Summer hours begin today

LLCC will be closed on Fridays for 12 weeks beginning Friday, May 19, 2023 and ending on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. During this period, all full-time professional, administrative and classified benefit-eligible employees will be scheduled to work on a 36-hour per week basis.

  • Normal college services will be provided, and most administrative offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Departments that normally offer evening services may continue to provide services on their normal schedule.
  • Work schedules for all full-time employees will be based on a 36-hour week. Benefit-eligible employees who are normally scheduled to work 20 hours per week would be scheduled to work 18 hours, 30-hour-per-week employees would work 27 hours per week, etc.
  • Work schedules must include either an hour or half-hour unpaid meal period for those working 7.5 or more hours in a day.
  • Vacation, sick and personal leave time will be charged on an hour-for-hour basis. If a full week of vacation is utilized during this period, 36 hours of benefit time will be charged for full-time employees.

Holidays: Memorial Day (May 29) and Independence Day (July 4) will be considered a nine-hour day (or a pro-rated amount based on hourly work schedule) toward hours worked for employees.

Posted in HR |

Benefits navigator at LLCC

Hello from LLCC Student Success! We hope  you had a great spring semester. All Illinois colleges and universities must identify a benefits navigator to assist students in learning about campus resources, as well as state and local benefits. Claire Heffron-McKinney is LLCC’s benefits navigator. Please review our page (www.llcc.edu/benefits-navigation) to learn more about the benefits navigator role and how Claire can assist students. An online form will soon be available to refer students to Claire for support for housing insecurity, benefits navigation or undocumented student support. Additionally, she plans to host a session at the fall 2023 Professional Development Day to provide more information on how to support your students. For questions, please email Claire or call 217-786-2591.

In the community

LLCC staff at standing in front of mural at Southeast High SchoolLLCC staff attended two Making the Grade events coordinated by D186 Family and Community Engagement Liaisons at Springfield High School and Southeast High School last week. Please contact Kim Wilson, recruitment specialist, if you would like to join them next year for this event. Four times a year, they meet with students and speak with them about their grades and future goals. They become mentors for the students and follow up with them every quarter. Picture shown is at Southeast High School.

Congratulations to Employee Recognition Ceremony honorees

LLCC honored 2023 Distinguished Service Award winners, employees with service anniversaries, retirees, faculty emeriti and those who earned ACUE credentials at the LLCC Employee Recognition Ceremony May 10.

Rebecca Miller, Joel Dykstra, Elaine Higgason and Laurie Clemons holding their awardsThe college presented four Distinguished Service Awards to individuals who demonstrate exemplary leadership and service to the college community, promote a student-focused environment and exhibit a strong commitment to the college’s core values.

  • Faculty – Rebecca Miller, professor of psychology
  • Administrator – Dr. Joel Dykstra, interim associate vice president, academic services
  • Classified Staff – Elaine Higgason, program assistant, accessibility services
  • Professional Staff – Laurie Clemons, student success coach

Dr. Charlotte Warren, Gordon Gates, Jan Szoke and Dr. Cynthia MaskeyRetirees recognized were:

  • Neci Faine, duplication and mail center technician, 29 years
  • Donald Loftis, general maintenance technician, 23 years
  • Susan Rush, education services representative, 11 years
  • Donna Satterlee, professor of nursing, 30 years
  • Jan Szoke, program director, respiratory care, 10 years
  • Shirley Warfield-Jones, child development teacher, 22 years

Dr. Charlotte Warren, Peggy Goetsch, Gordon GatesFaculty emeriti:

  • Peggy Goetsch, professor of biology
  • Kevin Kirsch, professor of computer aided drafting
  • David Sykes, professor of physics

15 faculty members who earned ACUE credentialAssociation of College and University Educators – Effective Teaching Practices:

  • Laura Anderson, professor of art
  • Dr. Gillian Bauer, professor of English
  • Dr. Deborah Brothers, professor of English
  • Dean Butzow, professor of geography
  • Dr. Justin Cobb, assistant professor of biology
  • Dr. Diana Coffman, professor of biology
  • Elizabeth Conrady, instructor of agriculture
  • Dr. Alonzo De Carlo, assistant professor of psychology
  • Angie Gum-Miller, professor of mathematics
  • John Paul Jaramillo, professor English
  • Derek Matlock, instructor of air conditioning, refrigeration and heating
  • Susan McClintock, professor of mathematics
  • Timothy McKenzie, professor of philosophy
  • Stacey Olson, associate professor of biology
  • Dr. David Park, assistant professor of microbiology
  • Jennifer Ramm, professor of chemistry
  • Cara Swafford, professor of English
  • Natasha Trame, professor of psychology
  • George Vaughn, professor of communication
  • Dr. Dallas Wright, assistant professor of computer science
  • Laurenn York, instructor of English

Nina, Leanne, Brenda, Dee and JenniferDuring Employee Recognition Week, employee recognition video presentations were also shared. Employees celebrating service anniversaries:

30 years — Nina Koch, records specialist; Dee Krueger, director, LLCC-Taylorville; Dr. Brenda Michel, professor of nursing; Jennifer Ramm, professor of chemistry; Leanne Roseberry, library acquisitions specialist; Donna Satterlee, professor of nursing

Eight members of 25-year service anniversary group25 years — Shanda Byer, interim vice president, student services; Darla Cochran, workforce enrollment specialist; Lyndsey Craigmiles-Brooks, administrative assistant, LLCC-Medical District; John Paul Henry, professor of math; Dr. Chris McDonald, professor of political science; Laurie Rhodes, director, LLCC Child Development Center; Ben Roth, director, IT systems; Vickie Ward, administrative assistant to the dean, LLCC Workforce Institute

12 members of 20-year service anniversary group20 years — Lisa Avendano, writing center specialist; Craig Beckmier, professor of agriculture; Kenny Bridgeford, general maintenance technician; Dean Butzow, professor of geography; Dr. Mary Goldstein, professor of nursing; Elaine Higgason, program assistant, accessibility services; Tim Humphrey, professor of political science; Dr. Abbas Meigooni, professor of math; Dr. Alison Stachera, professor of English; Eric Stachera, professor of English; Heather Voyles, assistant to police chief/Clery compliance coordinator; Stacy Wallace, child development assistant

Six members of 15-year service anniversary group15 years — Dave Bretscher, director, facilities; Esteban Cruz, chief information officer; Tiffany-Anne Elliott, academic support program coordinator; Barry Lamb, instructional designer; Kim Lesko, program/child development assistant; Fred Logue, building custodian; Brenda Loschen, administrative assistant to the dean, arts and communication; Keri Mason, director, LLCC-Jacksonville; Karrie Prescott, administrative assistant to the dean, natural and agricultural sciences; Ryan Roettgers, building custodian; Leslie Ross, professor/librarian; Dr. Beth Wiediger, professor of psychology

Eight members of 10-year service anniversary group10 years — Andrew Blaylock, director, campus services; Dawn Burch, financial aid advisor; Brian Earley, instructor of auto technology; Sarah Goodman, director, business and accounting; Bill Goyke, switchboard receptionist; Tameka Johnson-Tillman, professor of English; Dorothy Marshall, accounting technician, disbursements; Michael Meyers, assistant professor of respiratory care; Cheri Reardon, bookstore operations manager; Dr. Colin Suchland, professor of sociology; Anthony Tate, professor of biology; Jud Walker, facilities maintenance technician; Diane L. Wilson, program director, neurodiagnostic technology

17 members of five-year service anniversary groupFive years — Laura Anderson, professor of art; Dr. Gillian Bauer, professor of English; Debra Bell, custodial operations supervisor; April Bergman, program assistant, student success; Whitney Brandenburg, workorce development program coordinator; Dr. Brian Douglas, professor of nursing; Tim Ervin, director of construction and environmental health and safety; Jack Geisler, building custodian; Andrew Harmon, instructor of radiology; John Hubner, network administrator; Doug Longstaff, truck driver training specialist; Stacey Olson, associate professor of biology; Amanda Peabody, instructor of nursing; Rihab Sawah, professor of physics; Robert Schuerman, property control technician; Candace Silas, director, Open Door WEI; Chester Simmons, building custodian; Dr. Sonja Spencer, associate dean, nursing; Elizabeth Tennikait, academic success professional; Kayla Weitzel, human resources associate; Laurenn York, instructor of English; Kimberly Young, program assistant, nursing

Congratulations to all the honorees!

Posted in HR |

LLCC Illinois SCOERs team receives 3D printer

LLCC Illinois SCOERs team members, Michele Leigh and Nicole SwansonErin Shanle, assistant professor of biology, and Jan Dowell, adjunct instructor of biology, are developing an open education resource (OER) textbook for LLCC ‘s Human Nutrition course as part of Illinois Support for Creation of Open Educational Resources (SCOERs) grant project funded by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education in the U.S. Department of Education. The LLCC Illinois SCOERs team received a 3D printer as part of the grant program, and Carmen Allen, professor of computer science, will design and develop projects for students to complete as a part of the class. The Human Nutrition course will incorporate a gardening project for students to learn how to grow their own food and to begin community gardens. The 3D printer will be used to produce gardening hand tools to support the gardening project and models of macromolecules associated with human nutrition to assist with student learning. The Illinois SCOERs grant project supports lessening financial barriers of textbooks costs for students and increasing community engagement by promoting community gardening. As part of the grant project, a team of LLCC employees with a variety of skills and expertise has been formed to support the OER process.

The LLCC Illinois SCOERs team members and their team roles:
Carmen Allen, 3D Printing Coordinator
Jan Dowell, Industry Sector Representative
Kim Eddings, Accessibility Coordinator
John Freml, Instructional Designer
Tammy Kuhn-Schnell, Principal Investigator
Leslie Ross, Grant Librarian
Erin Shanle, Subject Specialist and Author
Brent Todd: Co-Principal Investigator and Proofreader
Amanda Wiesenhofer: Copyright Coordinator

CARLI representatives in photo: Michele Leigh and Nicole Swanson

Becky Parton elected to ITC board of directors

Becky Parton, dean, LLCC Academic Innovation and eLearning, has been elected to the board of directors for the Instructional Technology Council (ITC). She will represent the North Central Regional member colleges in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

The ITC, an affiliated council of the American Association of Community Colleges, is a leader in advancing distance education throughout the US and Canada. ITC’s mission is to provide exceptional leadership and professional development in higher education to its network of eLearning practitioners by advocating, collaborating, researching and sharing exemplary, innovating practices in educational technologies. ITC tracks federal legislation that will affect distance learning, conducts annual professional development programming, supports research and provides a forum for members to share expertise.

LLCC student wins journalism awards

The Illinois Community College Journalism Association recently awarded Carmen Dillman first place in Page Design and Front Page Design for the April 2022 issue of The Lamp. She also won third place in Multimedia Story. The ICCJA awards for work produced in 2022 were given April 14, 2023, at the spring convention held at the College of DuPage.