EIU Board approves honorary degrees, facility upgrades, employee policy enhancements
Nov-12-2026
(Charleston, IL) – The Eastern Illinois University Board of Trustees held its regular November meeting today, Thursday, November 12, in EIU’s Tarble Museum of Art, located on campus at 600 Lincoln Avenue in Charleston. Immediately following the 11:30 a.m. call to order and roll call, the Board approved a motion to enter into executive session. The open session of the meeting began at 1 p.m.
Noteworthy results from a selection of action items presented in the November meeting included:
- A welcome and executive summary report from Board Chair Julie Everett and associated committee reports from representative Trustees
- Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting and Board of Trustees retreat meeting in September (2026)
- Approval of honorary degrees for two individuals with longstanding connections to the University and region —a Doctor of Public Service and a Doctor of Science degree for Kim Uphoff, president and CEO of Sarah Bush Lincoln, and Harry Frost, a 1960 EIU graduate and distinguished industrial chemist and philanthropist, respectively. The honorary degrees recognize the recipients' professional accomplishments, service and contributions to their communities.
- Approval of two facilities-related purchases designed to improve campus amenities and maintain University performance spaces:
- Replacement scoring and pinspotter equipment in the bowling alley at the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. The upgrades will replace aging equipment and improve the reliability, safety and overall experience for students and other users of the facility.
- Speaker system upgrades in Dvorak Concert Hall and Recital Hall at the Doudna Fine Arts Center. The project will replace existing sound equipment and include installation and a one-year customer support plan, supporting the University's ability to provide high-quality performance and presentation experiences.
- Approval of revisions to Board Regulations that extend vacation payout eligibility to probationary employees. The update will be effective beginning January 1, 2027 and aligns EIU's provisions with policies at other Illinois public universities.
Other Items
- The Board reviewed the University's FY 2026 Earned Degrees Report, which documented 1,726 degrees awarded during the fiscal year. These included 1,002 bachelor's degrees, 628 master's degrees, 73 post-bachelor's certificates and 23 specialist degrees.
- EIU demonstrated its ongoing ability to attract external funding and generate revenue through research, public-service initiatives, educational programs and other University activities. The University's FY 2026 Board of Trustees report documents more than $6.7 million in research and public-service grant and contract awards, in addition to revenue generated through other University contracts, camps, conferences and related activities. These activities reflect EIU's continued commitment to securing outside resources, build partnerships and extend the University's academic and public-service mission beyond the classroom by supporting faculty research, student opportunities, community initiatives and programs that serve regional and statewide needs.
Additionally, the meeting included reports from President Jay Gatrell and various University constituencies, an Intercollegiate Athletics update from Director Mark Wilson, and updates on a variety of routine University business matters.
The Board of Trustees will next meet for its regularly scheduled meeting in January 2027. Additional information about EIU Board meetings, agendas and supporting materials is available at eiu.edu/trustees.
