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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The President of Parkland College is sticking around for another year following an extension to her contract.
The trustees met Wednesday and approved several pieces of business. Chief among them was the approval of a one-year extension to President Pamela Lau’s contract. Lau has been employed by the college for 30 years and she became its president two years ago on a four-year contract. The extension to her contract now goes through June 30, 2028.
In addition, the board also discussed next steps for a proposed tax levy for Fiscal Year 2025. The requested levy is $37.3 million — $22.2 million for the college’s educational funds, $8.5 million for operations and maintenance, $2.7 million for protection, health and safety and $2.2 million for tort liability.
In other business, the board also approved:
- A motion to abate the lax levied for 2024 on $5.86 million of general obligation bonds
- The 2026-2027 academic calendar
- A $62,000 contract with Pauly Group of Springfield
- Electricity and natural gas utility service from Constellation Energy of Chicago
- A $712,000 bid for the Electrical Distribution Panel Safety Improvements – Phase I project from Bodine Electric of Decatur
- The purchase of:
- Furniture and installation from Kruger International, Green Bay, Wisc., worth $42,476
- A 2025 Tesla Model 3 worth $58,630
- The filing of grant applications with:
- The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB): FY25 Innovative Bridge and Transition Grant
- Community Colleges for International Development (CCID): Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET) Exchange to Advance U.S.-Singaporean Relations Program
- ICCB: FY25 Noncredit Workforce Training Initiative Grant
- ICCB: Mental Health Early Action on Campus Support Expansion Project
- Funds awarded to Parkland from external sources:
- ICCB: FY2025 Federal Postsecondary Perkins Basic Grant – Career and Technical Education
- ICCB: Adult Education and Literacy: Integrated English Language and Civics Education (IELCE)
- ICCB: Illinois Community College Board (ICCB): Adult Education & Family Literacy Activities (AEFLA)
- ICCB: Workforce Equity Initiative (WEI) — Support for Workforce Training (SWFT)
- Personnel appointments and modifications