CLC board passes FY 2017 budget
The College of Lake County Board of Trustees approved a balanced operating budget of $102.5 million for Fiscal Year 2017, which begins July 1. The action was taken following a public hearing at the regular June 28 meeting.
Board Chair Dr. William M. Griffin noted that in addition to the Grayslake Campus, this year's FY 2017 tentative budget was made available for inspection and comment at the Lakeshore and Southlake campuses. Additionally, the Vernon Hills, Waukegan, Antioch and Wauconda libraries accepted copies for public inspection.
The proposed budget represents an overall slight decrease in expenditures of 0.3 percent over the FY 2016 budget of $102.8 million. According to Ken Gotsch, vice president for administrative affairs, the FY 2017 budget's revenue is based on a 20 percent decline in state funding, a 1 percent increase in property taxes and a 4.7 percent increase per credit hour in tuition and fees, from $129 to $135 for in-district tuition. On the expense side, the budget contains a 1 percent increase in non-personnel expenditures, a 7.3 percent increase in health insurance costs and $5.7 million debt service for the Sustainable Campus Master Plan.
The budget focuses on student success, retention and completion including:
Expanding fall "Accelerating Your College Success" bridge program
Launching an Employer Partnership Program
Implementing new College Readiness curriculum in Lake County High Schools
Updating instructional equipment and educational technology critical to maintain relevant learning environments that match industry expectations
Student Development:
Developing two-year plan or academic road maps for new students into pathways and a holistic faculty advising model
Opening a New Welcome and One Stop Center to improve customer service
Integrating career counseling services to provide additional focus on internships and direct job placement
Increasing transfer opportunities and foster a transfer culture
Contracting with consultants to increase number of international students
With the continued uncertainty in higher education funding from the state, the FY 2017 budget is based on receiving 80 percent of state funding that's normally expected, Gotsch said. President Jerry Weber said that he has been speaking with legislators about the progress on various bills to provide funding for higher education and that the college will have a backup plan if state funding does not materialize. "We will know more in the next few days," Dr. Weber said.
Lakeshore Campus renovations planned
Vice President Ken Gotsch made a presentation on improvements planned for the Lakeshore Campus in downtown Waukegan that include security enhancements, adding signage at empty storefronts and murals on four buildings owned by the college and converting a parking lot into a green space for student events.
President Weber, Vice President Gotsch and Lakeshore Campus Dean Al Baldwin recently met with Waukegan Mayor Wayne Motley to propose the changes to improve the safety and appearance of the college's properties along Sheridan Road and Genesee Street and in the city-owned Madison Street courtyard between CLC buildings before construction begins on new campus buildings in 2018.
Gotsch said most of the improvements will be done by CLC Facilities staff members and the total cost was not yet estimated, but he expects the parking structure portion to be under $500,000. Safety projects at the college's parking garage on Sheridan Road include adding metal fencing and installing new security cameras and LED lighting.
The Madison Street courtyard will also receive new lighting and landscaping. Empty storefronts will be repurposed into spaces to possibly house a small fitness center, a café or the campus library. In addition, the Lakeshore Campus Police Department command center will relocate to a storefront at 128 Madison Street to provide better visibility and service.
Student success update
Dr. Sean Hogan, executive director of Institutional Effectiveness, Planning and Research, gave a student success update that focused on graduation and transfer rates of minority students. Dr. Hogan reported that the rate of course success and retention of African American students are growing, thanks in part to increased assistance from academic coaches and staff from Multicultural Student Center as well as student involvement in organizations such as Men of Vision and Sister 2 Sister.
Major Crimes Taskforce office space
CLC Police Chief Tom Guenther requested that the college sign a memorandum of understanding with the Lake County Major Crimes Taskforce to provide 150 square feet of office space so that investigators on homicides in Lake County can meet and collaborate on reports in a central Lake County location. CLC has been a member of the taskforce since 2013. The memorandum of understanding will be signed by the Board Chair and the taskforce.
Audit planning
Matt Shipley and John George of the accounting firm RSM made a presentation on the audit process of the college's FY 2016 financial reports. The firm's audit work will include two separate grant reports for the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) and an audit of the CLC Foundation's financial statements. Board members asked RSM to include in their audit this year a comparison of how CLC financial operations compare to best practice clients. RSM will present its audit findings at the board's Sept. 27 meeting and then file the reports with the ICCB by the Oct. 15 deadline.
Technology plan
Lynn Butler, chief information officer, made a presentation on the Information Technology Services department's recent contributions as well as future plans. She said that data security will continue to be an important focus of the department.
"Our staff will continue to create awareness in people and create policies and procedures that contain best practices to reduce security threats and protect our data. This will include a disaster recovery plan that operates from a remote location," she said. "Keeping our systems available to the college, ensuring student success by providing excellent service, increasing our staff's knowledge and skills and supporting the use of technology and processes that are right for CLC will be our focus."
Contracts and grants
The board appointed the law firm Robbins Schwartz, Ltd. of Chicago to serve as the college's legal counsel in a one-year non-exclusive contract not to exceed $320,000.
Programs
The board approved submitting the college's FY 2018 Resource Allocation Management Plan (RAMP) document to the Illinois Community College Board. The document sets the college's priorities for requests for state funding for new buildings and capital improvements. Projects included in the list can take a decade or more to receive funding. New projects requested include a classroom building at the Southlake Campus, infrastructure repair and replacement at all three campuses and a 150,000 square foot Center for a Health and Wellness Promotion facility.
An updated joint agreement with Gateway Technical College of Elkhorn, Wis. was approved by the board. Under the agreement, CLC students may enroll in Gateway's Physical Therapy Assistant A.A.S. degree program and pay Gateway's tuition rate, effective Fall Semester 2016.
Prevailing Wage Act
The trustees approved the annual prevailing wage resolution, which informs bidders on college projects that they must conform to the Prevailing Wage Act.
Board policies
The board approved revisions in several policies, including: Policy 426 on addressing students' academic concerns. Policy 502 on employment practices and procedures for classified employees. Policy 550 on resignation, Policy 551 on progressive discipline and Policy 939 on non-bargaining unit employee employment, compensation and benefits.
Purchasing
The board approved the following bids:
$43,074 from Woodward Printing of Platteville, Wis. to print the 2016 Fall Semester credit class schedule.
$48,996 from Shen, Milson & Wilke of Chicago to provide audio visual design services for the Science Building, currently under construction on the Grayslake Campus. The firm is a registered DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) with the state.
$64,875 from Manico Flooring of McHenry to refinish the gym floor in the Physical Education Center at the Grayslake Campus.
$37,117 from Anderson Elevator Company of Broadview to replace the elevator cylinder in the B Wing of the Grayslake Campus. The elevator will service the renovated campus core and Café Willow, part of the Sustainable Master Plan.
Under non-biddables, the trustees approved the following purchases:
$80,284.70 for a perpetual license for SSPS statistical analysis software from IBM of Pittsburgh, Penn.
$80,000 to purchase computer server equipment from Hewlett Packard of Austin, Texas.
$37,592 for maintenance of existing security cameras located on all three campuses from e.Norman Security Systems Inc. of Naperville.
$460,675 for computer equipment for the A and B Wing remodeling and Café Willow projects.
$36,800 for maintenance and repairs of electronics locks and software system from Sound, Inc. of Naperville.
$2,307,600 to renew all computer software licenses, maintenance and telecommunication agreements and subscriptions for FY 2017.
The current agreement with Cotter Consulting to serve as construction manager for Sustainable Master Plan projects was extended through Dec. 31, 2016. Option 2 will run from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2017. No additional fee was requested since the original plans' scope has changed.
$43,500 for environmental testing services for the A and B Wing remodeling project from Environmental Services of Yorkville.
Human resources
The board approved the fulltime employment contracts of 53 administrative, 22 professional, 163 specialist staff and 223 faculty members for Fiscal Year 2017.