The Illinois Valley Community College Board of Trustees voted to close the school's Reading, Writing and Study Skills Lab by summer due to decreased funds and enrollment.
The administration recommended closing the lab because data showed its overall success rate wasn't enough to justify the cost. Administrators recommended replacing it with alternative offerings, instead, according to the News Tribune.
“We haven’t had to lay off 50 or 60 full-time staff like as many colleges have,” Trustee Larry Huffman said. “My feeling is we do what we think we have to do. I do not particularly like doing this, but as I see it, with the options available to us, we have no other choice.”
Jennifer Bubb, who works as an instructor for the lab, will move into a role as a developmental instructor to help students with reading, writing and studying.
Several people spoke up at the meeting, stating the lab helped them with their studies.
“English classes were a nightmare for me,” freshman Daniel Sack said, according to the NewsTribune. “Sometimes being called to read out loud and being judged for having an accent made me feel worse than feel better. Today, thanks to the English lab, I have a new beginning. ... I can organize my ideas better and I’m no longer silent, as in high school.”
Alerts Sign-up