We are now in the third year of establishing our prairies and they are coming along as expected, with a greater diversity of species this year than in previous years.  These natural areas not only provide ecological benefits to the college, but economic benefits as well.  The cost savings of maintaining one acre of prairie compared to one acre of turf is approximately $870.00 per year.  We have 12 acres of prairie, so this is an annual savings of about $10,440.00!

Below are photos of some of the plants currently in bloom. Click on them to learn more! Please feel free to take a walk and discover the beauty of these areas up close.  The grounds department will be performing some removal of invasive and noxious weeds over the next several weeks.  We also have plans to do additional seeding this fall to strengthen the weaker areas and address trouble spots.

On Wednesday, June 25, 2014 from 1-3 p.m., the Facilities Services Department is hosting a retirement celebration for Jeff Lopian in the Facilities Services metal building. Please feel free to join them for refreshments and to thank Jeff for 27 years of service.

Facilities Services is planning on performing some necessary repairs on the Menard Hall water system on Friday, June 27. This will result in no domestic water being available in Menard Hall beginning at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, 6/26/14 and running through Friday evening, 6/27/14.

Facilities has student worker openings available this summer in grounds maintenance and custodial operations. If you know a student that would be interested in one of these positions, please have them contact Steve Handy at 6-2264, Steve.handy@llcc.edu for grounds or Eli Miller at Eli.miller@llcc.edu for custodial.

I’d like to bring you up to date on a project that we will start shortly.  It is a project to tuck point and repair the masonry on Sangamon Hall, Menard Hall and Cass Gymnasium.  It is funded by Capital Renewal Funds and is being monitored by the Capital Development Board.  At the moment, we don’t have a defined schedule but we should start within the next 30 days.  When the schedule is developed, I will be sharing it with all of you.

This project will be loud, at times, and there will be times when certain entrances may be temporarily blocked.  As always, we will try to keep you posted about the schedule, the work and the impact that it may have on all of us.  I will know more in the upcoming days, after the bid has been awarded and I’ve had a chance to sit down with the contractor.

As usual, please feel free to contact me at 786-9605.

Thank you.

Hugh Garvey, Asst. VP Construction

Facilities Services Department requests that staff and faculty use VEMS to browse and submit all room requests for space on main campus for classrooms, meetings, and events. (Please note: This excludes roll-over classes and academic scheduling inquires.)

What is VEMS ? EMS – Event Management System Software – is the scheduling software owned (and recently updated) by LLCC to manage buildings, classrooms and event space throughout LLCC.   VEMS is “virtual” EMS, a quick online link that easily allows all staff to view room and date availability.

Why VEMS ?  VEMS makes planning your use of space on main campus easier by allowing YOU to browse or search space through the Event Schedule online.  You will have access to the information when you need it, as you are planning.  Go one step further and log-in to VEMS with your User Name/Password (most staff already have these – if not, please request it from the Reservations Technician) and you can book, ‘pending review’, your event with a few clicks online.  Using VEMS makes it easier to request space, reserve equipment, and confirm your event details with Facilities Services.

VEMS Access ? Use this link to access the newly updated VEMS:  Virtual EMS

Need more information ?  If you have not used the VEMS software before and would like to do so, you can view FAQ’s by clicking here and then open the file.  Click these Instructional videos links to Browse for Space, Create a Login ID, Reserve a Room and Edit/Cancel a Reservation.

Questions or need to request a User Name and Password?  Please contact the Facilities Reservation Technician, Julie McKinney.

VEMS Users – Please save and use this new link to access the updated VEMS:  Virtual EMS

EMS Campus Users – EMS Campus is now called EMS Campus Planning Interface and can be accessed by the following link: EMS Campus Planning Interface . Please save and use this updated link.  This software is used to view a classroom schedule via the Academic Book.

All VEMS and EMS Campus Planning Interface information and materials are available via the Faculty & Staff Specialized ITS Training portal page or click here and open the file.