Sandburg Board Renews Contract for President Reilly

GALESBURG — The Carl Sandburg College Board of Trustees at its regular monthly meeting Thursday approved a four-year contract renewal for President Dr. Seamus Reilly.

 

The new contract goes into effect July 1 and ends June 30, 2027. This is the second contract extension issued to Reilly, who has served since 2018 as Sandburg’s seventh president. Reilly’s existing contract was set to expire in June 2024. The renewal is standard with the Board’s practices dating back to the tenure of the College’s fourth president, Donald Crist.

 

The Board also approved a voluntary supplemental retirement plan available to eligible employees. The plan is available to full-time and permanent part-time employees who will be at least 55 years old on or before June 30, have at least 15 years of service in the State Universities Retirement System, have spent at least two of those years at Sandburg and were employed as of Jan. 27.

 

Those choosing to participate in the plan will receive a benefit equal to their 2023 fiscal year base salary paid in four equal annual installments. Eligible employees have until March 31 to participate in the supplemental retirement plan. Participants will end their employment with the College on June 30.

 

Trustees on Thursday also passed a continuation of the College’s strategic plan for 2019-24. The plan outlines goals and strategies in areas of student access and success; teaching and learning; community collaboration; sustainability and excellence; and a culture of continuous learning and development.

 

In other business, the Board approved the following:

• Employment of Sarah Morrison as Upward Bound Math-Science Project advisor, effective Feb. 1.
• Employment of Anthony Payne as public safety officer, effective Feb. 1.
• Appointment of Beth Kunkle as director of accounting services/comptroller, effective Feb. 1.
• Resignation of Brittany Grimes as executive director of marketing and public relations, effective Jan. 20.
• Resignation of Ariel Byerly as Upward Bound Project advisor, effective Jan. 15.
• Employment termination of Jake Monzo as grounds assistant, effective Jan. 13.

 

The Board’s next scheduled meeting is 7 p.m. Feb. 23 on the Main Campus in Galesburg.