Iowa Lakes Community College Moves to Electronic Transcript System

(Estherville, Iowa) The Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees met Tuesday afternoon in Estherville for their regularly scheduled Board meeting.

Tuesday’s meeting began with a presentation from MJ Dolan. Dolan is the Executive Director of the Iowa Association of Community College Trustees and provided the Board with an update on her organization and current happenings in the legislature.

Following Dolan’s update, the Executive Director of Human Resources, Kathy Muller, requested board approval for a list of employees seeking early retirement and approval of the three-year academic calendar. The board unanimously approved both items.

Julie Williams, Executive Dean of Students, then introduced Barb Grandstaff, Registrar, who was scheduled to provide an update on the Records Department of Iowa Lakes Community College. Prior to Grandstaff’s presentation, Williams shared that Grandstaff has been employed by Iowa Lakes Community College for 30 years and has her Master’s degree from Iowa State University. During Grandstaff’s time with Iowa Lakes, she has worked in the Continuing Education Department, held the Grant Writer position, helped with Institutional Advancement, and now is the Registrar in the Records Department.

Following her introduction, Grandstaff began her presentation by sharing that the Records Department has transitioned to using a new electronic transcript system.

“Both the request process and all transcript submissions may now be sent electronically,” said Grandstaff.

With the electronic transcript system, as soon as students places an order, if there is no hold on their account, transcripts are sent automatically. Students are still able to request to have transcripts mailed and the Records office staff monitors and facilities this process.

Following Grandstaff’s presentation, Delaine Hiney, Executive Director of Facilities Management, provided the Board with an update on the current building status of the Fine Arts Facility on the Estherville Campus. During Hiney’s presentation, she requested a “change order” to the project.

Hiney stated, “Change Order 2 includes deductions for the revision of the smoke hatches and the removal of the partial rails in the house aisles. Additions to the work order include making soil modifications on the loading dock drive, the removal of unsuitable soils as determined by the geotechnical engineer, recessing an area for nameplates on the wooden arms of the Fine Arts Facility chairs and lowering the footings on the west side of the building. The total of Change Order #2 is an additional $18,760.” The board approved Change Order #2, as requested by Hiney.

Next, Jolene Rogers, Executive Director of Community and Business Relations, requested Board Approval for a $5,000 donation to the Northwest Iowa Small Business Development Center from the Siouxland Economic Development Corporation. This donation is being offered to provide support for the work being done in the Siouxland area, by the Small Business Development Center and it’s Program Director, Michael Wampler. The board approved the acceptance of this donation.

Rogers then provided the Board with an update on various activities and events that are scheduled to take place in the next several months and also provided an update on the Scholarship Application process.

“We see great interest in the scholarship application process. Early-bird priority awarding will begin with applications completed as of February 1st”, said Rogers.

The board was then provided with various statistics that outlined the outcomes of the Iowa Skilled Workforce programs.

In other business, the Trustees received a Treasurers Report, a listing of monthly bills, and a request to set a date for the Public Hearing on the FY2020 Published Budget from the Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Soper. The Public Hearing was scheduled to take place during the next Board meeting, at 4:30 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2019.

Soper also requested approval of a course fee change. The course fee change is for Cultural Anthropology, due to the implementation of an e-book, as requested by the instructor. The Board approved the course fee change.

“Our instructors continue to adopt electronic book options to help defray the costs of book purchases by our students,” said Soper.

The next meeting of the Iowa Lakes Board of Trustees will be on Tuesday, February 19, 2019, in Estherville.

For More Information:

Iowa Lakes Marketing office at 712-362-7947