Illinois Valley Community College nursing students are once again having tremendous success with the national licensing exam, trustees learned at their monthly meeting Thursday night.

IVCC President Jerry Corcoran said third quarter results reveal 55 of 57 RN students passed the National Council Licensure Examination for a 97 percent pass rate and 18 of 19 practical nursing students passed for a 95 percent pass rate.

Pass rates for the entire year will not be released until February but the RN rate is currently 10 percent over the previous year, Corcoran said.

Dean of Health Professions and Director of Nursing Bonnie Campbell said, “We are extremely excited about our third quarter NCLEX pass results for both our RN and LPN programs. This is not just a testament to our dedicated faculty and staff but a testament to those students who have worked so hard to achieve personal success.”

In other business, the board approved a tentative tax levy of $11,516,762, a 4.41 percent increase from the 2013 extension. Since it is less than 5 percent, it will not require a public notice and hearing.

Among the factors contributing to an anticipated 1 to 2 percent drop in the EAV is La Salle Exelon dropping from $485 million to $455 million. Exelon’s EAV accounts for 15 percent of the college’s tax base.
The board approved:

• The appointment of Matthew Suerth as the director of institutional research. Suerth was the associate director of IR at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
• Adding a full-time custodian due to the college increasing by a net 30,000 square-feet due to the construction of the Peter Miller Community Technology Center.
• Health savings plan contributions of $2,500 to individuals and $5,000 to “employees plus one” and families enrolled in the high-deductible health plan. By Jan. 1, 2016, the HDHP will be the only health insurance IVCC offers.
• The transfer of $19,805 from Fund 1 to a restricted fund for Project Success, a federally-funded TRiO program serving approximately 160 low-income, first generation and disabled students annually.
• A $2,500 payment to North Central Area Transit (NCAT) to help pilot a direct route from Streator to IVCC five days a week. With NCAT availability, IVCC estimates up to 100 Streator students per year will enroll in IVCC’s GED, ESL and literacy courses. The city of Streator is contributing $5,000 to the initiative.
• The annual lease payment of $8,566 per bus for two, 15-passenger shuttle buses from Midwest Transit Equipment of Kankakee.
• Bringing all elevators into compliance with state regulations by installing $14,110 in solid state starters.
• The board also learned:
• With 53 colleges and universities participating, an estimated 250 students and parents attended the 42nd annual College Night Oct. 9.
• The Human Services program organized an Oct. 15 domestic violence awareness event that included a tree ceremony, poster contest, ribbon tying and silhouettes representing victims.
• Approximately 300 students attended the Oct. 22 Manufacturing Expo at IVCC organized by North Central Regional Betterment Coalition, La Salle-Peru Township High School’s Area Career Center and district high schools. Caterpillar executive Jim Blass, a native of Peru and a 1975 IVCC graduate, delivered the closing address.
• Corcoran and Vice President for Business Services and Finance Cheryl Roelfsema met with Oglesby, La Salle and Peru police chiefs planning a regional emergency dispatch center in Oglesby. “The dispatch center would provide extraordinary learning opportunities for students and employees in our criminal justice, forensics and EMS programs,” said Corcoran.
• An estimated 180 students attended U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger’s Nov. 7 youth leadership conference at IVCC.
• Ralph Wedekind has been hired as third shift custodian and Susan Markwell as collection development and access librarian. Part-time math instructor Nancy Loebach announced her plans to resign at the end of the fall semester and accounts receivable specialist/cashier Tammy McCleary resigned Oct. 21.
• The volleyball team’s Oct. 21 “Dig Pink” fundraiser for breast cancer research raised $1,100, said student trustee Amy Rogowski.