Boyce Elected As Chair of IBHE Community College Caucus

Lincoln Trail College Assistant Professor of History Cyndi Boyce has been elected as the Chair of the Community College Caucus of the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s Faculty Advisory Council. 

The IBHE’s Faculty Advisory Council is made up of 36 representatives from across the state. There are 12 representatives each from Illinois’ public universities, private and proprietary institutions, and public community colleges. The group serves in an advisory role to the IBHE. Each of the different groups of colleges is formed into caucuses to focus on issues specific to those institutions.

“It is an honor to serve as Chair of the Community College Caucus,” says Boyce. “Serving on the FAC, during the past three years, has given me the opportunity to be a part of positively influencing higher education in the State of Illinois.  I look forward to the coming academic year and working with a highly talented and influential group of educators from across the state.  Due to COVID-19, the upcoming year will bring new challenges to higher education meaning the work of the FAC will be extremely important as colleges and universities attempt to fashion a new normal.”

Boyce says the FAC serves as a liaison between the different institutions and the IBHE and raises and addresses issues of concern to the higher education community. She says in the past, those issues have included productivity, teacher preparation, accountability, accessibility, legislation, performance-based funding, and budget.

In her role as the Chair of the Community College Caucus, Boyce will serve on the executive committee of the FAC along with the chairs of the other two caucuses. They will be joined by the Chair of the Executive Committee Shawn Schumacher of DeVry University, Vice-Chair Julie Clemens of Illinois Central College, and Secretary Sue Wiediger of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Prior to serving as the Chair, Boyce has also served as the Secretary of the Community College Caucus and served on the Dual Credit Working Group. She currently serves on the Mental Health Working Group.