The Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees held its monthly meeting on Monday, December 21, 2021. Board members included Bill Hawley (Odin), Jim Beasley (Centralia), Bryan Holthaus (Carlyle), Louis Kalert (Centralia), Laura Wedekemper (Shattuc), Jeff Brown (Greenville), and Alexis Enke (Student Trustee.
Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) Executive Director Jim Reed and ICCTA President Jon Looney (Blackhawk College) visited the meeting to present Mr. Jim Beasley with the Ray Hartstein Trustee Achievement Award for his 30 years of service to Kaskaskia College. Looney spoke to Beasley’s long-time passionate advocatism for southern Illinois and students of the KC district. The Ray Hartstein Trustee Achievement Award recognizes exemplary service by a currently serving board member at an ICCTA member college.
Reed and Looney also presented the Gary W. Davis Ethical Leadership Award for Dr. Dee Boswell, who could not attend. Looney spoke to Dr. Boswell’s outstanding support of Kaskaskia College. The Gary W. Davis Ethical Leadership Award honors individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the pursuit and support of ethical leadership and decision-making in their fields of work and volunteer service.
The board unanimously adopted the resolution for bond issuance not to exceed $40 million for the campus modernization project, which includes several building renovations and enhancements. The college will be borrowing $24.2 million to complete the projects while refinancing the existing $15.8 million in bonds for a 2% lower interest rate.
“This bond process has taken two years of research and planning and I am thankful for the trust of the board of trustees and Kaskaskia district in acting as the steward of these funds to expedite the much needed modernization and deferred maintenance projects at main campus,” said KC President George Evans. “As a result, This institution will be state of the art in more than one way in three years or less.”
In another action Monday evening, the board approved authorization for Gonzalez Companies, LLC to proceed with professional services to include the preparation of construction documents and the bidding process for upcoming parking lot projects.
The Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees also approved the search of a grant-funded full-time Math Transition Success Coach, pending grant approval, plus the following personnel items:
Employment:
- Jamie Moergen – Instructional Dean’s Coordinator
- Julie Boswell – Adult Education & Literacy Bridge & ICAPS Coordinator
- Joy Fitts – Associate Dean of Workforce Engagement and Industrial Careers
- Gina Cagle – Adult Education and Literacy Education Coordinator
Retirements:
- Bruce Fischer – Director of Institutional Effectiveness – effective 10/31/22
Lastly, the board acted on faculty tenure:
Reappointment of First Year Probationary Faculty to Second Year:
Career and Technical Education
Suzanne Arndt
Reappointment of Third Year Probationary Faculty to Tenure:
Nursing/Allied Health
Cheryl Rushing
Continued Employment of Tenure Faculty:
Career and Technical Education
Charles DeBernardi
Aaron Heinzmann
Robert Jervis
Kerri Richards
Arts and Sciences
Jay Garrett
Julie Littrell
David Quinn
Peter Vig
Brandi Wilkins
Nursing/Allied Health
Sharon Elwood
Nichole Macon
Tessa Opfer
Lori Schmidt
KC Striker
- Submitted by Kaskaskia College
thestandard.press 