The ICCTA Board of Representatives took the following actions at its Jan. 17, 2004, meeting at the Renaissance Hotel in Springfield, Illinois:

• Approved ICCTA's legislative agenda for 2004;
  
  
• Directed ICCTA staff to work with the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois State Board of Education, and the Governor's office in an effort to assist the Governor in identifying programs that should be managed by the ICCB and the community college system;
  
  
• Directed ICCTA leadership and staff to continue to work with ICCB, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and the Office of Management and Budget to develop and enact the most favorable budget for FY 2005 that is possible;
  
  
• Reminded trustees of the Feb. 8 - 11 National Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C, where ICCTA will hold two legislative briefings for Illinois trustees and sponsor a luncheon with U.S. Sens. Richard Durbin and Peter Fitzgerald;
  
  
• Adopted the following policy position: "The federal government should provide incentives that encourage working with the community colleges while opposing any efforts allowing governors to redirect Perkins Grant funds";
  
  
• Were informed that Government Relations chair Kathy Wessel (DuPage) nd ICCTA director of government relations Mike Monaghan plan to meet with the association's regional chairs in March to discuss local lobbying strategies;
  
  
• Elected Jim Beasley (Kaskaskia) to fill the unexpired term of ICCTA treasurer. A total of three candidates had applied for the vacancy;
  
  
• Learned that the following trustees have been appointed to serve on the ICCTA Executive Director Search Committee: ICCTA president Jake Rendleman (Logan), ICCTA vice president Albert Tyson (City Colleges), committee chair Rich Anderson (Lake County), Jim Ayers (Parkland), Dr. Kay Bennett (Southwestern), Dave Maguire (Spoon River), and Patti Wojcikowski (South Suburban). The committee currently is revising the job description and position qualifications for review and approval in March;
  
  
• Welcomed Geoffrey Obrzut, the new president/CEO of ICCB. A graduate of Triton College, Obrzut is a former Triton trustee, ICCTA treasurer, state legislator, and agency director;
  
  
• Were updated on the work of the ICCB Adult Education Funding Formula Task Force, which is seeking input on 12 recommendations for change;
  
  
• Adopted resolutions honoring the late State Rep. David Wirsing, retiring ICCB president/CEO Dr. Joseph Cipfl, and the late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon;
  
  
• Heard a report on the University of Illinois' Energy Resources Center study on higher education utility purchases. The study found that Illinois community colleges and universities could realize considerable financial savings by consolidating their natural gas and electrical purchases;
  
  
• Learned that the Trustees Association will soon begin its demographic survey of Illinois community college board members;
  
  
• Encouraged colleges to submit nominations for the Association of Community College Trustees' regional and national awards programs;
  
  
• Were invited to participate in the ICCB Leadership and Core Values conference on January 29-30 in Springfield; and
  
  
• Asked for suggestions on how to address a trustee's lack of attendance at local board meetings.

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