State Sets New Training Requirements For Community College Trustees
Aug 12, 2016
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Effective January 1, 2017, all voting trustees for Illinois community colleges will be required to complete a minimum of 4 hours of professional development leadership training. Prior to Governor Rauner signing Public Act 99-0692 last week, trustees were only required to have training on the Illinois Open Meeting Act.
This new law requires all appointed[1] or elected voting members of a community college board to complete a minimum of 4 hours training on topics which include, but are not limited to: open meetings laws; community college and labor law; freedom of information law; contract law; ethics; sexual violence on campus; financial oversights and accountability; and audits and trustee fiduciary duties. This training must be completed during each of the first, third and fifth years of each trustee’s term.
The required training may be provided by an association established under the Illinois Public Community College Act for the purpose of training trustees (e.g., ICCTA) or by other qualified providers approved by the State Board, in consultation with an established association. Each trustee must certify completion of the training to the Board secretary. If the training requirement is not completed, the Board secretary must send a notice to all elected or appointed members on the Board and the President of the college stating that fact. The college’s website must also contain the names of all elected or appointed voting trustees and whether they have or have not successfully completed the required training.
Should you have any questions concerning the new training requirement, please contact your Robbins Schwartz attorney.
[1] The training requirements apply to persons appointed to fill a board vacancy of at least one year.
