Parkland Trustees Approve Budget, Purchases to Enhance Public Safety

Parkland College's Board of Trustees adopted next year's budget and made purchases to enhance public safety across campus at its monthly meeting Wednesday.

Parkland College's Board of Trustees adopted next year's budget and made purchases to enhance public safety across campus at its monthly meeting Wednesday.

During the meeting, trustees also approved a new contract with the college's Part-Time Faculty Organization and postponed a vote on the college's Public Safety Officers Association contract. Additionally, Trustees approved the annual salary increase for administrators of 5.45% effective July 1, 2024. 

Trustees accepted the FY 2025 budget, which includes a $3,660,338 operating deficit. The deficit includes $1.5M in planned aviation expenses and assumes a $2.2M decline in CPPRT revenues. Chief Financial Officer Chris Randles first presented the tentative budget in July, and the budget was on display for public review and input in early August.

The new public safety purchases include licenses for six Flock Safety Falcon license plate reader cameras with data access from Flock Group, Inc. of Atlanta, for $36,000 and five Taser Model 10 energy weapons with accessories and training from Axon Enterprise, Inc. of Scottsdale, Ariz., for $26,872 over five years.

Following President Pamela Lau's remarks to the board, Krishna Thomas, director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, presented the following 2024 awards for faculty and staff excellence:

• Teaching Excellence Award - Sarah Grison, PhD, Psychology Faculty, Social Sciences and Human Services
• Outstanding Full-time Faculty Leadership Award: Amanda Briggs, Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Director, Institute of Aviation
• Staff Gold Award (5+ Years' Service): 2024 Sean Dannenfeldt, Operations Manager, Arts and Sciences
• Staff Green Award (<5 Years' Service): Daniel M. Reck, Technical Support Specialist, Campus Technologies

More information about the awards and award recipients is available at the college's website.

In other business, trustees approved:

• hiring a temporary project manager for the Colleague Modernization project via CDW, Vernon Hills, IL, $197,000
• the purchase of:
  • storage and shop equipment from Grainger, Lake Forest, IL, $55,000
  • furniture and installation from Krueger International, Green Bay, WI, $44,205
  • additional costs of furniture and installation from Krueger International, Green Bay, WI, $13,462
• the filing of grant applications:
  • U.S. Department of Education: TRIO Student Support Services (SSS)
  • Illinois Arts Council (IAC): General Operating Support (GOS) Grants
  • Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN): Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN): Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund (IEPA funding) – General Membership Award
• funds awarded to Parkland from external sources:
  • Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT): FY24 Highway Construction Careers Training Program (HCCTP)
  • Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE): Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education (FCAE)—Local Program Support
  • Local Workforce Development Board 17—LWIA 17 Youth Committee (via CCRPC): 2024 Youth Providers Grant (WIOA)
  • Illinois Community College Board (ICCB): FY2024 Pipeline for the Advancement of the Healthcare Workforce (PATH)—SWFT Healthcare
  • Illinois Community College Board (ICCB): FAFSA Events
  • Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE): Illinois Cooperative Work Study (ICWS)
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): NIFA FY24 Higher Education Challenge Grants—Expansion of a multi-institutional degree program in animal sciences and veterinary technology
  • National Science Foundation (NSF): Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)— Microbial Interactions Create Research Opportunities for Community College Students (MICRO-CCs)
• personnel appointments and modifications:
  • Jonathon Peirce, Associate Director, Project Management, Campus Technologies
  • Jennifer Harbaugh, Associate Director, Admissions and Records
  • Parker Allen, Flight Instructor, Aviation
  • Amara Rahman, Flight Instructor, Aviation
  • Jennifer Clifton, Scheduling Systems Analyst, Academic Services
  • Kennedy Potempa, Assistant, Accessibility Services
  • Alex Kollmann, Coordinator, Assessment Center
  • Kyle Waller, Multimedia Support Specialist, Campus Technologies
  • Sarah Calvert, Multimedia Support Specialist, Campus Technologies
  • Riley Miller, Infrastructure Specialist, Campus Technologies
  • Kaamilyah Karim, Head Teacher, Child Development Center
  • Maureen Fuller, Program Manager, Training & Professional Development, Community Education
  • Anna Kong, Enterprise Applications Analyst, Campus Technologies
  • Rebecca Richardson, Enrollment Services Technology Specialist, Admissions and Records
  • Megan Przygoda, Program Manager, Career Specialist, Career and Community Engagement