Planning to participate in the Fall 2026 commencement ceremony? Please complete this form by noon Thursday, December 17. This will help EIU prepare for seating arrangements and create the reserved parking list.  

Saturday, December 19 - Groniger Arena

• 10 a.m. -- Undergraduate & Graduate Degrees for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Lumpkin College of Business and Technology; College of Education, Health & Human Services; and Interdisciplinary Studies.

If you need to order regalia, please do so here.

Questions? Please contact mamorecraft@eiu.edu. 

If you are a faculty or staff member who is a parent or guardian of a student who will be participating in the 10 a.m. Saturday, December 19 commencement ceremony and you would like to present their diploma to them on stage, please fill out this form. 

If you have questions, please reach out to Megan Morecraft at mamorecraft@eiu.edu. 

BUILDINGS OR AREAS INVOLVED, AND DATE/TIME: 
Sunday, November 22, starting at 7 a.m.

Power outage one, for up to four hours affecting the following buildings…

• Old Main
• Pemberton Hall
• Blair Hall
• Old Steam Plant
• Student Services Building
• McAfee Gymnasium
• Physical Science Building
• Booth Library
• MLK Union
• Ford/McKinney/Weller Halls
• Gregg Tech. Center
• Power-Norton Hall
• Lincoln Hall
• Stevenson Hall
• Lantz Complex (Lantz, Groniger Arena, Field House, SRC)

Power outage two, for up to eight hours affecting the following buildings…

• Tarble Museum of Arts
• Coleman Hall
• Lumpkin Hall
• Klehm Hall
• Human Services
• Taylor Hall
• Thomas Hall
• Andrews Hall
• Lawson Hall

Major campus buildings NOT affected by either outage include…

• Buzzard Education Building
• Life Science Building/Annex
• Doudna Fine Arts
• U-Court
• U-Apartments
• Greek Court
• O’Brien Stadium
• Facilities Planning & Management
• Renewable Energy Center  

PURPOSE OF PROPOSED OUTAGE: Electrical testing

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS / SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: No power, generators should run for areas typically supported by them.  Please power down personal and office equipment prior to the outage to minimize equipment impact.  Please plan accordingly for any academic research efforts around this time that is reliant on power.  Consider removing perishables from refrigerators where affected.

If employees have concerns about their work environment, they should discuss this with their supervisor.  Thank you for your patience as we continue to repair and improve our campus infrastructure.

Awareness Item for Students & Employees: Thanksgiving Break

The Residence Halls and Greek Court will close at 8 p.m. Friday, November 20, 2026.  Buildings will re-open at 1 p.m. Sunday, November 29, 2026.  Additional information is available here.

1. Sponsor a First-Generation Student Just $10! For just $10, you can sponsor lunch for a first-generation student and help make this celebration possible. Your generosity will go even further! The Gillespie Family has generously offered to match sponsorship contributions up to $200, doubling the impact of your support. To sponsor a student, or as many as you would like, go to: https://www.eiu.edu/giving.php  by Wednesday November 4th.  Select, Other gifts > Special instructions> Enter: Student Success Gift Account: First-Gen Luncheon.
   
2. Pull Up a Chair and Join Us! Your presence matters, too! We encourage members of the campus community to join our first-generation students for lunch, conversation, and connection. No presentations, no script, no forced activity. Just an opportunity to share a meal, exchange experiences, celebrate our students' accomplishments, and remind them that they are part of a community invested in their success.

• Meal Swipe: Use your Panther Card if you have a prepaid meal plan.
• Dining Dollars : $10.60: Pay using Dining Dollars on your Panther Card (this gets you a 20% discount off the regular price, it's easy to do, and can be charged to your student account. Did you know that you have one? For more information).
• Credit or Debit Card : $13.25: Purchase lunch at the regular guest rate. 

🎃👻 Greeks & Treats: You're Invited!

Get ready for a spooktacular evening of Halloween fun! Join EIU Fraternity & Sorority Life for Greeks & Treats on Saturday, October 31, from 5 to 7 p.m. in The Egg at Greek Court, at Greek Court (The Egg), located just east of 12th Street and Roosevelt Drive in Charleston, Illinois!

Bring your friends and family for an evening of candy, costumes, and Halloween fun with our fraternity and sorority community! 🍬🕸️

All are welcome, and we can't wait to see you there!

EIU President Jay Gatrell will hold office hours in the MLK, Jr. Food Court throughout the academic year. The next Community Office Hours session of the Fall 2026 semester is scheduled from 1 to 1:45 p.m. Friday, October 30, 2026. Come by the University Food Court to chat with Jay about whatever EIU issues are on your mind!

Location Information
Food Court
Martin Luther King Jr. University Union
1720 7th Street
Charleston, IL 61920

Contact Information
Office of the President
president@eiu.edu

The Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center Mobile Mammography Bus will be on EIU Campus Tuesday October 27, 2026. The bus will be located between the Alumni Clock Tower and Lumpkin Hall. This is for all women age 35 and over. 

Call 1-800-639-5929 to schedule your appointment.

If you should have any questions, you may contact SBLHC Mobile Mammography bus at 1-800-639-5929, or EIU Benefits at 217-581-5825.

AI Without the Ick: 5 Practical and Ethical Ways to Enhance Teaching and Learning

Monday, October 26, 2026 | 3:00-3:45PM | In-Person and Online Options

Curious about AI but unsure where it fits in your teaching? Already experimenting with it? Or perhaps you're skeptical about its educational value? Wherever you stand, this workshop is for you!

Join Dr. Catherine L. Polydore, Special Assistant for Innovation and Student Achievement, for an interactive faculty development workshop that puts learning science first, technology second, and faculty judgment always.

Rather than focusing on the latest AI tools, we'll explore five practical, research-informed ways generative AI can support teaching and learnin--from developing engaging activities and meaningful assessments to refining instructional materials, creating learning resources, and examining student achievement evidence.

Through concrete demonstrations and discussion, we'll also consider the ethical questions surrounding AI, including accuracy, bias, privacy, academic integrity, and when a non-AI approach may be the better choice.

Participants will gain access to AI Without the Ick: The Living Faculty Guidebook, an evolving OneDrive resource featuring adaptable prompts, practical demonstrations, research references, and discipline-specific applications.

No AI experience required-just curiosity and a willingness to think critically!

Hosted in partnership with the Faculty Development and Innovation Center (FDIC) and Student Success.

Registration/Location: https://eiu.libcal.com/event/17748187 

AI Disclosure Statement: Generative AI was used in the creation of this announcement. The output was edited for style and accuracy.

The Tarble Museum of Art will feature three unique events taking place in late October through early November -- each is detailed below:

• OCTOBER 23 -- A Very Tarble Halloween (Halloween Movie Night)
  Come celebrate Halloween at the Tarble Museum of Art! Spooky season is upon us -- ghosts, goblins, and...midterms. Take some time away from all the frightful ghouls autumn brings with a craft and movie night featuring Halloweentown and a variety of craftin supplies for collages and other art creations.
• Through OCTOBER 30 -- Tarble's current Exhibition: Mud + Corn + Stone + Blue
  Free for anybody who wishes to come visit, this exhibition curated by Laura Augusta examines connections between the United States and Central America through agriculture, land, migration and political conflict. The traveling exhibition brings together artwork from the U.S. Corn Belt and Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras. The exhibition focuses particularly on the overlapping histories of the U.S. farm crisis and conflicts in Central America during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Through the work of artists who have experienced or inherited these histories, the exhibition considers how decisions about agriculture, land, labor and economics can have consequences that cross national borders and generations. This exhibition is produced by Independent Curators International (ICI).
  *no touching of works or flash photography allowed
• NOVEMBER 6 -- Stuffed Felt Creatures Workshop
  Free community fun as some of EIU's Tarble students will teach participants how to create miniature stuffed animals made of felt. This hands-on studio workshop offers materials and guided instruction for all ages to explore creative fiber arts, craft construction, and mixed-media design. For more information, contact Garren Porter at gjporter@eiu.edu.

Established more than forty years ago as a resource serving EIU and the eastern Illinois community, the Tarble Museum of Art is the only facility on campus built entirely through donated funds. With the help of sustained support from the Tarble Family Foundation, it has evolved into a museum accredited by the American Association of Museums that exhibits the work of acclaimed international artists while remaining a superior institution of learning that is accessible, raises the quality of life in the community, and celebrates creativity in the world we share.

Textbook Rental Service will be selling discarded textbooks from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. November 2 through November 6. Bring your Panther Card and come check out the broad selection -- and value!

See the image for additional details.

BUILDINGS OR AREAS INVOLVED:  12th Street north of the Greek Court Egg
DATE/TIME:  11/02/2026 – 11/23/2026
PURPOSE OF PROPOSED OUTAGE:  Installation of new steam lines and Electrical Duct bank
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:  The proposed location of the road closure will occur on 12th Street just north of Greek Court road and south of the entrance to Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.  Red outlined box in pic indicating closed area of 12th St.

If employees have concerns about their work environment, they should discuss this with their supervisor.  Thank you for your patience as we continue to repair and improve our campus infrastructure.

A reminder to our campus community:

Per Illinois law, all drivers must stop at least 20 feet away from a school bus when its red warning lights flash and its stop arm is extended. Drivers must remain stopped until the stop arm retracts, the red lights turn off, and the bus moves. Vehicles are not to pass stopped school busses on 7th Street when they are stopped and have their stop arms out.  We have experienced vehicles passing the busses as they are dropping off and picking up children in the mornings and throughout the day. Please consider the safety of our entire EIU campus community and obey all traffic laws while on EIU property.

AN UPDATE FROM FACILITIES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

BUILDINGS OR AREAS INVOLVED: Student Services Building
DATE/TIME: Monday October 19, 2026- Friday October 23, 2026
PURPOSE OF PROPOSED OUTAGE: Steam Tunnel Project   
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS / SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: No heat - colder than normal indoors.

If employees have concerns about their work environment, they should discuss this with their supervisor.  Thank you for your patience as we continue to repair and improve our campus infrastructure.

AN UPDATE FROM FACILITIES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

BUILDINGS OR AREAS INVOLVED: Physical Science & McAfee
DATE/TIME: Saturday, October 24th, 2026, from 6 a.m. to Sunday, October 25th, 2026, at 6:00 PM
PURPOSE OF PROPOSED OUTAGE: Contractors to replace water main
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS / SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: NO WATER of any kind in the building. This includes water fountains, sinks, restrooms, etc.

If employees have concerns about their work environment, they should discuss this with their supervisor. Thank you for your patience as we continue to repair and improve our campus infrastructure.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities with the Office of Leadership & Engagement

• Canned Food Drive
• Fall Calendar of Events
• October Fall Fest
• All American Haunting
• Breast Cancer Awareness Event
• Family Weekend Events
• Homecoming Week Overview
• Homecoming T-Shirts for Sale
• Operation EIU Votes
• Holiday Hustle 5K
• Campus Food Pantry Current Hours
• Volunteer Opportunities Available Now!

If these hours don't work for you, check out the online alternative pickup time form.

Volunteer opportunities available now! Visit Volunteer Now to learn more and sign up!

• Campus Food Pantry
• Homecoming Parade
• Family Resource Fair
• Embarrass River Stewards
• Pantry Prep
• Animal Shelter
• Pop-Up Service
• Dr. MLK Jr. Day Community Breakfast

Want to connect? 

Call us at (217) 581-3967 or email us at volunteer@eiu.edu, or visit us in the Office Of Leadership & Engagement (MLK Union room 1435) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Vendor Registration for the Holiday Art Sale

The Holiday Fest Art Sale is an annual fair that provides attendees with a unique shopping experience while supporting our EIU art students with scholarships. 100% of the art vendor fee will go towards student scholarships within the School of Art + Design.

The application deadline for vendors is Monday, Nov. 30^th. There are three options available to vendors:

Booth

A 10'x10' areas in the Doudna Fine Arts Center's Concourse. This does require a fee prior to the festival.

Traditional Consignment

This sale type allows the artist to drop off their work (labeled and priced) for the festival staff to sell. This doesn't require a fee prior to the festival but does require 25% of your sales to go towards the festival.

Booth Consignment

This option provides a 10'x10' area in the Doudna Fine Arts Center's Concourse. This does not require an upfront fee; instead, 25% of your sales will go towards the festival.

To Register

Register before 11/30 here: https://www.eiu.edu/clas/machform/view.php?id=17540

For more information on the fair: https://www.eiu.edu/festival/holiday_art_sale.php

If you have further questions, contact Dennis Malak at (217) 581-8513 or dfmalak2@eiu.edu.

Jazz Combos

• Tuesday, October 20th @ 7:30pm in the Doudna Theatre
• Free For All Audiences

EIU's Jazz Combos will perform classic jazz compositions along with new student compositions and arrangements.

Eastern Symphony Orchestra

• Friday, October 23rd @ 7:30pm in the Dvorak Concert Hall
• $15 General Audience | $10 EIU Employees / Seniors (62+) | $5 EIU Students / Youth (17 & Under)

An evening of masterworks presented by the EIU School of Music and the Eastern Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro David Commanday. The orchestra will play great orchestral works by Bach, Bruch, and Brahms, featuring solo appearances by oboist Evan Tanmen, and Concertmaster and Solo Violinist Dr. Ji Myung Kim.

AFSCME Local 981 members are now accepting donations for winter clothing items October 13-November 13, 2026. All donations will directly benefit the EIU Food Pantry and other community resource centers.

Items needed: New and gently used gloves, mittens, hats, scarves, earmuff, socks, coats, sweaters, pajamas, and warm clothing for all ages.

Drop off locations:

• BSW Facilities Office (Physical Plant, Hayes Ave)
• BSW Housing Office (Greek Court 2A)
• Booth Library Circulation (3rd Floor)
• Doudna Fine Arts Center, Room 2214
• McAfee Gym, Room 1336
• Neal Welcome Center

Contact Kim Pope at ktpope@eiu.edu for more information.

A message & reminder to current Fall 2026 & future Spring 2027 EIU students:

Registration for Spring 2027 term begins today, October 12, 2026. 

• Graduates/Postbaccalaureates-October 12

• Online Programs-October 15

• Seniors/Priority Students-October 19

• Juniors-October 26

• Sophomores-November 2

• Freshmen-November 9

Please click here for additional details.

Secure Your Future Today with the 403(b) Deferred Compensation Plan!

Are you saving enough for the retirement you envision? Standard pension or baseline retirement plans are a great start, but taking advantage of our 403(b) Deferred Compensation Plan can help you bridge the gap and reach your long-term financial goals faster.

Why Consider a 403(b) Plan?

• Tax Advantages: Choose between Pre-Tax contributions (lower your current taxable income now) or Roth contributions (enjoy tax-free withdrawals in retirement).

• Automated & Flexible Savings: Contributions are automatically deducted directly from your paycheck. You can start, stop, increase, or decrease your contribution amount at any time.

• Higher Contribution Limits: Save beyond standard IRA limits, allowing you to build your nest egg much faster.

• Diverse Investment Choices: Access a wide variety of mutual funds and index options tailored to your personal risk tolerance and timeline.

How to Get Started

Taking control of your financial future takes just a few minutes:

1. Review Options: Visit the Benefits website and click on the "Retirement" tab  select 403(b) Universal Availability Notice to compare investment providers and plan details.

2. Choose Your Contribution: Decide how much you want to set aside each pay period.

3. Enroll Online: Complete your enrollment form directly through our online benefits portal by completing the Salary Reduction Agreement (SRA).

Ready to maximize your savings? Contact the Benefits Office at benefits@eiu.edu / (217) 581-5825 with questions. Or visit https://www.eiu.edu/humanres/benefits/403b.php to enroll!

This October Be Well Illinois, the State of Illinois' comprehensive wellness program, will focus on 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month and ADHD Awareness Month. Our goal is to support our members by providing comprehensive wellness resources.

Visit the Be Well Illinois website this month to learn about:

• Breast Cancer Awareness Month and AHDH Awareness Month  
• How to Avoid Financial Distraction
• Foods that Feed Your ADHD Mind
• Exercise and Breast Cancer
• Parenting a Child With ADHD 

The Challenge beings on 9/28/2026 and runs through 11/27/2026!

Log steps to reveal a captivating fall video or photos, then keep moving to earn a red, orange, or gold leaf by recording 6000, 8000, or 10,000 steps a day.

Don’t have a step tracker? No worries. Record exercise minutes and Walktober converts them to steps for you.

Register Here:

https://bewellillinois.walktober.com/welcome

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Register Here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XaZ5TW1SQwSaG4clRsAKUw#/registration

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

We are excited to introduce a new member benefit to support your health and wellbeing.

Be Well Total Wellbeing powered by TELUS Health is a fun and interactive platform designed to help you build and maintain a healthy lifestyle, wherever you may be on your wellbeing journey. By participating in the program, you can earn up to $140 worth of incentives per year!

Getting started is easy.

Download TELUS Health Wellbeing from the App Store or Google Play.

(app icon for the Apple Store and the Google Play Store)

1. Click “Sign up”.
2. Enter your program code: bewell
3. Follow the prompts to complete registration.

Prefer using your computer Visit https://bewell.wellbeing.telushealth.com/

You can also access Be Well Total Wellbeing by visiting the MyBenefits portal mybenefits.illinois.gov

You will need to have your Benefits Login ID #. If you don’t know your number, please call MyBenefits Service Center at 844-251-1777

For additional information on the program including how to earn rewards and FAQ’s, please click here.

Need help? Contact help.wellbeing@vc.telushealth.com

This Month Be Well is Offering Two Webinars:

October 14, 2026, from 12:00-1:00 PM CT

Parenting a Child With Special Needs    

• Identify techniques that will help you “come to grips” with your child’s disability.
• Learn the first steps you can take in planning for your child.
• Identify coping tips that will work for you.
• Learn where to find resources and support.

October 28, 2026, from 12:00-1:00 PM CT

Coping With a Traumatic Event

• Learn how to recognize the common responses to crises and trauma. 
• Learn tips for taking care of yourself following a crisis or traumatic event.
• Learn how to help children who have experienced a crisis or traumatic event.

Click here to register and also view our previously recorded webinars

  Brought to you by:  

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If you are unable to attend the live webinars, a recording link will be made available after each event and posted at Illinois.gov/BeWell.

We encourage you to like and follow Be Well Illinois on Facebook for motivational messages, special Be Well Illinois challenges and opportunities for engagement with your peers.

Click here to be added to our mailing list for motivational messages and to be the first to be notified of upcoming events and wellness opportunities.             

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), a time to raise awareness about domestic violence, support survivors, promote healthy relationships, and connect our campus community with resources. Throughout the month, Eastern Illinois University encourages students, faculty, and staff to take part in awareness efforts and help foster a campus culture rooted in respect, safety, and support.

How You Can Show Your Support All Month Long

Here are a few ways to show your support throughout October:

• Wear Purple: Purple is the official color of Domestic Violence Awareness Month and represents support for survivors. Wear purple throughout October to help raise awareness and show your support.
• Support EIU Athletics: Come out to support our Panther athletes throughout the month, as they will be wearing purple ribbons to support DVAM.
• Spread Awareness: Share awareness messages, resources, and information with your friends, colleagues, student organizations, and social media networks.
• Start Conversations: Help promote healthy relationships by talking about respect, consent, boundaries, and the importance of supporting survivors.
• Get Involved: Attend one of our events listed below and encourage others to participate in DVAM activities.

Purple Thursday – October 15: Make a special effort to wear purple! The Castle will be illuminated in purple. Take a photo in your purple and tag eiu_ivat on instagram. 

Interested in purple awareness ribbons for DVAM? Contact Sarah Jacobs sjjacobs@eiu.edu or Jessica Cobert jacobert@eiu.edu to request ribbons for your department, office, or organization.

What Is IVAT?

The Interpersonal Violence Action Team (IVAT) is a group of campus departments and community partners working to promote awareness, prevention, education, and support related to interpersonal violence, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Through campus outreach, prevention initiatives, and resource coordination, IVAT works to strengthen support for survivors and promote a safer, more informed EIU community.

Follow IVAT on Instagram @EIU_ivat for event updates, awareness information, resources, and ways to get involved throughout the month.

October Events at EIU

October 1 | PHC Walk a Mile | 5–6:30 p.m.
Join the high-heeled relay race around the Egg! This event is open to Greek Life chapters and registered student organizations (RSOs), with teams of four participants.

October 5 | Day of Unity: Chalking the Steps | 1–3 p.m.
Help kick off DVAM by participating in Chalking the Steps and showing unity and support for survivors of domestic violence.

October 6 | Sex Is Like Pizza Table | 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Stop by the MLK Union Food Court for consent education and information about healthy relationships. Resource sheets will be available.

October 7 | Wellness Fair Tabling | 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Visit the MLK Union Ballroom to connect with IVAT, HOPE, and PREVAIL. Learn about resources, prevention efforts, and ways to support a safer campus community.

October 8 | HERC Bystander Intervention
Join the Health Education Resource Center (HERC) to learn how to recognize concerning situations and safely support others. Stop by the Union Food Court from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. or the Effingham Room from 4:30–5:30 p.m.

October 9 | HERC Healthy Relationship Table | 5–7 p.m.
Visit the Taylor Hall Breezeway to learn more about healthy relationships, recognize warning signs, and explore available resources.

October 15 | Purple Thursday
Wear purple to show your support for survivors! The Castle will be illuminated in purple. Join the campus-wide awareness effort and help spread the message on social media.

October 21 | Self-Care Table
Stop by our self-care tabling event to learn about wellness, self-care, and resources available to the EIU community.

October 28 | Halloween-Themed Tabling | 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Visit the Taylor Hall Breezeway for a Halloween-themed awareness event with opportunities to learn about healthy relationships, prevention, and campus resources

If you or someone you know has experienced domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or sexual harassment, support and resources are available. You do not have to navigate these experiences alone.

Learn more: EIU Counseling Clinic: Reporting Relationship/Sexual Violence & Sexual Harassment

Intramural Programs are BACK! Registration for our Fall 2026 IM Programs is open, Spring 2027 will open up on December 12, 2026.

Anyone who is a member of the SRC can join in on the fun! Students, faculty, staff, alumni -- we want everyone to connect, compete, and enjoy IM Programs.

Find a list of programs and schedules at Eastern Illinois University :: Campus Recreation - Intramural Schedules.

EIU Marketing & Communications is working through a significant number of website updates related to the beginning of the semester and the academic reorganization. We know it is important for our websites to accurately reflect EIU’s current structure, and we appreciate your patience as we address these changes as quickly as our capacity allows.

Our web team currently includes two developers, whose work is focused primarily on applications and web development, and two web specialists who complete most content updates and site moves manually. These four staff members serve the entire University, supporting the website and web-related needs of academic, student support and administrative areas across campus in addition to this academic work.

Updating the full academic web presence is also part of the Strategic Enrollment Plan, with work scheduled throughout the academic year. While we will prioritize inaccurate, outdated, or time-sensitive information, broader site reorganizations and improvements will take additional time.

You can help us complete this work more efficiently by coordinating within your department, school, college, or other academic area before submitting a request. We have received multiple requests from the same areas that include conflicting information or different plans. When that happens, we must pause the work to determine which direction has been approved, and we may need to redo changes that have already been made.

Below, you will find some helpful information and tips.

Requesting a Site Move or Update

Before requesting a site move or significant update, please:

• Confirm the proposed changes with the appropriate department, school, and college leadership.
• Designate one person to coordinate the request whenever possible.
• Provide final, internally approved content rather than multiple drafts or separate sets of instructions.
• Identify any information that is inaccurate or time-sensitive, along with the date by which it is needed.
• Clarify which existing pages should remain, be revised, be redirected, or be removed.
• Submit the request through the Marketing & Communications job request form, rather than emailing an individual team member. This creates a record of the request, makes it visible to the full team, and allows someone else to respond if the usual contact is unavailable.

Confirm/Update Your Area's Info

It would also be extremely helpful for each academic area to provide an updated organizational chart or similar overview that identifies:

• The official name of your department/area
• Current departments, schools, programs, and leadership structure
• Department chairs, school directors, deans, associate deans, and other primary contacts
• The person responsible for coordinating website content
• The primary marketing and communications contact
• The primary admissions or recruitment contact

Having this information will allow us to develop a coordinated plan for each academic area rather than addressing individual requests piecemeal and potentially having to revise the same work more than once.

Majors/Minors Database + Program Page Upgrades

As we complete the updated majors/minors database, much of the prospective-student content related to academic programs, admissions, and recruitment will be managed through the new program pages. Department and school websites can then focus more heavily on information for current students, faculty, staff, and other internal audiences.

Josh Norman and Josh Northam have met with nearly every academic area to discuss these upgrades, and a meeting with one remaining area will be scheduled soon, so it is likely you are aware of those upgrades, but if you have any questions about it, please reach out to me or one of The Joshes™.

Job Request Form

Please use the job request form for all new website projects and updates, even if you have previously worked directly with someone in Marketing & Communications. Once the request has been assigned, you can continue working with that team member as needed.

If you have submitted a request and have not received a timely response, contact me at ckilgore@eiu.edu so I can follow up.

Thank you for helping us coordinate this work!

The Academic Program Innovation (API) Grant is now the Academic Program and Career Readiness Innovation (APCI) Grant.

The API grant supported projects that were designed to foster curriculum innovation, enhance the academic reputation of EIU, and impact enrollment. The APCI grant will continue to support those projects and will now also support projects that bridge the gap between academic education and workforce success. Projects should seek to improve EIU student career readiness by addressing National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) career readiness competencies.

Projects can develop a new program or transform an existing program at either the program level, or as part of an interdisciplinary or interdepartmental collaboration. The ideal project will seek to increase enrollment and improve student career readiness through curriculum innovation.

Just as with the API grant, applicants must be a full-time EIU faculty member (either Unit A or Unit B) or a department chair. Applications are due by noon, Friday, October 30, 2026. The APCI application, program details and application submission instructions can be found at the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) APCI Website.

AN UPDATE FROM FACILITIES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
Seventh Street Traffic Pattern Changes Begin Monday, August 10, 2026

BUILDINGS OR AREAS INVOLVED: 7^th Street between Doudna Circle Drive and Roosevelt Drive
DATE/TIME: Beginning Monday, August 10, 2026, until further notice
PURPOSE OF CHANGE: Safe roadway passage for EIU & Community Members   

DETAILS:

• Beginning Monday, August 10, 2026, 7^th Street between Doudna Circle Drive and Roosevelt Drive will be reopened but only to southbound* traffic.
  • *Andrews Hall residents will still have access to the Andrews Hall Parking Lot from the south via the lot entrance west of 7th Street. 
• Signage and barricades will be placed accordingly for traffic control.
• Expect heavy CUSD1 bus and personal vehicle traffic on this stretch of road between 7 and 8:30 a.m. and from 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. on traditional school days.
  • Between and outside these times, expect increased construction traffic associated with the ongoing utility tunnel repairs and Thomas Hall remodel.

Facilities Planning and Management personnel thank you in advance for your awareness and adherence to these safety precautions.

Beginning March 16, 2026, parking lots between the Student Services Building, the Old Steam Plant, and south of Blair Hall will be closed as part of a comprehensive upgrade to EIU's campus infrastructure. NOTE: ADA parking spaces immediately south of Blair Hall will remain open, and an ADA‑compliant ramp will be installed to accommodate east–west pedestrian traffic at the northwest corner of the Student Services Building.

Please review a map of the parking lot availability HERE, noting the additional details below.*