IllinoisCollege Counseling Association (ICCA) Report

ICAGoverning Council Meeting, July 12, 2008

Lisle, IL

Dr. Stephany Joy-Newman, ICCA Past-President

Dr. Sonia Sharma, ICCA President 2007-2008

Bill Hengtgen, Treasurer 2007-2008

Jessica Dyrek, President-Elect, 2008-2009

The Illinois College Counseling Association is delighted to report a vigorous membership of 85 professional and student members.The Association has a very healthy budget available for the incoming leadership to utilize.The primary means of communication for ICCA members remain “electronic,” with e-mail and the ICCA website our major venue for interaction. Dr. Michael Illovsky, a Past-President of the ICCA, and webmaster extraordinaire, is diligent in his efforts to continually enhance the ICCA website and keep it current and viable, with information of interest to our membership. Many thanks to Dr. Illovsky!

Dr. Sonia Sharma,President of the ICCA, was invited in 2007 on behalf of ICCA and college counselorsto participate in the Campus Security Task Force appointed by Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich in the wake of the tragic events at Virginia Tech last year. Subsequently we had another college shooting at NIU this year. The Campus Security Task Force met on an ongoing basis to review the legal, counseling and security issues relevant to campus safety and develop recommendations for ensuring safety and security on Illinois campuses. Dr. Sharma represented the ICCA in the task force meetings held during 2007-2008. The recommendations of the task force were released by Governor Blagojevich in April 2008. An Executive Summary of the task force report to the Governor and the Findings and Recommendations may be found at

Dr. Michael Illovsky, past-President of ICCA, and other ICCA members, were among those who volunteered to be at NIU on February 25 and 26 when the University reopened after the shooting. They responded to NIU’s request for mental health personnel to help students, staff, and faculty cope with the tragedy. Dr. Illovsky was impressed by how supportive the NIU community was of its members and the mental health workers who volunteered to be there. ICCA hopes for good recovery for the injured and that those who need counseling will avail themselves of the services available. We are deeply sorry for the young people who will not be able to fulfill their dreams – including Ryanne Mace, who was studying psychology to become a school counselor.

The ICCA had a very successful membership meeting at the 2007 ICA convention, with great membership turnout and vigorous discussion about the future direction of and vision for the Division’s programming.

As the ICCA closes the 2007-2008 term of office and moves into a “new leadership” year,” it is with a great sense of satisfaction that we note the following Division accomplishments:

  • Fairly stable ICCA membership of 85-100 members.
  • Strong ICCA carryover budget of approximately $1,682.64.
  • Participation of the current ICCA President in the Illinois Governor’s Campus Security Task Force.
  • Contribution to the 2007 Financial Hardship Fund created by the ICA President.
  • Ongoing improvements and expansion at the ICCA website with the goal of maintaining it as a site where ICCA members may get cutting-edge information relevant to their profession.
  • ICCA activity, programming, and visibility were increased at ICA 2007 convention.
  • Discussions with membership to develop a shared vision for the Division’s programming.
  • Continued efforts to have an ICCA web-page that links to the ICA home page.

Our Best Wishes to ICCA Class of 2008-2009!