Congressman Weller visits East Campus
By Jacob Wise
IV Leader Staff, Feb. 26, 2004
This month U..S. Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Morris) was given a tour of the East Campus.
In President Bush’s State of the Union address last month he spoke of using community colleges as the focal point of re-educating America’s workforce. IVCC and other community colleges across the nation will be on the forefront of the president’s vision.
Bush proposed increasing federal support for community colleges to provide job training.
In his address, Bush told Congress, “I propose increasing support for America’s fine community colleges.”
While Weller, a Morris Republican, was touring the East Campus, he discussed with IVCC President Jean Goodnow what roles the college would take regarding the president’s plan for community colleges.
“The president recognizes that community colleges are the ideal location to train workers who have lost their jobs,” Weller said in commenting about the President’s State of the Union address.
Currently, the college wants to add an integrated systems program on the East Campus. The integrated systems technology program would offer students real world applications in manufacturing, production and engineering technology.
Weller commented on the IST program stating, “My hope is to help IVCC in attaining federal funds for an IST program, so that it can start at IVCC.”
Harriet Custer, vice president for academic affairs, commented about the integrated system technology program, saying, “We hope there will be a congressional appropriation through Representative Weller’s office and we hope to have it in place by fall.”
Custer also said she thought Weller’s visit went well.
“We were glad to have him on campus and his support of IVCC and community colleges in general,” she said.
IVCC will offer welding and manufacturing programs on its East Campus.