Capital Development Board (CDB) recommendation to award contracts totaling $703,900 for HVAC and fire suppression improvements for the Grayslake Campus Data Center. The work will be awarded to Boller Construction Co., Ideal Heating Co., Amber Mechanical Contractors Inc. and Nelson Fire Protection Co.
Additionally, the trustees approved a quit claim deed, conveying a small tract of land to the Village of Grayslake. The action confirms the village's control over a fire station located on the property.
Human resources
The board approved the appointment of Teresa Aguinaldo, of Grayslake, as dean, student life; Beverly Frazier, of Kenosha, Wisc., as dean of the Engineering, Math and Physical Sciences division; and Nicholas Scandrett, of Story City, Iowa, as director, Athletics and Physical Activity.
Purchasing
The board awarded the following:
A contract with Heartland Business Systems, Lisle, for $582,288 the purchase of computer equipment.
A contract for $82,800 with Lake County Grading Company LLC, Libertyville, for the demolition of three buildings and disposal, restoration and abatement at the college's recently purchased property at 33860 N. Highway 45.