WOMEN’S TENNIS VICTORY
TO “SHIRLEY” PERFORM
Eastern wins against Southern Illinois Carbondale
Charleston Community Theater will perform “Shirley Valentine” at Tarble.
PAGE 8 PAGE 3
THE
D aily E astern N ews
“TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID” Tuesday, January 24 , 2017 C E L E BRATI NG A CE NTUR Y OF COV E RA GE E S T . 1 915
VOL. 101 | NO. 86 W W W . D A I L YE A S TE R N N E W S . C O M
Workgroup no. 9 discusses subcommittee reports, schedules town hall meetings
JUSTIN BROWN | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
English professor Suzie Park and Austin Cheney, chair of the technology department discuss the subcommittee reports during the Workgroup no. 9 academic visioning II meeting Monday afternoon in Coleman Hall.
Workgroup, page 5
Rauner appoints Committee to start new BOT member reviewing philosophy Staff Report | @DEN_News Belleville resident Phillip Thompson Jr. was appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner to join the Board of Trustees. This appointment goes into affect immeditely, though it still requires Illinois Senate approval. Thompson will replace Rene Hutchinson of Chicago, whose term expired earlier this month. In a press release, Thompson, an Eastern alumnus, said higher education is something he is passionate about. “I am eager to work with the other members of the board and other university officials to move EIU forward,” Thompson said.
Thompson received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Eastern in 2004 and spent five years as an events coordinator for Alumni Services. From there, he became associate director of alumni relations at Bradley University in Peoria and then at McKendree University in Lebanon, Ill. He is now director of alumni relations at McKendree and is pursuing his master’s degree in higher education administration there. The Board of Trustees will meet 1 p.m. Friday in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. The News staff can be reached at 5812812 or dennewsdesk@gmail.com.
By Jason Hardimon Staff Reporter | @DEN_News The Academic Program Elimination/Reorganization Review Committee met with Jon Blitz, president of the EIU-UPI who offered his advice and perspective on the committee’s role moving forward in reviewing four programs. The programs submitted to the committee for review include the bachelor’s in philosophy, Africana studies, adult and community education and career and technical development. Of these programs, only the bachelor’s in philosophy would result in the reduction of Unit-A employees. Blitz said from a EIU-UPI stand-
point, he recommended the group simply review philosophy and leave the others alone. A shared governance committee, such as the Council on Academic Affairs, should review the other three programs, he said, since their reorganization or elimination would not result in layoffs. He suggested that the committee consider adhering to its contractual mandate. According to article 18.1 of the EIU-UPI Unit A Agreement, “the sole purpose of [the committee] shall be to provide recommendations to the Provost concerning academic programs/departments being considered for elimination or reorganization which would result in the layoff of an
employee.’” The committee resolved to begin reviewing the philosophy major and reach a decision concerning review of the other programs at a later date. Frances Murphy, a representative of the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences, voiced concern about Blitz’s recommendation to not review the other three programs. “I’m really taken aback that you don’t think its beneficial or that it would serve a purpose for us to look at the other programs since they’ve been sent to us,” Murphy said. Blitz said that he was not sure if reviewing the other programs would be beneficial or not, but that the com-
Committee, page 5