Articulation agreement for Criminal Justice receives approval

The board approved an articulation agreement with Southern Illinois University Carbondale to allow students to complete an Associate of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice at RLC and transfer to SIUC’s Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Volleyball season extended to spring

The board granted permission to extend the women’s volleyball season to include spring competition and to increase the stipend for women’s volleyball coach to $11,500. The recommendation is based on the potential of area prospective student-athletes for volleyball and overall increased interest in the sport.

Women’s tennis program suspended

Permission was granted to suspend the women’s tennis program effective June 13. The recommendation is based on the retirement of the coach, lack of area high school tennis programs to allow for student recruitment, and lack of community college programs making it expensive to travel and compete. No student-athletes have been recruited for the 2018-2019 academic year. Athletic academic awards will be honored for the remaining four freshman students.

New employees join ranks

The board made several appointments Tuesday.

·         Erica Hess, Nursing Instructor, effective Aug. 6. Hess holds both Master’s and Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degrees from Western Governors University and an Associate Degree in Nursing from Southeastern Illinois College. She currently serves as a nursing instructor for WGU and has served as a part-time nursing instructor for RLC.

·         Sarah Hopfinger, Nursing Instructor, effective July 16. Hopfinger holds both Master’s and Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degrees from the University of Southern Indiana and currently serves as Southeast Illinois AHEC Director and staff registered nurse at Fairfield Memorial Hospital.

·         Thomas Christopher Murphy, Computer Technician, effective June 18. He holds Associate in Applied Science Degrees in Wireless Communications Technology and Information Technology from Rend Lake College, and has served as a technician for Megabytes Technology Services and Hella Electronics.

·         David Patrick, Health Studies Student Success Center / Help Desk Technician, effective June 4. This was a ratification. Patrick holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology from Illinois State University and an Associate Degree in Computer Science from John A. Logan College. He most recently was Technology Director for Jackson Hewitt Tax Service.

Retirements from four

Four retirement resignations were accepted with regret Tuesday.

·         Dr. Barbara Hampton, Developmental Reading and English Professor, effective Spring 2020. She has been with RLC full-time since August 2007. “Rend Lake College has given me the opportunity to be part of a group of people who truly care about students, and, in doing so, help shape the future of our region,” Hampton wrote in her retirement letter. “I will speak of my time here with pride.”

·         Angie Kistner, Vice President of Finance and Administration, effective June 30, 2022. She has been with RLC for nearly 26 years, having joined the college full-time in September 1992. “Rend Lake College has not only been my home. It has been my family,” Kistner wrote in her retirement letter. “The friendships and the relationships that I have formed make it difficult to leave but I am confident that my colleagues can and will continue to work to make our institution the best community college in the nation.”

·         Ricky Robinson, Computer Networking Professor, effective June 30, 2019. He has been with RLC full-time for nearly two decades, since August 1998. “I would like to thank the Rend Lake College Board and the President for their support extended to me throughout my years of service here at the college,” Robinson wrote in his retirement letter. “Teaching at the college has been a most rewarding career and experience, and I attribute it to the family atmosphere here at the college.”

·         Linda Kay Shaw, Developmental Math Professor, effective May 31, 2018. She had been with RLC full-time since September 2013. “I am proud to have been a part of this wonderful, fantastic community,” Shaw wrote in her retirement letter. “I will always be a proud supporter of Rend Lake College and believe that it will continue to be a major asset to the students and the community.”

Resignations from two

The board accepted two resignation with regret Tuesday.

·         Nathan Burkitt, Computer Technician, effective May 24. He had been with RLC full-time since May 2014. “This institution has provided me with so much in  the time that I have been here and has become an integral part of my life,” Burkitt wrote in his resignation letter. “I wish Rend Lake College and its people nothing but the best in the future and hope that you will continue to be a cornerstone to the people of Southern Illinois.

·         Marli Choate, Title III Health Studies Support Coordinator, effective June 14. She has been with RLC full-time since January 2017. “I am grateful for the opportunities that Rend Lake College has given me,” Choate wrote in her resignation letter. “I have met many truly wonderful individuals and I wish nothing but the best for the college.”

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. A draft of the federal compliance filing has been completed and will be reviewed before submission to HLC.

In other business, the board …

·         Ratified payment of college expenses including travel reimbursements.

·         Approved revisions to the Rend Lake College Faculty Union agreement, which will be in effect until Aug. 15, 2022.

·         Approved salaries for administration, administrative support, academic support, physical plant and office support personnel.

·         Approved the Resource Allocation Management Plan.

·         Approved revision to board procedure concerning stipends.

·         Approved withdrawal of an existing course, Computer Forensics II; approved assignment of Computer Forensics I to the IT Systems Specialist curriculum; and approved assignment of Cyber Crime and Law and Cyber Crime and Investigation to the Criminal Justice curriculum.

·         Approved an action transferring up to $3.4 million from the Working Cash fund to the Education fund. This was due to the timing of receipts of funds from the state for various grant payments which may be delayed during future periods. The amount will be transferred back to the Working Cash fund when the money comes in from the state. Additionally, the board approved the transfer of $2,481,000 from the Education fund to the Working Cash fund to repay earlier transfers made in anticipation of revenues to be received by the college. The college is legally required to repay this transfer between funds within one year.

·         Approved a revision to the amount of coverage needed and the principal party insured under a surety bond for Rend Lake College as required by state statute. The state requires that the college execute and obtain a surety bond from a recognized agent for the treasurer of the district. Upon review of current cash balances, investments held and bonds outstanding, it has been determined that the college needs a surety bond in an amount no less than $28,346,693 to meet the legal requirement for protection of the district’s counties and the state.

·         Approved an engagement letter for the providing of both audit services and tax return preparation for FY 2018. In FY 2015, the college entered into a five-year extension of the contractual arrangement for the providing of audit service with CliftonLarsonAllen. The cost of these services for FY 2018 will be $54,000.

·         Approved the prevailing rate of hourly wages resolution.

Mark your calendars …

·         Career Technical Exploration Camps, Tuesday-Thursday, June 19-21, RLC Campus and related off-site facilities.

·         Practical Nurse Pinning, 3 p.m. Monday, July 2, Pat Kern Private Dining Area.

·         Learning Resource Center Trivia Night, Friday, July 13, The Rec on campus. Doors open at 6 p.m., trivia starts at 7 p.m.

INA, Ill.– Rend Lake College Criminal Justice students have a new option for transferring after graduation, thanks to the approval of a new articulation agreement with Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale during tonight’s Board of Trustees meeting.

RLC students who complete the Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice will be able to transfer seamlessly as juniors into SIU Carbondale’s Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Under the agreement, RLC students are required to complete specific courses and maintain a 2.0 grade point average or higher to qualify. Once at SIU, students will be required to complete approximately 42 credit hours to complete the bachelor’s degree.

Gabriele Farner, Dean of Applied Science and Technology, said the agreement with SIU Carbondale is a great new opportunity for students looking to stay in the area.

“The addition of Southern Illinois University to our list of opportunities for Criminal Justice graduates is fantastic in so many ways. Not only is it a local partnership that brings new ideas and technologies to RLC students, but it also gives the students another, local option to continue their education,” said Farner. “We’re excited to be working with them to help all of our students.”

The agreement joins two others for RLC Criminal Justice students who can also opt for similar arrangements with Central Methodist University and Missouri Baptist University. Each of these articulation agreements will be reevaluated annually by RLC and the partnering university.

The agreement is effective immediately for those who meet program requirements at both institutions. Students wishing to learn more about program specifics should contact their RLC Academic Advisor at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1266.

INA, Ill. – Academic and financial aid advisors at Rend Lake College are aiming to work around everyone’s schedule this summer with new late afternoon advisements once a month through September.

Advisors will remain open past regular office hours until 6 p.m. on the following Tuesdays: Aug. 7, and Sept. 11. Students may walk in during these times to meet with academic advisors, though appointments are encouraged, to register for classes. Financial Aid, Business Office, and Student Records advisors will also be available to discuss funding options and student accounts. Both offices are located in the Administration Building of the Ina campus.

For more information or to make an appointment, contact the Academic Advisement Center at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1266 or advising@rlc.edu.