Guaranteed admission agreement with NIU receives approval
The board approved an agreement for guaranteed admission between Rend Lake College and Northern Illinois University. The agreement will better serve students and facilitate the transfer process for those students pursing bachelor's degrees at NIU. Qualifying students must have a high school diploma or GED and must have completed a minimum of 24 transferable credit hours, along with maintaining at least a 2.0 grade-point average on a 4.0-point scale. Those who earn a transferable GPA of at least 3.20 are guaranteed admission to NIU's Honors Program.
RLC enters agreement for educational cooperation with SIC, Shawnee
An intergovernmental joint agreement for general educational cooperation among RLC, Shawnee Community College and Southeastern Illinois College received approval Tuesday. The agreement provides additional educational opportunities for the students of each district and serves as a means to expedite educational intersections for students and residents.
Great Colleges to Work For survey results presented
The board heard a report from Lori Ragland, Vice President of Career Technical Instruction, regarding the Great Colleges to Work For survey. The survey asked college employees to rate RLC on the basis of 15 areas, including job satisfaction, teaching environment, pride, communication, fairness and more. All of the responses were in the top two categories of "very good to excellent" and "good."
Gray joins Physical Plant staff
James Gray was appointed Grounds / Custodial Supervisor effective Nov. 28. He holds an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Ornamental Horticulture / Turf Management from Danville Area Community College, and has held positions as superintendent at Union County Country Club in Anna and assistant superintendent at Longbridge Golf Course in Springfield.
Retirements from four
The board accepted with regret four retirement resignations Tuesday.
- Tina Grounds, Early Childhood Education Professor, effective May 31, 2017. She has been with the college full-time since November 1991. "This experience has provided me opportunities to work with what I consider to be some of the best professionals in community college education," Grounds wrote in her retirement letter. "I will forever cherish these lasting memories and friendships."
- Brenda Heinzmann, Early Childhood Education Professor, effective May 20, 2019. She has worked full-time for RLC since August 1998. She said in her retirement letter that she considers her students' success her best achievement. "To see my former RLC students now teaching in their own classrooms gives me a great sense of pride," Heinzmann wrote. "It has truly been an honor to work with such a great faculty and staff at RLC and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and cooperation throughout my almost 20 years spent at Rend Lake College."
- Laura Kern, Adult Education Student Services Coordinator, effective Dec. 1, 2017. She has worked full-time for RLC since March 1999. "Only educators can know the heights of joy that come from and with the moving of a GED student from low expectations to high goals of achievement and feelings of accomplishment," Kern wrote in her retirement letter. "I will cherish the friendships and relationships that I have built over the past 17 years."
- Kevin Weston, Architectural Technology Professor, effective May 31, 2017. He has been with RLC full-time since August 1992. "I have truly enjoyed the 25 years that I have been teaching at the college and found the experience of watching my students start as freshmen and develop into young professionals after graduating to be very rewarding," Weston said in his retirement letter. "I will always miss the friendships with my fellow faculty colleagues, staff and administrators at the college that have evolved over the years."
In other business, the board ...
- Accepted the Fiscal Year 2016 audit as presented.
- Approved revision to board policy and procedure concerning the work week (second reading).
- Approved board policy concerning Jeanne Cleary Act Compliance (second reading).
- Approved revision to board policy concerning the tenured / tenure-track faculty and staff seniority list (second reading).
- Approved creation of the position, approved the job description and granted permission to advertise for a full-time Business Office Specialist.
- Approved all job descriptions to reflect the revised exemption status based on the duties tests established by the U.S. Department of Labor.
- Ratified payment of college expenses including travel reimbursements as presented.
Mark your calendars …
- Men's Basketball Home Opener, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, Waugh Gymnasium.
- Book Signing and Reception for Kyle Ingram, Local Author, 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, King City Books in Mt. Vernon.
- Fall Orchestra Concert, 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, RLC Theatre.
- Fall Concert, 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, RLC Theatre.
- Women's Basketball Home Opener, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, Waugh Gymnasium.
- RLC Foundation Annual Dinner, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, Mt. Vernon Holiday Inn.
- Fourth Annual Men's Basketball Alumni Reunion, Saturday, Dec. 3, Waugh Gymnasium; 11 a.m. alumni game, 1 p.m. RLC Warriors basketball game, 3 p.m. reception.