GALESBURG — The Carl Sandburg College Board of Trustees during its regular monthly meeting Thursday accepted a grant from the Illinois Board of Higher Education for nearly $100,000 to support the college’s nursing program.
This is the second consecutive year Sandburg has been awarded a Nursing School Grant from the IBHE. The $96,400 grant will support equipment for the simulation lab in Sandburg’s new Science & Technology Center, which is scheduled to open for the 2024-25 academic year. Equipment to be purchased includes cameras and push-to-talk microphones for student and instructor use.
Funds from the grant will also be used to cover the cost of the NCLEX exam and end-of-program fees for registered nursing students who are on track to complete and obtain their state licensure.
A resolution was read commending trustee Bruce Lauerman on his retirement from the board. Lauerman was first elected as a trustee in 1990. During his tenure, Lauerman has been a member of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association Executive Committee, was a regional chair for the ICCTA and was a member of the association’s Nominating Committee.
The board also approved the renewal of the employee hospitalization and major medical insurance program through BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois as well as contracting with Mutual of Omaha for dental, life and vision insurance. Sandburg had offered employees dental and life insurance through Principal Financial Group since 2011. The quote from Mutual of Omaha includes improvements such as less out-of-pocket expense, a larger network of dentists and a four-tiered option for family coverage. It also includes the addition of a voluntary, low-cost vision insurance option.
Also Thursday, trustees adopted the schedule for board meetings for calendar year 2024. All meetings are scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on the Galesburg campus on the following dates:
• Jan. 25
• Feb. 22
• March 28
• April 25
• May 23
• June 27
• July 25
• Aug. 22
• Sept. 26
• Oct. 17
• Nov. 21
• Dec. 19
In other business, the board approved the following:
• Acceptance of a bid of $76,120.50 from ADP to serve as a human resources information system and payroll processing service provider.
• Employment of Stephen Descalzo as director of TRIO Student Support Services and Galesburg Scholars advisor, effective Dec. 1.
• Employment of Chad Hillier as trades program advocate, effective Dec. 1.
• Employment of Amanda Morse as associate director of financial aid, effective Dec. 1.
• Employment of Jace Stotler as second-shift public safety officer, effective Dec. 1.
• Termination of Darin Dunphy as director of TRIO Student Support Services program and Gale Scholars advisor, effective Oct. 27.
• Termination of Christopher Williams as director of Upward Bound Project, effective Nov. 10.
• Resignation of Jiyou Galloway as CTE program support specialist, effective Nov. 10.
The board’s next regular monthly meeting is 7 p.m. Dec. 21 on the Galesburg campus.