Monday, March 12, 2007 11:18 PM CDT
Lake Land board’s 4-3 vote denies domestic partner benefits
Trustees approve hike in tuition and fees
By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com
MATTOON -- Lake Land College Board of Trustees voted down a domestic partner policy Monday night by a slim margin.
The policy would have offered the option to college employees living with and agreeing to long-term financial commitments to domestic partners. The proposed policy was formulated from information compiled by a college task force formed last August by college President Bill Thallemer. The task force included employees from different sections of the college community.
Trustees Leland Glazebrook, Anne Kabbes, Kent Metzger and Jim Shaffer voted down the policy for different reasons, including the added expenses to the college’s employee benefits costs. Board Chairman Mike Sullivan and trustees Marianne Morgan and Doris Reynolds as well as student trustee Todd Rauch, voted for accepting the domestic partner policy.
The vote was not a tie because Rauch’s votes are non-binding on policy issues, according to board bylaws.
Metzger questioned the feasibility of accepting the new policy with estimated costs ranging from $4,000 to $8,000 more per employee using the domestic partner option in the future. Those figures were cited by Thallemer.
Metzger argued the college works to keep costs down, but approval of the domestic partner policy would work against that philosophy.
Metzger said the college was going “beyond the curve” with the options in the proposal. He contended it contradicted some policies already in force within the state of Illinois.
Sullivan said there was no evidence the policy change would add a great number of domestic partners to the college benefit rolls. Thallemer cited statistics from several other community colleges in Illinois showing only a handful of employees agreed to participate in similar options.
In addition, Sullivan said there are strong legal and financial parameters that must be met before any employee and partner can qualify for the policy. Failure to meet and maintain those requirements would end the benefit, he noted.
“There’s teeth in this agreement,” Sullivan said. “They will look at pretty strong issues before they make a commitment to it.”
The declaration for the domestic partner option requires an employee to have a person residing in the same residence with intent to do so indefinitely, and proof of joint common welfare and shared financial obligations, including designation of life insurance, retirement funds or inclusion in another’s will.
Falsifying information on the domestic partner declaration document would lead to disciplinary action, including possible dismissal, for the college employee.
“They have to commit to it,” Morgan said.
The proposed policy did not refer specifically to same-sex partnerships, but Sullivan commented on those concerns from some. He cited statistics showing that the overwhelming majority of domestic partnerships covered by such agreements across the country involved heterosexual partners. And that would apply to the Lake Land district as well.
Trustees approve fee hike
Full-time Lake Land students will pay about $58.50 more per semester, starting with summer classes, with a $3.90 tuition and fees increase per semester hour. Trustees approved the move Monday.
Thallemer cited increasing costs and reductions in governmental support for community colleges across the state as prompting the hike. He said the increase was deemed necessary to make up that shortfall even though it does place most costs on students.
The increase, which takes effect for summer classes, breaks down to $3 more per hour for tuition, 65 cents in addition for textbook rental and 25 cents more for library fees. The increases were accepted unanimously by the board.
Thallemer said the college, even with the increase, still rates the third lowest on in-district tuition rates at $69.90 per credit hour. This compares to South Suburban at $96.75 at the top of the list, and Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, including Lincoln Trail, Wabash Valley, Olney Central and Frontier colleges, at $56. Lake Land is also below the state average of $74.04.
The board also approved increases in Child Care Lab fees on the program that offers a service to students, faculty and staff with children and a teaching and learning tool for Early Childhood Education students at the college.
The fees for half-day rates increase by $1 to a total of $11.50 for fall 2007, and another dollar to $12.25 in fall 2008. The full-day rates will increase by $1 to $18.50 this fall and another dollar to $19.50 in fall 2008.
Scott Lensink said these increases amount to 5 to 6 percent. He said the plan is to keep the increases modest to make the program viable, while not burdening students or other parents using the program. He said students can seek assistance on the fees if they qualify.
Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.
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Congrats! wrote on Apr 10, 2007 9:35 AM: