Parkland Board Prepares for Return to Campus in Fall

Board of Trustees General Meeting, July 21

Parkland College's Board of Trustees recently made strategic preparations for the return to campus this fall, including renewal of employee contracts and library database services and the purchase of a new ambulance simulator.

At its regular meeting Wednesday, the board also heard spring and summer enrollment reports from Kristin Smigielski, dean of enrollment management, and reviewed the tentative budget for FY2022. The tentative budget will be on display for public viewing in the college's business office and a public notice will appear in the News-Gazette. 

Trustees approved collective bargaining agreements with each of the college's part-time faculty, public safety officers, professional support staff, and academic employees.

Mark Sheldon, chairman of the Middleground PAC, came to honor Trustee Johnson, a former United States Congressman, during public comments by announcing a new endowed scholarship to the Parkland Foundation in his name. Mr. Sheldon shared that the announcement comes as part of an effort to distribute the funds remaining from Johnson’s prior congressional campaigns to charitable causes.

The board also approved various purchases to support the incoming class for the fall semester, including software for Parkland College Learning Commons' open-access digital repository, SPARK; database resources from EBSCO; and an ambulance simulator. SPARK boasts more than 5,500 digital scholar objects. The Learning Commons (formerly the Parkland Library) will also be supported by a renewed contract with EBSCO, which provides information-research resources and infrastructure. 

The new ambulance simulator will provide Health Professions students with "real-life" emergency medical training. It will consist of a "rear box" patient treatment compartment with lighting, storage, air, ventilation, sound, and power for auxiliary equipment.

In other business, trustees approved:

• updates to the Policy and Procedures Manual

• the bid from DiaMedical of Michigan for the ambulance simulator, $38,990

• the bid from TSI Commercial Flooring for the removal and installation of carpet in the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) space in the Parkland on Mattis facility, $43,590

• Canteen Vending Corporation as the vending service provider beginning August 1, 2021 through July 31, 2024

• adoption of the resolution affirming the College's participation in the Champaign County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2020

• renewal of the 3-year lease with Education for Employment (EFE) through July 1, 2024

• the purchase of:  

  • new grounds equipment from Deere & Company, $90,055

  • SPARK Institutional Repository renewal, $25,856

  • EBSCO Parkland Learning Commons Package renewal, $33,113

• the filing of the following grant applications:

  • U.S. Department of Education: Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS)

  • Illinois Community College Board (ICCB): FY22 Scaling Apprenticeship Program Supplemental Grant

  • Illinois Community College Board (ICCB): Apprenticeship Grant: Customized Apprenticeship Programming—Information Technology (CAP-IT) (DOL-ETA, Year 3 funding)

• the acceptance of funds from external sources:

  • Local Workforce Development Board 17—LWIA 17 Youth Committee: WIOA Youth Programming

  • Illinois Community College Board (ICCB): Early School Leaver Transition Program

• personnel appointments: 

  • Tracey Hickox, Instructional Services Coordinator, Learning Commons

  • Rebecca Lewis, Selective Admissions Associate, Admissions

  • Julianna Liffick, Assistant Teacher, Child Development Center