The Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees met Monday night for the regular monthly meeting.  The Board learned that a New Faculty Orientation was held on Friday, February 7, 2014.  The orientation offered a special opportunity for new full-time instructors to learn more about the role and responsibilities of faculty at KC.  The program included presentations by members of the College administration, faculty, and staff on a number of subjects ranging from the institutional philosophy to the Student Success Model, teaching strategies, assessment, courses and programs offered at the College, and professional development opportunities.  The Board heard a report that recently the Curriculum Council approved a new Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Degree, three new certificate programs, and a total of 15 new courses.  In addition, substantial revisions to two other programs were approved.  These approvals are indicative of the ongoing review and development of curricula that are in direct response to our institutional mission.  The new degree offers students an opportunity to move beyond the existing certificate-level program, increasing their knowledge in this changing field, and preparing them for transfer to a four-year college or university.  KC will continue to offer the certificate, which includes two new courses and may be completed in two semesters, en route to the Associate’s degree.  The new courses and programs approved by the Curriculum Council are being submitted for approval by the Illinois Community College Board.  The Kaskaskia College Board approved a short certificate in CCNA, along with five new computer information technology courses, one of which focuses on exam preparation for the CCNA certification exam, a test which validates that the student can install, configure, operate and troubleshoot networks, is an industry-recognized credential in the networking field.  This program replaces the existing CISCO networking certificate.  The new computer technology courses are also included in the Network Administration AAS.  Two new certificates in Criminal Justice address the need for specific training in Retail Safety and Security and Private Security, areas of considerable need in the law enforcement field.  These programs represent important options for students in our Associate Degree program.  Each certificate is 25.5 credit hours and may be completed in two semesters.  In addition, two career readiness preparation classes were approved for students in our Adult Education Program, and changes in the pre-requisites for selected courses in chemistry and computer technology were shared with the group as informational items.  The new courses and programs approved by the Curriculum Council are being submitted for approval by the Illinois Community College Board.  The Board approved a resolution making preferred lenders, Wells Fargo and Sallie Mae, the sole lending source at Kaskaskia College.  The Board learned that a new Entrepreneur Club has been launched.  Understanding that job growth in a rural area is primarily going to be through the growth of small and medium-sized businesses, Kaskaskia College applied to The Coleman Foundation through the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship and was successful in receiving money to start two local Entrepreneur Clubs.  In January, the first meeting of the Salem Entrepreneur Club was held.  In personnel action, the Board accepted the resignation of Sam Hall, Building and Grounds Technician – Painter.  Brannon Etheridge of Centralia was re-classified as the new Building and Grounds Technician – Painter.  The Board also approved the hire of Jordan Coffey of Centralia as the new Enrollment Specialist and Yvonne Hallam of Mount Vernon as the Academic and Career Advisor for the Trio Program.  The Board approved a resolution for the purchase of an audio/video classroom control system and accepted a donation of a refrigerator/freezer for the HVAC Program.  The Board also approved the addition of the $122.50 annual fee for Radiologic Technology students beginning in the Fall 2014 Semester.  This fee will reduce the cost to students for hard copies of $40 annually, leaving a net of $82.50 for expanded information and benefits of website access.  This fee will allow for universal software to be utilized at ALL clinical sites for the Radiology program and was unanimously recommended by all hospitals that have partnered with the KC radiology program.