The Lake Land College Board of Trustees reviewed a nearly $60.8 million balanced operating budget and approved a new strategic plan at its meeting on July 14, 2025. The new strategic direction, guided by the motto “Education that Fits Your Life,” will focus on flexibility and streamlined services to better serve students. The outgoing strategic plan was lauded for successfully completing or integrating 94 of its 108 projects. The proposed budget will be on public display for 30 days before a final vote in August. For more details, please see the full articles.

The board also approved a request for state capital funding for major renovations to four campus buildings: the Northwest and Northeast Classroom Buildings, the West Building, and the library. If funded, the projects would require a local match from the college of over $16.7 million. Additionally, trustees accepted more than $740,000 in grants to support healthcare workforce training, services for underrepresented students, campus safety, and energy efficiency projects.

College Increases Baseball Scholarships
Following a rule change by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), the board approved an increase in the number of scholarships for the college’s baseball program. Director of Athletics Bill Jackson requested the change, which allows the program to offer 30 annual scholarships, up from the previous limit of 24. The revision to the Athletic Scholarship Guidelines is effective immediately.

Purchases Approved for New Effingham Technology Center
The board approved two significant purchases for the new Effingham Technology Center (ETC). Trustees authorized spending up to $137,148 for whiteboards and their installation in classrooms on two floors of the new facility. The boards will serve a dual purpose as both dry-erase surfaces and projector screens. A second purchase of $43,406 was approved for 24 new Leica DM500 microscopes for the ETC science lab, replacing dated equipment currently used at the Kluthe Center.

Generator Upgrades and Data Center Support Approved
Trustees approved a $253,230 expenditure with Altorfer for emergency repairs to the main campus’s backup generator system. The purchase will replace a failed computer and electronics system that is now obsolete. The college also approved a three-year, $34,578 agreement with Dell for a support and maintenance contract for the campus’s Vertiv uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system, which protects critical data center infrastructure.

Over $740,000 in Grants Accepted
The board formally accepted four grants totaling $743,177. The largest is a $360,104 grant from the Illinois Community College Board’s PATH program to support healthcare workforce training. A five-year federal TRIO grant will provide $286,109 in its first year to support low-income, first-generation, and disabled students. The college also accepted a $78,187 grant from the Illinois Green Economy Network and an $18,777 safety grant from the Illinois Public Risk Fund.

Contracts with Paraprofessionals and Vendors Renewed
The board approved a new three-year contract with the Lake Land College Paraprofessionals Association for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028. Additionally, trustees approved a three-year agreement with Salesforce for its Tableau+ data analytics software at an annual cost of $61,200. A one-year contract renewal with Cengage for digital course content was also approved with a minimum commitment of $50,250.

Marketing Specialist Terminated Following Closed Session
After returning from a closed session, the board voted to approve the administration’s recommendation to terminate the employment of Nate Dragovan, a Marketing Specialist, effective July 14, 2025. In a separate action, the board also approved a grievance settlement agreement with the Lake Land College Faculty Association related to program director pay.