CLC trustees select presidential search firm and approve 2018 budget
The College of Lake County Board of Trustees selected a firm to conduct a national search for the next president. Dr. Jerry Weber, who had served as president since 2009, announced in March that he was leaving CLC to become president of Bellevue College in the Seattle area.
At its June 27 meeting, the board selected the Pauly Group, an academic search consulting firm from Springfield focused on community and technical colleges, to conduct the presidential search. The search process will begin over the summer, with plans to have a final candidate selected and able to start between March and July 2018, said Julia Guiney, executive director of human resources.
The board has named Dr. Rich Haney to serve as interim president. He has served as provost since 2013. To cover the responsibilities of the provost position while Dr. Haney serves as interim president, the board approved three interim administrative assignments. Dr. Alyssa O'Brien will serve as interim provost, educational affairs, and Karen Hlavin as interim provost, student development. In addition to continuing as dean of the Business and Social Sciences division, Dr. Jeffrey Stomper also will serve as interim assistant vice president, educational affairs.
FY 2018 budget approved
The trustees approved a balanced operating budget of $102.5 million for Fiscal Year 2018, which begins July 1. The action was taken following a public hearing.
"The FY 2018 budget is aligned to our institutional priorities that focus on student success, retention and completion, including implementing open education resources, developing interdisciplinary career readiness curriculum and improving the online campus student experience," said Interim President Rich Haney.
Ken Gotsch, vice president for administrative affairs, reported that the FY 2018 operating budget represents an overall increase in expenditures of 2.4 percent over the FY 2017 operating budget. The 2018 budget assumes a 1.3 percent enrollment decline, and the budgeted revenue assumptions are based on a continued 20 percent decline in state funding, a local tax increase of 2.1 percent in the operating funds and a 2.2 percent increase per credit hour in tuition and fees. On the expense side, the budget contains a 2.6 percent increase in non-personnel expenditures, a 1.6 percent increase in health insurance costs and $5.7 million debt service for the Sustainable Campus Master Plan.
Science building completion funded
In response to the lack of a FY 2018 Illinois state budget, the Board of Trustees approved an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Illinois Capital Development Board (ICDB) that authorized using up to $2 million from the college's operations and maintenance (restricted) fund to complete phase one of the science building on the Grayslake Campus, which is 90 percent finished. Facilities Director Mike Welch said that without a state budget, the ICDB will likely issue a stop work order, which would cause construction delays. "We want to get the science building completed during Fall Semester and have it ready for classes in January 2018," Welch said.
The total budgeted cost of the project is $29.9 million, with CLC paying $12.4 million and the ICDB contributing $17.5 million.
Interim administrative assignments
In other human resources actions, three interim assignments were approved to cover open positions. Erin Fowles, director of financial aid, was named interim dean, enrollment services; and Sylvia Johnson Jones, executive director of the Career and Job Placement Center, as interim dean, Counseling, Advising and Transfer Center, both effective June 28. Jeffrey Andrews, a full-time math instructor, will serve as interim dean, Engineering, Math and Physical Sciences division, effective Aug. 7.
Audit planning
John George and Jessica West of the accounting firm RSM made a presentation on the audit process of the college's FY 2017 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. RSM will present its audit findings at the board's Sept. 26 meeting and then file the reports with the ICCB by its October deadline.