University Newsletter
Eastern Illinois University celebrates the life and contributions of its 7th President, Dr. David L. Jorns
Eastern Illinois University celebrates the life and contributions of EIU’s seventh sitting President Dr. David L. Jorns, who passed away last week.
Jorns served as President of EIU from 1992 to 1997, overseeing EIU’s centennial celebration in 1995. According to a variety of historical EIU publications, Jorns focused his presidency on creating an environment of collaborative leadership through strategic planning in support of Eastern’s broad mission.
“I'm proud to be at Eastern, an institution that has an enviable history of contributions to the State and nation, with excellent and talented faculty and staff, well-prepared students, a large and supportive group of alumni, fine facilities in an attractive location and the support of the surrounding community,” Jorns stated in an interview upon assuming the EIU presidency in 1992.
During his presidency, Jorns concentrated on developing and implementing strategic plans that included reorganizing Eastern’s academic structure from six colleges to four. Jorns also led the University through a transitional change of leadership from the Board of Governors to Eastern’s own Board of Trustees. According to Jorns, having its own board provided EIU with an autonomy to create its own dynamic future, and to become—in his words—“a selective, traditional, residential institution of the highest quality. To be known as an institution to which many are called…on the basis of academic and personal merit.”
“Quality is the best advertisement we have,” he often shared in his perpetual advocacy of the Charleston, Illinois-based University.
Jorns also was responsible for guiding EIU through the beginning stages of the Booth Library renovation and the installation of a new provost. Moreover, he was in the unique position to work closely with EIU alum and then-Illinois Governor Jim Edgar during his tenure as EIU President. Together, they advocated for increasing State investments at EIU, as well as at every public University across the State.
When Jorns announced his plans to retire in 1999 in a letter to the EIU community, he stated “I leave Eastern with great peace of mind. The next administration will receive an institution in excellent working condition.” He retired with his wife in nearby Oakland, Illinois.
Jorns came to EIU following a variety of other leadership roles in higher education, including Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at Northern Kentucky University; Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Humanities at (former) West Texas State University, Canyon; Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts at Mankato State University (Minnesota); and Director of Theatre in the Department of Speech and Dramatic Art at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Jorns earned his Bachelor of Science degree in radio and TV from Oklahoma State University in 1966, a Master of Arts degree in speech and drama from Oklahoma State University in 1968, and a Ph.D. in theatre history and criticism from UCLA in 1973.
President Jorns' full obituary is available here.
