College of Lake County approves three-year contract for new president
The College of Lake County Board of Trustees unanimously approved a three-year contract for Dr. Lori M. Suddick, who will become the college's seventh president. The trustees took the action at their Dec. 19 meeting, approving a $260,000 annual salary plus benefits; the contract runs from May 1, 2018 through June 30, 2021. Since 2009, Dr. Suddick has served as vice president of learning and chief academic officer for Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Wis.
Board Chair Richard A. Anderson explained that Dr. Suddick's experience as one of 40 leaders selected for the 2016-2017 inaugural Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence was one of the factors in the board's decision. "We look forward to having Dr. Suddick's expertise to revise the college's strategic plan and move toward our 50th anniversary in 2019, and we appreciate all the good work that Rich Haney has done as interim president," he said. Dr. Haney will continue as interim president until his retirement in May.
Investment policy revisions will improve returns
Board members approved revisions to the college's investment policy under the advisement investment advisor PFM Asset Management LLC. The firm compared the board's investment policy to state investment regulations and using its experience with similar governmental investment policies. Ken Gotsch, vice president for administrative affairs, explained that the investment portfolio will remain sufficiently liquid to meet all reasonably anticipated operating requirements, but will now allow the college to invest available resources in more types of investments allowed by the state. The revised policy requires quarterly investment reports be made to the Board of Trustees and an annual investment policy review by the board.
Advanced bond refunding will save $1.3 million
Board members approved advanced refunding bonds issued in 2013 at the last month's board meeting as recommended by Hilltop Securities and PFM Financial Advisor LLC. The college will close the transaction on Dec. 21, 2017. Gotsch estimates the savings will begin next month and total more than $1.3 million, spread over the life of the bond.
Updated master plan
Facilities Director Mike Welch provided a detailed presentation on version two of the Sustainable Campus Master Plan, covering 2018 to 2022. The board voted to approve the plan's concept, which includes the following projects, but will re-visit related funding issues at its board retreat in February:
• Completing the Capital Development Board (CDB) phase one Science and Engineering Building and starting renovation phases two through five.
• Expansion and renovation the Lakeshore Campus in Waukegan, a CDB funded project.
• Athletic building and playing field renovations, including replacement and relocation of the aging baseball field and tennis courts to an open space along Washington Street in Grayslake. A new building will house restrooms, concessions and storage, and a new fence will enhance security and safety.
• A new 125,000-155,000 square foot building to house the Center for Health and Wellness. The center would include a fitness center; strength and conditioning and athletic training center; nursing classrooms and simulation labs; interdisciplinary classrooms; healthcare training classrooms and labs; three multi-purpose rooms and private meeting rooms for massage, complimentary alternative medicine and personal training; a human performance laboratory; three-court basketball gymnasium with a one-tenth mile indoor jogging track; and modern locker rooms.
• Additional classrooms and faculty office updates, including working with the Lake County High School Technology Campus to either upgrade the existing culinary classrooms and equipment rented by CLC's hospitality and culinary management program or move the teaching facility to the CLC Grayslake Campus.
• Adding a veterans center at the Grayslake Campus.
• Major college deferred maintenance projects, including adding energy efficient LED lighting on all three campuses.
• Critical technology and security projects.
• Project management to ensure the work is performed in the most sustainable manner possible.
• Deferred maintenance on electrical service, ventilation, building envelopes, interior finishes as well as energy conservation and life-safety projects.
• Landscape management: improvements to Sun Pivot Circle at the Grayslake Campus main entrance and replacing the 70 ash trees lost due to emerald ash borer damage.
Old fitness equipment donated to alternative school
The board approved purchasing $80,394 worth of new equipment for the Grayslake Campus Fitness Center to replace outdated and unusable equipment that was up to 20 years old.
Because of the quick turnaround needed to remove the old and install new equipment before Spring Semester classes begin, the board waived the obsolete equipment policy, allowing CLC to donate 15 pieces of cardio and strength training equipment (valued at up to $10,000) to the Lake County Regional Office of Education Regional Safe Schools Program (RSSP).
Roycealee Wood, regional superintendent of schools, said she heard that the CLC equipment was being replaced through RSSP Principal Mike Munda. Wood then called CLC Interim President Dr. Rich Haney to discuss the idea earlier this fall. "We appreciate the efforts of Mike Munda and the support of Rich Haney and the board in order to provide increased physical fitness alternatives for our students," she said.
Munda said all the program's students have daily physical education time in the Zion school's gym, but with sometimes just nine students per class, it's difficult to play team sports. "We strive to provide a physical fitness approach," he said. "Having this donated equipment ties nicely into an individualized program, so students can use fitness machines in rotation with cardio activities on bikes and treadmills to learn an approach to healthy living."
Wood said that the RSSP has rented space at the old Zion High School for 19 years but is looking for new space more centrally located in Lake County. She said the old high school will be torn down this summer, necessitating the program's relocation for fall 2018.