TRANSFER TRIBUTE
TIME TRAVEL
Transfer students helped power Eastern to an 8-5 victory Wednesday evening at Coach’s Stadium.
Tarble Arts Center will hold a ‘90s themed After Hours event Thursday.
D aily E astern N ews PAGE 3
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“TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID” Thursday, April 20, 2017 C E L E BRATI NG A CE NTUR Y OF COV E RA GE E S T . 1 915
Eastern under current credit review
VOL. 101 | NO. 141 W W W . D A I L YE A S TE R N N E W S . C O M
Change of scenery
Staff Report | @DEN_News Eastern was recently placed on a list of Illinois state universities that Moody’s Investors Service has placed under review for a potential credit downgrade. A credit downgrade could result in the universities paying hundreds of thousands of dollars more than they are already paying per year. If downgraded, Eastern would go to a B1 for Auxiliary Facilities System Revenue Bonds and to Caa1 for Certificates of Participation, according to Moody’s. While Eastern is not considered to be in “junk status,” a B1 rating is considered high-risk but with a superior ability to repay short-term debt. Moody’s downgraded Eastern’s credit rating in June, and its rating fell after Eastern spent almost all of its liquidated cash by the end of FY16. In Februar y 2016, Eastern’s Auxiliary Facilities System Revenue Bond was downgraded to Ba1 from Baa3 and the Certificates of Participation to Ba3 from Baa3. Then again in June of 2016, Eastern’s AFS was downgraded to a B1 from Ba1 and the COPs to Caa1 from Ba3. Credit ratings with a score of A-Aaa are considered to be low credit risks while scores of Caa-C are at a high credit risk. Ba1 institutions are considered to be a substantial credit risk, but show the ability to repay shortterm debts. Ba3 is considered a substantial credit risk with an acceptable ability to repay short-term debt. According to Moody’s, revenue bonds are secured by the net revenues of the AFS, student fees and tuition. Credit ratings describe how likely a borrower is to pay back bonds or loans. The lower the credit ratings, the higher interest rates are for the borrower. Moody’s said the review was a result of the state’s lack of a budget providing the necessary funding to state institutions for the fiscal year. Up d a t e s o n t h i s s t o r y w i l l come as more information becomes available. The News can be reached at 5812812 or dennewsdesk@gmail.com.
JUSTIN BROWN | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
Freshmen Rachel Pappas (left), an elementary education major, and kinesiology and sports studies major Malorie Henderlong take advantage of the nice weather Wednesday to study and color. The teammates on the women's soccer team are also roommates, and they both agreed that their freshman year was fun and have met a lot of people.
Science Fest to offer hands-on activities By Leon Mire Associate News Editor | @DEN_News Local scientists will provide a variety of science demonstrations and handson activities at the first Science Fest from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Lake Charleston. Science Fest is a sister event to the nationwide March for Science, which also coincides with Earth Day. Activities and demonstrations from many scientific disciplines will be offered, including biology, astronomy, geology and environmental science. A full schedule can be found on Science Fest’s Facebook event page. Attendees can go on a guided bird walk, nature walk and mushroom walk in the woods around Lake Charleston, weather permitting. Michael Kuo, an English professor and one of the festival’s organizers, said in the event of heavy rain, the demonstrations will be moved to the Bridge Lounge of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, and guided walks will be rescheduled. The group will announce any change in plans on Facebook and Twitter by 6 p.m. Friday. Kuo has published books in mycology – the study of fungi – and will lead the mushroom walk. During the walk, participants can collect mushrooms and learn more about their role in the forest ecosystem, he said. Justin Campnell, a freshman biological sciences major, said Science Fest is unique in that it focuses on children-
friendly activities and community engagement. Freshman physics major Macy Rinehart said she is excited to talk to young people about science, especially her minor, astronomy. Both Rinehart and Campnell will participate in “Ask a Scientist,” where they will wear shirts with the names of their major or field of study on them. Attendees can ask those wearing the shirts questions about what they do and how they got interested in science. “When I was in middle school and high school, I had this idea that science was for people who were way smarter than me, so I want to (tell them) ‘You can do this,’” Rinehart said. Campnell said he is participating because if he had learned more about science when he was younger, he would have gotten interested in it sooner. Rinehart said Science Fest will be less political than other marches. “We wanted it to be a really nonpartisan thing that anybody could be involved in without having some kind of agenda,” she said. A brief march is still scheduled for 12:15 p.m. Those interested can arrive as early as 11:30 a.m. to make signs with provided materials. Campnell will coordinate a cleanup of Lake Charleston starting at 1 p.m. He said participants should bring gloves. Science Fest will feature scientists from not only Eastern but also Lake Land College, the Douglas-Hart Nature Center and the Coles County Health Department, among others. Science Fest, page 5
Science Fest
Sat. noon to 4 p.m.
at Lake Charleston
Red Barn
12:30 p.m. Two sessions
Pier Trailhead “Bird Walk” session at 1 p.m. “Mushroom Walk” session at 2 p.m.
Fishing Pier “Science of Fishing”
1 p.m. Eight sessions 2 p.m. Seven sessions
Spillway “Lakeshore/Riverfront cleanup” session at 1 p.m.
session at 1 p.m. “Chickadees”at 2 p.m. “Fish Science”at 2 p.m.
K ALYN HAYSLET T | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
Each hexagon is titled with the location of the different places for the Science Fest and has a list of the specific times the sessions begin.