College of Lake County puts proposed FY19 budget on display
The College of Lake County (CLC) Board of Trustees authorized placing a proposed $107.6 million operating budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 on public display in Room C111 at the Grayslake Campus, starting at 10 a.m. May 25. The budget also will be on display at the Lakeshore (Waukegan) and Southlake (Vernon Hills) Campuses, four area public libraries and online at www.clcillinois.edu/budget. On June 26, the board will hold a public budget hearing at 6 p.m., after which trustees will vote on the new budget.
The budget plan prioritizes enrollment growth and services to students for improved student outcomes, said Ken Gotsch, vice president of administrative affairs. High-priority projects include new student psychological services, expanding online learning offerings and expanding the Promise Program designed to reach underserved populations. Other priorities include increasing the number of academic advisors and implementing CLC's Campus Master Plan.
"The college recently received the remaining $4.8 million in state appropriation from fiscal year 2017," Gotsch said. "The state has been making monthly disbursements on target, and we are projecting a balanced budget for fiscal year 2019."
The proposed FY19 budget represents a 2.6 percent increase over FY18, a relatively small amount, noted Richard A. Anderson, board chair. "The size of the budget has not gone up by much over the past few years," he said. "I commend CLC staff in guiding the college to control costs and promote sound fiscal management."
Involvement in Partnership for College Completion
In her report, new CLC President Lori Suddick, Ed.D. announced CLC's continued participation in the Partnership for College Completion (PCC). The regionally focused nonprofit promotes systems and practices ensuring that all aspiring students in the seven-county area, particularly low-income and first-generation students, graduate from college and achieve their career goals.
PCC's Equity in Attainment Initiative will include approximately 20 Chicago-area colleges and universities. "CLC's engagement in PCC's Attainment Initiative demonstrates a commitment to eliminating racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps in degree attainment and continued prioritization of student success," Dr. Suddick said. "Our participation allows CLC to leverage resources within a regional and national network to advance student outcomes in Lake County."
Other news
•The board received an update regarding the college's ongoing environmental scan designed to lay the groundwork for a new strategic plan to be launched in fall 2019, when CLC celebrates its 50th anniversary. The environmental scan has included community surveys.
•The CLC Foundation has reached $5 million in assets for the first time. The Foundation provides scholarships and resources to support CLC students.
Human resources
The board approved the following:
• Appointment of James Crizer to interim dean of the Communication Arts, Humanities and Fine Arts division. Crizer, currently associate dean of the division, replaces Dean Roland Miller, who retires May 31. Crizer assumes his duties June 1 and will continue until a board-appointed replacement is hired.
• Appointment of Richard Ammon as dean of the Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences division, beginning July 10.
• A two-year contract renewal for Ken Gotsch, vice president of administrative affairs, beginning July 1 and expiring June 30, 2020.
• Appointment of three new full-time faculty, who start Aug. 13: Elbek Kurbanov (chemistry), Mohammad Abdallah (heating and air conditioning engineering technology) and Heide Wakefield-Thorne (nursing).