The Illinois Bicentennial will be on full display this weekend — for free.

Here’s the link to the story by the Associated Press.

MURPHYSBORO — A man charged with criminal sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl will appear in Jackson County court Thursday.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

Jeff Jones seated as new Trustee

The board accepted the appointment of Jeff Jones of Whittington as the new Trustee, replacing Eric Black of Mt. Vernon who resigned last month to concentrate on his family and business. Jones is the owner and operator of Burton’s Café in Whittington.

“Rend Lake College is a very important asset for our community and I wanted to be a part of that,” Jones said of his appointment. “I want to make sure it’s going to be around for a long time, and I want to be a part of that. I’m excited and I feel very honored.”

Joint Agreement with SIC approved for Massage Therapy

The board approved a Joint Agreement for Educational Cooperation between RLC and Southeastern Illinois College for Massage Therapy, effective Aug. 7, 2018. The agreement allows for course offerings that normally might not be offered due to low enrollment or lack of instructor qualifications.

FY 2019 Budget approved, hearing set for September

The board approved the tentative FY 2019 budget as presented. As required by law, the proposed budget will be available for public inspection for 30 days and a public hearing on the budget will be held at 6 p.m. prior to the regular board meeting, which is to be held Sept. 11, 2018.

Three Instructor positions filled

The board approved three instructor positions for the Fall 2018 semester:

• Karla Duncan-Gunter, effective Aug. 16, 2018. Duncan-Gunter has 10 years of experience as an adjunct instructor at RLC and John A. Logan College. She has also served as RLC Upward Bound Science Teacher and Tutor for two years. Duncan-Gunter holds a Master of Science degree in Biology from the University of Nebraska.
• Jeff Keen, Mathematics Instructor, effective Aug. 16, 2018. Keen has served as an adjunct instructor at RLC for 13 years, has tutored students at all levels of mathematics and has worked in the RLC Math Lab. He has also helped to redevelop curriculum for IAI course submissions. Keen holds a Master of Science degree in Mathematics from Kent State University.
• Dr. Jared Kemling, Philosophy Instructor, effective Aug. 16, 2018. Dr. Kemling will fill the position left vacant by Stephen Kennett’s retirement in May 2015. Dr. Kemling has a Ph. D in Philosophy from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Upward Bound Advisor appointment ratified

The board ratified the appointment of J. Lynanne Page as TRIO / Upward Bound Student Advisor, effective July 30, 2018. Page has experience with working with students from a similar background as RLC Upward Bound students. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Pickford resigns as Nursing Instructor

The board accepted with regret the resignation of Juliana Pickford, Nursing Instructor, effective Aug. 3, 2018. Pickford was hired full-time on July 1, 2017.

She stated in her resignation letter, “I appreciate the learning opportunities I received thru teaching the ADN program this past year… I appreciate the guidance of my Director of Nursing, Nancy Buttry, and all of my fellow Nurse Instructors, and wish the RLC program the best.”

Accreditation update

The board heard a report on the college’s reaffirmation of accreditation activities. The college is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is due for a comprehensive evaluation visit by the HLC Sept. 24-25, 2018. The assurance argument will be submitted to HLC later this month. This is the document which lays out the college’s evidence that it meets HLC’s five criteria for accreditation.

In other business, the board …

• Ratified payment of college expenses including travel reimbursements.
• Approved the minutes of the July 10, 2018 Board of Trustees meeting.
• Approved the minutes of the July 10, 2018 Board of Trustees closed session meeting.
• Approved creation of Board Policy & Procedure 2.1516– Record Retention (second reading) to better serve the needs of the institution.
• Approved revisions to Board Policy & Procedure 1.5000 – Organizational Chart to better serve the needs of the institution.
• Approved revisions to Board Policy & Procedure 4.1115 – Fees to better reflect the needs of the college.
• Approved a Memorandum of Understanding between Rend Lake College and the Rend Lake College Foundation to update and clarify the relationship of the RLC Foundation to the college.

Mark your calendars …

• Faculty Orientation, 1-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, Theatre on campus.
• Student Learning Day, 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, Theatre on campus.
• First Day of Fall Classes, Monday, Aug. 20, RLC Campuses.
• RLC Student Job Fair, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 5, Student Center Private Dining Area.
• Fun Fest, Noon – 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, Ina campus.
• Thirty-seventh Annual Rend Lake College Foundation Golf Outing, noon shotgun start, Thursday, Sept. 13, Rend Lake Golf Course, Whittington.
• HLC On-Site Visit, Monday, Sept. 24 – Tuesday, Sept. 25, RLC Campuses.
• Faculty / Staff Fall In-Service, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, Theatre on campus.
• RLC Foundation Scholarship Dinner, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, Benton Civic Center.