Minutes- Special Board Meeting

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Item #CA-1B
April 2, 2002
STATE OF ILLINOIS
BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION
MINUTES – SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
February 15, 2002
A special teleconference meeting of the Illinois Board of Higher Education was called to
order at 10 a.m. in the Chatterton Room of the Board of Higher Education offices, Springfield,
Illinois on February 15, 2002.
Philip J. Rock, Chairman, presided.
Patricia Sexton was Secretary for the meeting.
The following Board Members were present by teleconference:
Mark E. Barmak Thomas R. Lamont
J. Robert Barr Steven H. Lesnik
Jerry D. Blakemore John C. Thompson
Edward T. Duffy Jane T. Williamson
Samuel K. Gove
Opening Remarks by Chairman Philip J. Rock
“The purpose of our meeting today is to finalize the selection of a new Executive
Director. After the Executive Session on February 5, it was left to me to negotiate with Dr.
Daniel LaVista, the current President of McHenry County College, to see if we could come to
terms with respect to his employment. We have reached an agreement. The agreement is
virtually identical to the contract signed by us and by Keith Sanders four years ago. The contract
calls for Dr. LaVista to begin May 1, 2002. The duration of the contract is three years. The
salary is $225,000, which is the average for college presidents across Illinois. Dr. LaVista’s
current salary is $210,000 because he had the benefit of the State Universities Retirement System
payment made for him, an annuity paid for him, and a housing allowance. None of those items
are specifically included in this contract, so the salary is a flat $225,000. Dr. LaVista is pleased
with that.
“Dr. LaVista will be arriving in Springfield soon. He and I will go over to the press room
at the Capitol Building and announce his employment to the press corps, assuming that this Board
is prepared to approve the contract as presented. Mr. Lesnik made a motion to approve the
contract and Mr. Barmak seconded it.
The Board of Higher Education, on motion made by Mr. Lesnik and seconded by
Mr. Barmak, unanimously approved the contract negotiated with Daniel J. LaVista to become
Executive Director of the Board of Higher Education.
The roll call vote on the resolution was as follows: Yes – Barmak, Barr, Blakemore,
Duffy, Gove, Lamont, Lesnik, Rock, Thompson, Williamson. No – none.