I. Introductions

II. ICCB Updates

a. IAI Update on Changes to GECC and Major Panels (Barbara Risse) –

i. Barbara reminded us of the eight recommendations made by the consultants to improve IAI from last year. One recommendation was to stop the practice of having the majors panels review courses. The recommendation also included having community colleges drop the IAI major code on such courses in their course catalogs. There was some opposition to this that resulted in additional study. The new practice includes having the majors’ panels choose up to four core courses for review and submission for articulation between the community colleges and 4-year institutions. Those courses will continue to have IAI codes; any other courses identified (above the initial four core courses) will have elective credit assigned for the purposes of IAI.

ii. We will be receiving additional information from Barbara on the new expectation that community colleges will develop a team approach to approving courses for submission for IAI review.

iii. The www.itransfer.org website is being redesigned. It will be updated and will be used to link to other transfer information (i.e., CAS, Financial Aid, transfer planning).

iv. Students who graduate with an AES, AAT in science or AFA degree will be given the option of completing the IAI general education core at their transfer institution or the institution’s lower division core requirements. This will also be granted to students transferring without a degree but with at least 30 credit hours.

v. Barbara needs the following faculty representation on IAI panels: 4 from physical science, 1 from behavioral science, and 2 from criminal justice. Tom Choice will follow up with appropriate CAO’s for representatives.

b. Student Success Grant – How are we using this funding on our campuses? (Linda Uzureau) –

i. Linda will be proposing a name change for this task force from “Developmental” to “Student Success”. Linda provided a brief history of this grant. Two years ago, Linda began an initiative to try to get the former “Special Populations” funding re-funded. The Governor vetoed this line item last year. There were several CAO’s and CSSO’s who worked with Linda this past year. The task force also received support from Women Employed (an advocate group from Chicago). After much work, $3,000,000 was distributed across the state this year. All Illinois community colleges have received some funding. The funding formula reflects the number of developmental credit hours generated, the percentage of minority students, and the number of students with disabilities served at each institution. The grant funding cannot be used to supplant but to enhance services only. Linda distributed a sample report from Prairie State College for our review. Elaine Johnson will be asking all of us to prepare a preliminary summary report (one page) of how we are using these funds.

ii. Cecelia Lopez from Harold Washington College and Stephanie Hawley from Morton College will be joining the group. Linda asked Pam Clodfelter to find another Student Services Officer to serve on the task force.

c. Update on AAT Degrees (Carol Lanning) – If community colleges are having difficulty designing their AAT degrees and keeping the credit hours at or near 64 credit hours, go ahead and submit to ICCB for review. They will review on an individual basis and may provide feedback on the submission.

d. CAS Update (Carol Lanning) – Initiative has been funded via a HECA grant for another year. New receiving institutions have been licensed as such and will continue to be recruited. All community colleges have agreed to be designed as a “sending” institution. Check it out at www.transfer.org (not itransfer). Discussion followed regarding how CurricuNet may integrate with this website/system.

e. Program Review Changes (Carol Lanning) – There is a difference in the way we report our findings to ICCB via program review. Also, there is a set schedule for review across all institutions for academic and career/technical programs. The schedule is available on the ICCB website under publications > manuals. Joan Kerber reported the CSSO’s will attempt to establish a common reporting cycle for the Student Services areas also (although ICCB is not dictating this to us).

III. IBHE Strategic Planning Update and Opportunity for Feedback (Gary Alexander) –

a. Gary informed us that he and Elaine are collaborating on student success initiatives between IBHE and ICCB. He informed us of the strategic planning process in place that is responsible for creating a new vision for the next 5 years (IBHE 2011: A Blueprint for Illinois’ Future). Gary allowed for input from our groups. Linda asked to what extent Elaine would have the opportunity to provide input into the new process. Gary informed us that IBHE is not going to dump the Illinois Commitment Report entirely – perhaps it will be tweaked in the future. Tom Choice asked Gary what input individual community colleges have provided to date. Gary doesn’t believe we have had the opportunity at this point. He is open to receiving it in various forms (i.e., email, report, focus groups). Gary will discuss our concerns (lack of opportunity to provide input) with his supervisor. Once the draft document is made available, he will send it to Elaine for appropriate distribution to the CAO’s and CSSO’s at the community colleges (possibly via the listserv).

b. Nursing School and HECA Grants – Harriet Custer addressed the issue that this grant’s eligibility requirements typically exclude Illinois community colleges. Also, HECA funding seems to be aligned to 4-year institutions more than community colleges. Many agreed these actions are part of the continued feeling that IBHE doesn’t value what community colleges do. Discussion followed.

IV. Proposed AS Degree Changes (Allan Saaf) –

a. Allan wants to see the community colleges given the opportunity to make the Associate in Science Degree more flexible in order to accommodate students majoring in many science fields. Due to the pre-requisites for such majors, often general education courses must be spread out over all four years of the bachelor’s degree program of study. Allan reported that he received some feedback from community colleges where there appears to be some support for further investigation. Allan will continue to work with ICCB staff to develop an official proposal.

V. Announcements

a. Next Meeting – Presidents’ Council/CAO’s/CSSO’s on January 18, 2007 in Springfield. More information to follow. Please provide suggestions for agenda items to either Tom Choice or Pam Clodfelter.

Meeting adjourned at 9:25 a.m.