With expectations of saving more than $90,000 per year in energy costs, the Board of Trustees last night authorized college membership in the Illinois Energy Consortium (IEC) for the purchase of natural gas at all LLCC locations and electricity at  locations in Jacksonville, Beardstown and Litchfield.

Click HERE to read more about the Nov. Board meeting.

The LLCC Board of Trustees is meeting Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. in the R.H. Stephens Room. The board agenda is available HERE.

The LLCC Board of Trustees conducted its October meeting Wednesday evening in an addition to Hillsboro Area Hospital which houses LLCC nursing classrooms and labs.

Dean of Health Professions Dr. Cynthia Maskey relayed the history of the partnership between LLCC and the hospital, which began with a $250,000 state grant in 2004 to provide nursing and emergency medical technician training to Hillsboro area students. The partnership was enhanced through construction of the new addition to the hospital which allowed the programs, in 2010, to move into state-of-the-art facilities on site.

LLCC Board Chair Justin Reichert thanked the hospital and commended the partnership which has trained hundreds of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants and emergency medical technicians, and provides clinical space for other LLCC health professions programs.

Scott Stallman, executive director of the educational service area comprising Hillsboro, Litchfield and Taylorville, presented information to the board regarding a nearly two percent increase in enrollment this fall in that area, and increases of nearly eight percent in Taylorville and three percent in Litchfield/Hillsboro in the amount of credit hours students are taking. He also noted the success of special opportunities offered to high school students including dual credit classes and the HEAT (Higher Education Academic Transfer) and PACT (Professional Accelerated Career Training) programs.

In related board action, trustees approved a resolution seeking approval from the Illinois Community College Board for a renovation and code compliance project at LLCC-Taylorville. The estimated $1.9-million project would be paid for through protection, health and safety funds.

And, trustees received and filed the fiscal year 2013 external audit. LLCC once again received an unqualified or “clean” opinion on the audit, which was performed by Sikich, LLP, of Springfield. Chair Reichert congratulated college administration on the consistency of positive audit reports.

The Lincoln Land Community College Board of Trustees Wednesday night approved a balanced fiscal year 2014 operating budget for the college. Revenues match expenditures of $42,396,712.

Board Chair Justin Reichert commended college leadership for consistently producing balanced budgets.

The tentative budget was put on file for public review in late July. The Board held a public hearing on the budget at the beginning of last night’s meeting. There were no public comments.

A new policy (Policy 5.45) was recently approved regarding children on campus. Click HERE (pg. 75-last page) to read it. In the interest of safety, children under 16 should not be left unattended on campus. If you notice an unattended child, please notify the LLCC Police Department. Children will also not be allowed in classrooms. Students with child care issues can be referred to services available through the LLCC Child Development Center or other community resources.

Another policy revised definitions of employee classifications. Click HERE to read revised Policy 8.1.

Also recently approved were new procedures for these policies: 1.15 Solicitation on Campus (pages 54-56) and 9.4 – Raising/Expenditure of Funds (pages 5-7.)