EIU Media Relations

EIU’s Realignment Made Official

Board’s vote expands EIU’s academic landscape, creates additional student opportunities

After learning in April how a realignment of Eastern Illinois University’s academic landscape would increase the university’s appeal and stimulate growth, EIU’s board voted Friday at their regular June meeting to approve the university’s realignment plan. The adjustments—driven by the university’s ongoing Vitalization Project—will begin to take shape in July 2018.

During campus presentations and the board meeting last April, vice president of Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Jay Gatrell indicated realignment would enrich EIU’s signature learning experience, enhance EIU’s competitiveness through new and improved programs, reinforce Eastern’s position as Illinois’ preeminent regional comprehensive institution, and ensure the university’s ongoing viability through increased enrollments and revenue. Gatrell also emphasized that by using existing resources, the realignment seeks to be budget neutral, and that all staff positions or classifications will remain in place with only nominal revisions to position titles that will better reflect their roles in meeting institutional priorities.

Other routine actions from the university’s June board meeting included:

- Budget: An FY19 proposed budget received preliminary
   approval. The final FY19 budget will be presented for approval in
   the board’s regular September meeting. FY20 budget projections
   also were shared.

- Purchase approvals: Contracts for beverage services, charter bus
   services, and emergency services testing and maintenance
   services were approved, along with group insurance
   reimbursements.

- Approval of Non-Indentured Capital Reserves

- Approval of the 2019 Board Meeting Calendar

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In sum, EIU’s realignment will:

• Create a new College of Health and Human Services, housing the new Department of Human Services and Community Leadership, and also comprising Communication Disorders and Sciences, Health Promotion, Kinesiology/Recreation Administration, Military Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, and RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs.
• Rename the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences to the Lumpkin College of Business and Technology, which will include the School of Business, the School of Technology, and an independent program in Hospitality.
• Combine and rename the College of Arts and Humanities and the College of Sciences to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which will house the new unified School of Communication and Journalism and a new School of the Arts (Music, Art and Design*, and Theatre), alongside the Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Geology/Geography, English, Foreign Language, History, Mathematics and Computer Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology/Anthropology/Criminal Justice departments. *will house the Fashion Merchandising and Design program
• Rename the College of Education and Professional Studies to the College of Education, which will include the renamed School of Extended Learning (Bachelor of General Studies program, Lifelong Learning, and Non-Credit programming); the Office of Education and Student Services; and the Counseling and Student Development, Educational Leadership, Special Education, and the Teaching, Learning and Foundation departments.
• Enhance the focus of the Pine Honors College and the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs to work more closely with faculty to deepen EIU’s commitment to high-impact practices primarily in research, but also in the areas of study abroad, internships and community engagement.
• Rename the Center for Academic Services & Assessment the Academic Success Center as part of the centralization of student success initiatives.
• Expand the scope of the Office of Faculty Development and rename it the Faculty Development and Innovation Center (FDIC).
• Eliminate the Center for Academic Technology Services and reassign staff to ITS, Web Services, and the FDIC based on area of expertise.