RLC Board Of Trustees Meeting Highlights September 8, 2026

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Board of Trustees Meeting - September 8, 2026

Meeting Highlights

Under New Business, the Board:

• Approved 2026-2027 handbook as provided, effective September 8, 2026.
  RATIONALE: The handbook has been updated to reflect revisions to board policy & procedure and/or updates to processes that have changed within the program.
• Approved Revisions to Job Description, effective September 8, 2026.
  RATIONALE: This job description revision is needed to better meet the needs of the institution.
• Approved revisions to Rend Lake College Board Policy & Procedure 3.1205 – Performance Evaluation and Tenure of Faculty Members as presented, effective September 8, 2026.
  RATIONALE: The tenured/tenure track faculty seniority list is updated by February and October each year as needed and requires Board approval for revisions. 
• Approved revisions to current Board Policy & Procedure 2.1205 – Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace for Employees, second reading, as presented, second reading, effective September 8, 2026. 
  RATIONALE: These revisions are necessary to better meet the needs of the college. 
• Approved revisions to Rend Lake College Board Policy 3.1110 – Computation of Hourly Rate of Pay for Part-Time Employees, as presented, second reading, effective September 14, 2026. 
  RATIONALE: This policy is being revised to better serve the needs of the institution.
• Approved revisions to Rend Lake College Board Policy 6.1075 – Jeanne Clery Act Compliance Policy, first reading, as presented, effective October 13, 2026. 
  RATIONALE: The revisions are needed to better meet the needs of the institution.
• Approved of Dual Credit Agreements for 2026-2029, effective September 8, 2026.
  RATIONALE: 110 ILCS 272/16 requires community college districts to enter into a partnership agreement with the school district to offer dual credit coursework and to file a copy of the agreement with the Illinois Community College Board. These agreements provide the required details per statute.
• Approved the final FY 2027 budget as presented at the July 14, 2026, Board of Trustees meeting, effective September 8, 2026.
  RATIONALE: Provided as a separate document, the FY 2027 budget was presented in tentative form at the July meeting.
  As required by law, the proposed budget has been available for public inspection for thirty (30) days. A public hearing on said budget was held at 6:30 PM on the 8th day of September, 2026.
• Granted permission to change the FY 2025 and FY 2026 PHS projects from replacing Student Center air handler units 12 and 13 to replacing HVAC control systems across campus, effective September 8, 2026.
  RATIONALE: While air handler units 12 and 13 are still in need of replacement, the replacement of HVAC control systems in campus buildings that still use the antiquated Johnson Controls system is a more urgent need. 
• Granted permission to use PHS Levy funds for FY27 (along with PHS Levy funds for FY 25 & 26) to finish upgrading campus HVAC control systems, effective September 8, 2026. 
  RATIONALE: Several buildings on campus—Administration, Academic, North Oasis, South Oasis, Science, Vocational, Learning Resource Center, and Advanced Tech—use HVAC controls that are at end-of-life and no longer supported. Buildings with more-recent upgrades have already been converted to Automated Logic. When this project is complete, these older controls will be retired and all controls will have been updated to Automated Logic.
• Granted permission to bid and award the Academic Building energy efficiency project as outlined in the attached sub-award from the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN), effective September 8, 2026.
  RATIONALE: This project enhances energy efficiency, reduces maintenance costs, and improves comfort and safety for students. Utilizing IGEN funding maximizes available grant resources and supports sustainability goals. We have been awarded $200,000 by IGEN. In the event of any costs not covered by the grant, these will be paid with institutional funds.

Under Personnel, the Board:

• Accepted with regret the resignation of Addison Page, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist at Rend Lake College, effective September 4, 2026.
• Accept with regret the resignation of Craig Jerrells, Maintenance Technician at Rend Lake College, effective September 4, 2026.
• Appointed Travis Thacker as Maintenance Technician, effective September 9, 2026. 
• Appointed Laura Lee as Retention and Career Services Specialist, effective September 9, 2026.
• Appointed Mark Greene as Industrial Electronics Instructor, effective September 9, 2026.
• Appointed Taylor Hutchens as Administrative Assistant - Physical Plant, pending a successful background check and transcript audit, effective September 21, 2026.

Under Financial Information, the Board:

• Approved ratification of the Payment of College Expenses including Travel Expense Reimbursements.

Mark Your Calendars

Wednesday, September 16, 2026; 11am-1pm
Fun Fest
Ina Campus

Tuesday, September 22, 2026; 5:30pm-7:30pm
Joint RLC-SIC Fall Meeting
Southeastern College Campus – Carmi Building

Thursday, October 1, 2026; 12:00pm
RLCF Board of Directors Meeting
Student Center – Executive Board Room

Monday, October 5, 2026; 4pm-7pm
RLC Open House
All Campuses

Tuesday, October 13, 2026; 8am-4pm
In-Service (No Classes)
RLC Event Center

Tuesday, October 13, 2026; 6:30pm
RLC Board of Trustees Meeting
RLC Event Center

Friday-Saturday, November 6-7, 2026
Meeting: Saturday 9am-3pm
RLC Board of Trustees Retreat
Four Seasons, St. Louis

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