The Rend Lake College Board of Trustees accepted one resignation and welcomed four new employees during Tuesday night's regular meeting.
A confidential settlement agreement between Salah Shakir and the board was announced, and the board accepted Shakir's resignation as vice president of information technology, effective June 30.
According to administrative rationale, the settlement agreement serves the best interest of the college by avoiding any uncertainty and added legal expenses which would be incurred in responding to the appeal process.
The RLC board was found innocent of all allegations and as a result of the settlement agreement, Shakir has dismissed his appeal and has released the college, its employees and agents from any and all claims related to his previous employment with the college or related to his lawsuit.
The board also voted to employ:
• Mark Jornd as business instructor, effective Aug. 12. Jornd holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance and financial analysis and a Master of Business Administration from Benedictine University. He is the owner of Mark Allan Capital Management and has worked as a marketing and financial representative.
• Ronald Meek as criminal justice instructor, effective Aug. 12. Meek holds an associate's degree in law enforcement from Lake Land College and a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational leadership from Greenville College, and has been through the Police Training Institute at the University of Illinois and the FBI National Academy at Quantico, Va.
He served as Effingham County sheriff from 1994 to 2002, and most recently has been the warden at Vandalia Correctional Center. He also has worked as a security contractor.
• Sarah Draper as sociology instructor, effective Aug. 12. Draper holds an Associate in Arts degree from RLC, and both bachelor's and Master of Science degrees in social work from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She has been a clinical psychotherapist for Gary Lemmon and Associates, and a therapist for United Methodist Children's Home, and has taught part-time at RLC since August 2005.
• Christopher McCann as director of correctional education at Big Muddy River Correctional Center, contingent upon approval of the Illinois Department of Corrections. McCann holds an Associate in Science degree from RLC, a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary science education from SIUC, a Master of Science degree in educational administration from Eastern Illinois University, and an Illinois Superintendent Endorsement.
He has been a secondary science teacher at Goreville School District, and most recently was assistant principal for Thompsonville School District.
In other action, Pat Kern, CEO of the Rend Lake College Foundation, reported that the foundation has undertaken an effort to raise money to add a science laboratory to the RLC Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus. This would allow students to obtain an associate's degree by taking all the necessary classes at the Pinckneyville campus.
Currently, students must take science lab classes at the main campus in Ina. The estimated total cost of the project is $397,587 and would be funded exclusively by the foundation if enough money can be raised.
The board also learned that Chelsea Benedict has been appointed administrative assistant to the Physical Plant effective July 1, and that Arvella Waugh was transferred from the position of administrative assistant in the Learning Resource Center to administrative assistant for the Math and Sciences Division.
Also, the board approved the transfer of Nancy Wood from the position of computer technology instructor at Pinckneyville Correctional Center to the position of job preparedness instructor at Du Quoin Impact Incarceration Center effective July 1.
The board granted permission to submit to the Illinois Community College Board the ADA upgrades for approval and permission to bid the project upon approval.
In financial matters, the board:
• Approved a motion to require the college administration to seek and receive approval from the RLC Board of Trustees prior to expending funds received as part of the issuance of alternate revenue source bonds which will be purchased from the liquidation of insurance reserve holdings.
These funds will be held within the education fund and will not be able to be spent or transferred without board approval.
• Approved a revision to the amount of coverage needed under a surety bond for the district as required by state statute.
• Approved the transfer of $2,481,000 from the education fund to the working cash fund to repay earlier transfers which were made in anticipation of revenues to be received by the college.
• Adopted a resolution authorizing the transfer of interest earned on the insurance reserve fund for the 2010 fiscal year. Interest of $135,572.39 will be available for transfer.
• Approved the transfer of up to $3.4 million from the working cash fund to the education fund. Due to the timing of the receipts of funds from the state of Illinois for various grant payments which may be delayed, the monies in the Education Fund may not meet current obligations as they come due. This amount will be transferred back to the working cash fund upon receipt of monies from the state.
In other business, the board:
• Approved inter-district cooperative agreements with Lewis and Clark College and Southeastern Illinois College.
A cooperative agreement allows students to take programs at another college if their sending college does not have that program. They do not have to pay chargeback tuition and the sending college is able to receive state equalization.
• Approved revisions to the college organizational chart.
• Approved revisions to board procedure regarding the appointment and termination of full-time office support staff.
• Approved revisions to board policy regarding terms of appointment and termination of full-time employees, specifically the removal of references to custodians in this policy (first reading).
• Approved revisions to board policy and procedure regarding hourly pay rate for part-time employees (first reading), stipends (first reading), and collection of student fees and debts.
• Approved the prevailing rate of hourly wages resolution as required by the Illinois Prevailing Wage Rate Act.
Mark your calendars:
• RLC Board of Trustees workshop, 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20, Rend Lake Resort.
• RLC Foundation Golf Tournament, Thursday, Sept. 16, 11 a.m. lunch, 12 p.m. shotgun start, Rend Lake Golf Course.
• RLC Foundation Scholarship Dinner, 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, Rend Lake Resort.
• RLC Foundation Annual Dinner, 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, Mt. Vernon Holiday Inn.
Ina, Ill. —
