An area man is stepping down from the Illinois Eastern Community College District Board.
IECC trustees, at their monthly meeting Tuesday at Frontier Community College, Fairfield, said farewell to fellow board member Brady Waldrop.
Waldrop, Lawrenceville, is resigning because he was recently appointed as Lawrence County’s new state’s attorney. He took over the job Dec. 1, replacing Michael Strange, who is now serving as a circuit judge.
Waldrop was honored for his service to the district. He thanked the board for the opportunity to serve.
Also during the meeting, Chancellor Ryan Gower reported that IECC’s enrollment is up 1 percent over the fall 2021 semester. While modest, this marks the third consecutive term with positive enrollment for IECC.
Gower also reported about a recent trip to the Lift Center, a regional technology center available to high school juniors and seniors. IECC is exploring how it can better partner with area high schools to create pipelines to technical or vocational careers.
Dean Paul Bruinsma provided the board with information about IECC’s move to becoming a Guided Pathways institution. The change will clarify pathways to degree or certificate completion potentially reducing the time and financial resources necessary to earn a degree. The committee led by Bruinsma will submit its final recommendations by February.                
The board approved the Certification of Compliance with the Truth in Taxation Law and approved the Governmental Accounting Standards Board Designation of Tax Levy Year. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board is the organization that establishes accounting and financial reporting standards in the United States. 
Trustees hired Joseph Young for industrial maintenance at Olney Central College, Danielle Trapp for Social Services/Early Childhood at Wabash Valley College, Mari Yamato as temporary Art instructor at OCC and Erick Schmitt as a WVC maintenance worker, all effective Jan. 3.
Resignations were accepted from of Courtney Meadows, program director of Cosmetology, and Sarah Holtz, assistant program director of Cosmetology both effective Friday, and Mark Smith, WVC building manager, effective Jan. 31. 
Affiliation agreements were approved with Jasper County Ambulance, Lawrence County Ambulance, United Life Care Ambulance, Edwards County clerk, Hamilton Memorial Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital. 
The board named Empower Retirement as the next IECC Plan Record Keeper and accepted a proposal from Hurst-Rosche Inc. as the architect of record for the scope of projects outlined in the Request for Qualifications dated Sept. 28. Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is preparing several campus beautification and modernization projects for all four colleges.
The next regular board meeting will be 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, at OCC.