Student Success
Academic Affairs and Student Success Staff
Brian Messner
Director for Academic Affairs
217-785-0144
Brian.Messner2@illinois.gov
Marcus Brown
Deputy Director for Academic Affairs and Student Success
217-524-5503
Marcus.Brown@illinois.gov
Mackenzie Montgomery
Director for Student Support
217-557-7119
Mackenzie.Montgomery@illinois.gov
Patrick F. Moore
Senior Director for Academic Affairs and Instruction
217-558-4163
Patrick.F.Moore@illinois.gov
Tricia Broughton
Associate Director for Academic Affairs
217-785-0082
Tricia.Broughton@illinois.gov
Deana Schenk
Senior Director for Student Success
217-524-5502
deana.schenk@illinois.gov
Aubrey Carlock
Intern
217-557-7119
aubrey.hebenstreit@illinois.gov
Developmental Education
Developmental Education Reform Act Background
The Developmental Education Reform Act (DERA) was signed into law in March 2021. DERA aims to address inequities in degree completion by race and income status by reforming developmental education placement and delivery. Developmental education allows academically underprepared students to build skills that are necessary for preparation and success in gateway mathematics and English courses as well as other college level courses.
Fiscal Year 2023 Status of Developmental Education Reform in the Illinois Community College System (Feb 15, 2023) – This report provides a status update on developmental education reforms for Illinois community college, as well as developmental education student outcomes by model as required by DERA.
Fiscal Year 2023 Status of Developmental Education and College-Level Coursework Placement Policy and Outcomes in the Illinois Community College System (June 30, 2023) – this report provides an overview of each community college’s developmental education and college-level coursework placement policy and the policy’s outcomes. The data is consistent with the Illinois Community College Board’s requirements for data collection and is disaggregated by developmental education course model, by gender, race and ethnicity, and federal Pell Grant status.
Senate Joint Resolution 41
Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 41 directed the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) and the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) to convene a Joint Advisory Council to provide several deliverables to the General Assembly by April 1, 2020.
- Inventory and evaluate all developmental education instructional models
- Inventory all instructional models and developmental course sequences in math and English
- An analysis of all instructional models for students placed into developmental education or otherwise determined to need additional skills development in math or English, including, at a minimum, the number and percentage of students completing gateway courses within their first two semesters under each model
- An inventory and analysis of developmental education placement practices and policies (including cut off scores)
SJR 41 Advisory Committee Reports.
Placement Recommendations
Recommendations of the Illinois Community College Chief Academic Officers (ICCCAO) & Illinois Community College Chief Student Services Officers (ICCCSSO) on Placement Methods and Scores. On June 1, 2018, the Illinois Council of Community College Presidents approved a common Placement Framework for the 48 Illinois Community Colleges. This framework operates under the following assumptions:
- The document recommends that colleges use multiple measures for placement. At this point, it is not a mandate, but a system wide agreement. Many more steps are required to reach full implementation and complete consistency.
- The recommendation suggests a list of valid measures to choose from, including the scores on those measures.
- The recommendation charges the ICCB with doing further research about the validity of those measures.
- The recommendation charges the ICCB with putting together a working group to go over implementation issues. This working group must come from a cross-section of stakeholders in the Illinois community college system.
- The document demonstrates that the Illinois Community College system is aware of disparities in placement across the state and is actively working to correct those disparities in a collaborative manner.
- The ICCB has supported this effort, has been involved in high-level conversations about this work, and has worked to balance local control issues with the need for more statewide consistency on this issue.
These represent the most recent collection of placement scores available in the Illinois Community College System. These scores are subject to change based upon local community college decisions. This information is provided to assist community colleges with their efforts to implement the Final Placement Recommendations.
Reducing Remediation Workshop Resources Slides for the presentation by Dr. John Hetts: Let Icarus Fly: Multiple Measures in Assessment and the Re-imagination of Student Capacity
Mental Health Early Action on Campus
Recognizing the growing issue with mental health on college campuses and the disparities college students face in understanding mental health and accessing mental health supports, the State of Illinois passed the Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act (110 ILCS 58) which became effective July 1, 2020, with the intention of addressing gaps in mental health services on college campuses.
Beginning 2023, funding has been allocated to support the administration of the Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act’s requirements. In each subsequent year, all community colleges have received direct institutional allocations for this work, with additional competitive funding available in FY2025.
110 ILCS 58 Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act
Campus Liaisons
HOUSE Liaisons
Beginning August 1, 2022, Illinois Public Act 102-0083, the Higher Education House and Opportunities Act, requires each institution of higher education to designate a member of staff to serve as the Housing and Opportunities that are Useful for Students’ Excellence Liaison (HOUSE Liaison).
HOUSE Liaisons provide assistance and resources to any homeless student or student in foster care enrolled at the institution. HOUSE Liaisons are also required to undergo annual training and collect certain data on the institution’s homeless population as part of this role. Additional HOUSE Liaison responsibilities are detailed in the legislation Below, ICCB includes links to the required annual training as well as links to other resources that may be beneficial to HOUSE Liaisons:
Community College HOUSE Liaison Contact List
IL Public Act 102-0083 Higher Education Housing and Opportunities Act
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
National Center for Homeless Education
Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness
Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness
Southern Illinois Coalition for the Homeless
Academic Year 2024-2025 HOUSE Liaison Training
If you are a HOUSE Liaison that has not completed the mandatory training for AY 2024-2025, you must view the recorded training videos, complete and sign the training certification statement, and return in. Community college HOUES Liaisons should submit their certification statement to iccb.studentservices@illinois.gov . The training must be completed and certification statement sent by October 31, 2024.
Play the HOUSE Liaison Training Video
McKinney-Vento and HOUSE Liaison Collaboration Webinar
Annual Reports on Homeless Students and Youth in Care
The Higher Education Housing and Opportunities Act requires institutions to annually report to ICCB about the activities of the HOUSE Liaison and the number of homeless students and youth in care enrolled at each institution. These reports are summarized into a state overview report.
Benefits Navigators
Beginning January 1, 2023, each public institution of higher education in Illinois is required by Public Act 102-1045, section 50 to designate a member of staff to serve as a Benefits Navigator to help students in need determine eligibility for benefit programs and identify campuswide and community resource support. Benefits Navigator roles are in response to increased student needs for basic needs support. Institutions are required to provide training for the Benefits Navigators. Additionally, the designated staff member will participate in a Communities of Practice (CoP) held by ICCB and IBHE to coordinate with Benefits Navigators at other public institutions of higher education to develop best practices. Additional HOUSE Liaison responsibilities are detailed in the legislation. Below, ICCB includes links to resources that may benefit Benefits Navigators:
Community College Benefits Navigator Contact List
IL Public Act 102-1045 Benefits Navigator Legislation
June 6, 2023 State Consortium Meeting Resources and Recordings
IDHS: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP
IDHS: Cash Assistance Programs
IDHS: Women, Infants, and Children – WIC
IDHS: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families – TANF
IDHS Child Care Assistance Program – CCAP
IDHS Medical Assistance Program
Undocumented Student Resource Liaison
Beginning the 2022-2023 academic year, each public institution of higher education in Illinois is required by Illinois House Bill 3438 to designate an employee as an Undocumented Student Resource Liaison. The Undocumented Student Resource Liaison must be available on campus to provide assistance to undocumented students and mixed status students within the United States. An Undocumented Student Resource Liaison’s primary duties are to streamline access to financial aid and provide academic support, allowing the student to matriculate to degree completion successfully. Additional Undocumented Student Resource Liaison responsibilities are detailed in the legislation. Below, ICCB includes links to resources that may benefit Undocumented Student Resource Liaisons.
Community College Undocumented Student Resource Liaison Contact List
House Bill 3438 Undocumented Student Resource Liaison
Illinois Student Assistance Commission, ISAC
Illinois Dream Fund Commission
Illinois Attorney General Know your rights handout (Comes in 7 other languages)
Latino Policy Forum Comprehensive Resources for New Arrivals & Providers – Google Drive
Resurrection Project Immigration Resource Hub
Veterans Coordinator
Each public college and university shall designate a Veteran Coordinator to be an ombudsperson dedicated to meeting the unique needs of student veterans, military personnel, and their families. This person will advocate for the needs of student veterans with the college or university administration. The college or university will allow the Coordinator of Veterans and Military Personnel Student Services to communicate periodically with the senior executive administration. The college or university will have the discretion to determine the organizational management structure of its institution. Below, ICCB includes links to resources that may benefit Veterans Coordinators
Community College Veterans Coordinator Contact List
Higher Education Veterans Service Act, P.A. 102-0295
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
IDHFS Health Care for Veterans Home
Please direct questions about any campus liaisons to Deana Schenk, Senior Director for Student Success, deana.schenk@illinois.gov, or Mackenzie Montgomery, Director for Student Success, Mackenzie.Montgomery@Illinois.gov.
Student Success Reporting
Campus Security Reports
The 2008 Campus Security Enhancement Act requires all campuses to create and maintain a Campus Emergency Operations Plan and a Violence Prevention Plan. I
State legislation and ICCB Administrative Rules require these plans be submitted annually to your local Emergency Services and Disaster Agency (ESDA), the regional Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) office, and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). The Illinois Campus Law Enforcement Administrators created a checklist to be used as a guide to creating these plans.
The specific content of the ICCB Administrative rules regarding Campus Emergency Operations Plans and Campus Violence Prevention Plans is listed below:
SUBPART D: COORDINATION, SUBMISSION AND REVIEW GUIDELINES FOR CAMPUS EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN AND CAMPUS VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN
Section 305.90 Coordination, Submission and Review (p140)
a) The CEOP and CVPP should be coordinated with the local ESDA. Where the CEOP and/or CVPP cannot be coordinated with ESDA capabilities, the IEMA Regional Office should provide guidance to help identify resources. Upon completion of the CEOP and CVPP by the higher education institution, a copy of each should be provided to the local ESDA, IEMA Regional Office, and either IBHE or ICCB, as appropriate.
b) Each higher education institution should conduct an annual review and update. The review and update should include the components in Subparts B and C.
c) The campus administrators responsible for the execution of the CEOP and CVPP should participate in the review. Participation by the director of campus public safety, campus emergency planning team, local mental health provider, local first responder agency, county or major municipal emergency manager, and other persons deemed appropriate by the higher education institution is recommended.
d) If amendments are deemed appropriate by the higher education institution, those amendments should be coordinated with the local ESDA. A copy of the amendments should be provided to the local ESDA, IEMA Regional Office, and either IBHE or ICCB, as appropriate.
Student Debt Assistance Act and Reporting
The Student Debt Assistance, 110 ILCS 66, prohibits withholding of unofficial transcripts on the grounds that a student owes a debt and outlines provisions requiring release of official transcripts for purposes expressly identified in the legislation.
Additionally, community colleges are required to report on or before July 1, 2024 and on or before each Jully 1 thereafter, to the Illinois Community College board information regarding financial-based transcript and registration holds.
Student Parent Data Collection Act and Reporting
The Student Parent Data Collection Act, enacted on September 1, 2021, requires higher education public institutions to collect and report annually the parental status of each of its enrolled students, specified demographics, and select outcomes to the Illinois Community College Board. In addition, higher education public institutions that operate one or more child care centers or early learning centers on its campus or is otherwise affiliated with a child care center or early learning center are required to collect and report specified information concerning the number of children served to the ICCB. The intent of the reporting requirements is to provide stakeholders with more accurate information on student parents enrolled in the public higher education system and to better target resources for effective programs (like child care centers on campus) for student parents.