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| Type | PublicCommunity college |
|---|---|
| Established | 1967; 59 years ago (1967) |
Parent institution | Illinois Community College System |
| President | Kirk Overstreet[1] |
| Students | 3,272 (Fall 2022) |
| Location | ,, United States 37°44′52″N89°05′20″W / 37.74778°N 89.08889°W /37.74778; -89.08889 |
| Colors | |
| Nickname | Vols |
Sporting affiliations | NJCAADivision I Great Rivers Athletic Conference |
| Website | www |
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John A. Logan College is apubliccommunity college inCarterville,Illinois. It is part of theIllinois Community College System. As of 2022, it had a total enrollment of 3,272 students.
John A. Logan College was established in 1967 under the Illinois Junior College Act of 1965, enrolled its first students in the fall of 1968, and acquired its permanentcampus in 1969.[2] The college is named forJohn A. Logan, aCivil War general who also, before and after the war, represented Illinois in theUnited States Congress as a member of both theHouse before the war, andSenate, after the war.[3]
In 2016, John A. Logan College faced criticism after terminating multiple full-time faculty members due to budgetary constraints. The layoffs affected several academic departments and led to protests from faculty, students, and community members who argued that the cuts negatively impacted educational quality. Critics accused the administration of financial mismanagement, highlighting concerns that institutional spending priorities favored administrative costs over academic programs. The decision resulted in tensions between the administration and the faculty union, prompting calls for increased transparency in budgetary decision-making.[4][5]
Three years later, the college was involved in a controversy regarding the destruction of official administrative meeting notes. Reports indicated that key documents were intentionally burned, raising concerns about transparency and compliance with Illinois public records laws. The incident drew public attention when college legal counsel Rhett Barkey defended the administration’s actions, stating that the notes were considered "unofficial" and did not fall under public record requirements. However, critics, including faculty and transparency advocates, argued that the destruction of documents undermined public trust in the institution. While no formal legal actions were taken, the controversy heightened tensions between faculty, staff, and the college administration, further fueling concerns about governance and accountability at the institution.[4][5]
In 2020, college administrators suspended diversity and inclusion activities in response to an executive order issued by then-President Donald Trump. The order, which prohibited certain diversity training programs for federal contractors and grant recipients, led the college to halt related initiatives while conducting a review of its policies. The suspension drew criticism from faculty, students, and advocacy groups who argued that the move undermined efforts to promote inclusivity and address systemic inequities in higher education. The decision was later revisited following the executive order’s revocation by the Biden administration in 2021.[6]
The college offerscareer preparation programs and two-yearcollege transfer curriculum. Logan's transfer curriculum isarticulated with Illinois' four-year universities.[7] Online offerings include noncredit courses on topics not normally found in thehigher education curriculum.[8]
The college has beenaccredited since 1972 by theHigher Learning Commission of theNorth Central Association of Colleges and Schools.[2][9][10] In 2008, the Higher Learning Commission approved it to offer anonline Associate of Arts degree.[9]
Under itsopen admissions policy, the college admits students who have graduated from an accreditedhigh school, completed theGED, or are at least 18 years old. Applicants who have not graduated from high school must submit evidence of their ability to do college-level work.[11]
Intercollegiateteam sports offerings includebaseball (men's),basketball (men's and women's),golf (men's and women's),softball (women's), andvolleyball (women's). College teams compete in theGreat Rivers Athletic Conference andRegion 24 of theNational Junior College Athletic Association. The collegemascot is the "Volunteers."[12] usually shortened to "Vols".
The John A. Logan College Museum on the college campus provides exhibits and educational programs focused onsouthern Illinois, including itsvisual arts, cultural heritage, andnatural history.[13] A special feature of the museum is the Purdy School, aone-room schoolhouse from southernPerry County, Illinois, that served as apublic school from around 1860 until 1951 and was moved to the campus in 1983.[14] The museum also displays works by regional artists and crafts persons, ethnic textiles, and prints bySalvador Dalí.[15]
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