The ICCTA Board of Representatives took the following actions at its Jan. 18, 2003, meeting at the Renaissance Hotel in Springfield, Illinois:

• Voted unanimously not to approve the Illinois Board of Higher Education's FY 04 budget request. President John J. Daley (Moraine Valley) commented that the request, which proposes only a 2.4 percent increase in state funding for community colleges, was a "slap in the face" of every trustee. ICCTA will continue to seek state funding at the Illinois Community College Board's recommended levels (6.9 percent increase);
  
• Agreed to seek to introduce legislation to separate the ICCB from the authority of the IBHE;
  
• Were informed that ICCB voted on January 17 to negotiate a state budget independent of the IBHE's request;
  
• Discussed other strategies to protect future community college funding. ICCTA will provide testimony to the IBHE's Affordability Committee questioning the increasing share of state funding allocated to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, since the majority of ISAC grants goes to support attendance at expensive institutions. In addition, staff was asked to research and prepare a resolution supporting Illinois tax reform;
  
• Held a discussion with Dr. Robert Schiller, superintendent of the Illinois State Board of Education, on such issues as education funding, dual enrollment, school consolidation, innovative school practices, Michigan's school funding plan, and "seamless" vocational training;
  
• Heard that the Executive Committee decided not to approve an affinity agreement with Prepaid Legal Services;
  
• Suggested that ICCTA sponsor seminars on student housing and the role of the board chair;
  
• Recognized Illinois Valley Community College and Rend Lake College for their 1st- and 2nd-place efforts in the fall 2002 student voter registration drive sponsored by ICCTA and the ICCB Student Advisory Council; and
  
• Learned that the Nominating Committee will be accepting application for the offices of ICCTA vice president, secretary and treasurer for 2003-2004. Interested candidates will be interviewed on March 14 at William Rainey Harper College in Palatine. (Call Kim at 1-800-454-2282, ext. 1, to schedule an interview).
  

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