WIN SOME, LOSE SOME
PANTHERS WIN 1 OF 3
The softball team won its first game and lost its second game against TennesseeMartin.
The men’s baseball teams won one game against Belmont over the weekend. PAGE 8
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D aily E astern N ews
“TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID” Monday , April 17, 2017 C E L E BRATI NG A CE NT UR Y OF COVE RA GE E S T . 1 915
VOL. 101 | NO. 138 W W W . D A I L YE A S TE R N N E W S . C O M
Read and Relaxation
Workgroup No.8 submits final report By Kalyn Hayslett Editor-in-Chief | @DEN_news
OLIVIA SWENSON-HULTZ | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
Autumn Wisz, a sophomore elementary education major, relaxes in a hammock outside of the Tarble Arts Center on Sunday afternoon as she reads the book “Seven Women.”
State University presidents back in Springfield for a budget hearing By Cassie Buchman News Editor | @cjbuchman University Presidents went to Springfield for a budget hearing Thursday, this time in front of the House-Appropriations Higher Education committee. According to an article in the News-Gazette, Eastern President David Glassman spoke on staff cuts at Eastern, as well as the interfund borrowing and deferred maintenance that has come as a result of the now more than two-year long budget impasse. Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposed budget for Eastern gives the university a $36 million appropriation, but the university’s trustees request about $10 million more, as stated in the News-Gazette, which would refill depleted reserves and pay for campus repairs and maintenance as well as laboratory and equipment purchases. Eastern’s reserve fund is now down to $3 million, whereas it had $27 million two years ago. Richard Wandling, chair of the political science department, said these budget hearings are a standard part of the political process, with legislators reviewing new recommendations the governor has made for the upcoming fiscal year-but this has not been a normal budget process. “One thing that is true is that presidents of public universities are spending a lot more time in Springfield in the current cycle than what they traditionally would do,” Wandling said. There are multiple reasons for this, he said, including the fact that regional public institutions such as Eastern have been experiencing challenges under the budget impasse. Eastern took major hits last year, Wandling said, and while it is in the news less these days for fiscal challenges, the situation is “still quite dire.” In the News-Gazette, Glassman was quoted as saying that Eastern started the budgetary impasse “ex-
challenges, there is an assumption that universities do not need as much funding. “The unfortunate reality is it’s almost a no-win situation for public university presidents,” he said. During the hearing, Glassman mentioned how “public relations issues,” i.e. the budget impasse, have hurt Eastern’s enrollment, as it has caused a lack of confidence with some parents of potential students. “I and others continue to hear how some parents and their prospective students are looking more closely at possibly going to universities and colleges outside of Illinois,” Glassman said. “They are concerned about the state not funding their public universities and colleges at an appropriate level.” Glassman said he has only heard from concerned parents a couple of times this entire year, though, which is substantially less than what he heard last year. Parents have noticed that the state has been given -Richard Wandling , chair of the Eastern and other public universities stopgap appropolitical science department priation, he added, and they are reassured that Eastern will continue to provide an educational experiA cynical way of looking at these budget hearings ence to its students. Josh Norman, associate vice president for enrollwould be that they are not much more than “political symbolism,” Wandling said, however, from a strategy ment management, said while it is hard to keep track standpoint, university presidents need to explore ev- of perception, in a College Choice survey conducted ery avenue possible to get the word out on the severi- last year, students cited the condition of the state of Illinois as a reason they were choosing out-of-state inty of the budget situation. These hearings provide an opportunity for univer- stitutions for the first time. “There isn’t the confidence when you have the sort sities to get this message out to the media or even legislators themselves and bring the issue to the attention of inaction that is taking place in Springfield, there isn’t the same confidence in education in the state of of the broader public, he said. Exposing these issues does not come without its Illinois,” he said. The inaction of the state does not impact of the own risks, though. Wandling said by speaking on these problems, the quality of education at Eastern, Norman said, which idea that that public universities are experiencing dif- is a message they are continually relaying to prospecficulties gets picked up by the media and in turn, par- tive students. ents of high school and community college students. Springfield , page 2 However, if university officials do not speak on these tremely lean,” and has only made itself leaner. “We are so efficient that we are inefficient at this time,” he said at the hearing. “We have cut beyond where we need to cut in order to have our services at the appropriate level.” Glassman said in an email to the News that the university will continue in this state until lawmakers and the governor return to providing stable appropriations to the university, which would allow it to recall employees to fill critical positions currently vacant on campus.
The unfortunate reality is it’s almost a nowin situation for public university presidents .
All members present during Workgroup No. 8’s meeting Friday afternoon approved its final recommendation report. The members were united with a majority of the recommendations, however, the members still created a minority report about the workgroup’s suggestions regarding new and modified programs. Workgroup Chair Jeff Stowell said he would submit the recommendations to Eastern President David Glassman at the end of the meeting. Workgroup members were not given a specific date on when Glassman will provide them with feedback on the recommendations, Ryan Hendrickson, interim dean of the graduate school and chair of the vitalization project task force, said. According to the vitalization project’s website, Glassman will examine the recommendations with the Board of Trustees and members of the President’s Council in May. The suggested programs in the final workgroup’s recommendations will be implemented after academic affairs leadership approves them. St o w e l l s a i d t h o u g h c i r c u m s t a n c e s surrounding the vitalization project were negative, such as low enrollment and a lack of state appropriations, the process of brainstorming ideas was positive. “In some ways it was really wonderful to hear the positive side of vitalization,” Stowell said. “When you think about it, there is hope and direction for the future.” Stowell said if the administration will invest in Eastern’s future it will be a great, thriving place. Nora Pat Small, interim chair of the history department, said she was impressed by the ideas and participation during the town hall meetings and surveys the workgroup conducted throughout the semester. “I was really pleased when people seemed to come out of the woodwork with amazing ideas,” Small said. “It just shows that we persist.” Biological sciences professor Britto Nathan said he has noticed faculty stepping up to the plate, and he believes ideas suggested by the workgroup will be implemented. “These dream ideas —I hope people take it up, take pride in it and keep moving forward with it,” Nathan said. Renee Kidd-Marshall, director of the nursing program, said brainstorming new programs, creating solutions and researching workforce requirements should not end once the vitalization project does. “I think it should be a routine event within departments and colleges of brainstorming and getting together,” Marshall said. “We all know the workforce changes, population needs change, universities’ needs change, so if the college wants to stay current, this is the way to do it.” Stowell recommended implementing a think tank to study the university even without the vitalization project. “Pick like three or four people who are just really open to new ideas and able to listen to what people are saying on campus and just advise the president or president’s body,” Stowell said. Kalyn Hayslett can be reached at 581-2812 or kehayslett@eiu.edu.