STUDENTS RELAY FOR CANCER AWARENESS
REDBIRDS GEAR UP FOR FALL SEASON
FEATURES 7
SPORTS 8
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ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSIT Y’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1888 Vol. 128 / No. 60
MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016
We have funding ... finally
The Illinois General Assembly passed legislation Friday that will give ISU $20.9 million BRENT BADER Senior Reporter
Both sides of the General Assembly voted to pass legislation that will provide funding for Illinois State University and other public universities after leaving the colleges without state funding during the ongoing budget impasse. After much discussion over the past week, lawmakers voted 106-2 in the House and 55-0 in the Senate to approve the legislation which will give the universities 31 percent of what they received in fiscal year 2015 and 60 percent to the struggling Chicago State University. “The good news about this is that it shows good bipartisan work by both sides of the aisle in the General Assembly,” Jay Groves, ISU chief of staff, said. “It shows a willingness to work together and it really helps Illinois State, but it helps more public universities that were in very critical shape financially.” ISU will receive $20.9 million of the $600 million being spent, and the legislature allows for partial funding of the Monetary Award Program. ISU has continued to support MAP grants despite the lack of the state budget and could be left with a deficit in the millions if the state does not fund the grants when approving a fiscal year 2016 budget. ISU President Larry Dietz released an e-mail to students, faculty and staff letting the campus community know that, while the funding is appreciated, there is much more work to be done. “Our efforts are not nearly complete,” Dietz said in the e-mail. “We must continue to work together to protect this state’s most precious resource—the education of our citizens.”
President Dietz sent out an e-mail Friday afternoon informing the university that it will receive $20.9 million from the state. Neal Gustat, business information systems senior, believes that higher education is becoming less and less of a certainty among prospective students, and events such as the ongoing budget impasse only further dissuade those students from seeking out higher education in Illinois. By coming to a bipartisan agreement, the legislators are assuring current students and prospective students that higher education
does matter to them. “Together they worked out a compromise, and I believe this is the one case they agreed on something that was necessary,” Gustat said. “I think it’s a good thing and will hopefully work out for everyone.” With two semesters left at ISU, Gustat is at least reassured that the educational experience he’s come to know thus far will continue and that higher education is being looked after
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despite the budget impasse. The university has previously stalled construction projects that are unrelated to safety as well as eliminated or left vacant more than 75 non-faculty positions as a result of not having a fiscal year 2016 budget. Currently the university will not be making any immediate changes to its plans as a result of the emergency funding. see FUNDS page 3
College of Education dean named ACE fellow BRENT BADER Senior Reporter
Perry Schoon, College of Education dean, has been recently named an American Council on Education fellow for the upcoming 20162017 academic year. Schoon is one of 33 higher education faculty to be selected by ACE to participate in the program. “I had a rush of feelings: [excited], honored, somewhat shocked but most of all grateful for those that supported me,” Schoon said. Illinois State University President Larry Dietz and the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Janet Krejci nominated Schoon for the program. By participating, Schoon will be learning invaluable leadership skills that he can then bring back to ISU. He will be meeting and learning from other ACE fellows from many universities and learning of their university’s goals and challenges. Krejci, a previous ACE fellow herself, told Schoon that the program would be an experience like no other and communication was key to getting the most out of it. “The experience and learning that occurs in one year can often take a lifetime, so it is indeed a unique experience,” Krejci said. “I told Dean Schoon to embrace every opportunity to learn, grow and connect with leaders
Morgan Kuniej | Vidette Photographer
College of Education Dean Perry L. Schoon has been named an American Council on Education fellow for the 2016-2017 school year. across the country and internationally.” Both the President and the Provost offered the mentorships throughout the application process and will continue to guide Schoon as he participates in the program. Schoon will be spending the academic year at a host university and will be working on a project to research how universities deal with the reduced appropriations that are becoming more prevalent. “I’ll be looking at reduced appropriations
for colleges across the nation,” Schoon said. “I’ll be looking at the impacts and how colleges react and hopefully we’ll discover a model at the end of the project.” This research could not only benefit ISU, but also colleges across the nation in finding better ways to manage budgets with reduced appropriations. As another of his duties, Schoon will be assisting with projects at the host university, shadowing the president and attending
retreats occasionally throughout the semester. Schoon believes it was his background experience that led to his selection as a fellow, given the fact that many applicants have not held a higher level administration like he has. In the past, Schoon oversaw the College of Education and was dubbed a national leader in educator preparation by College Factual in 2015. During this time Mometrix, a national test preparation company, also named him one of the most influential education deans in the country. It appears that someone will have big shoes to fill as the college looks for an acting dean to take Schoon’s place. “We will be looking for a leader who is passionate about the success of the College of Education and Illinois State University,” Krejci said. “One who will work collaboratively with the current staff, faculty and students to support their continued commitment to excellence.” Schoon is not a part of the decision making process but may be consulted on selecting a new dean. He had no immediate advice for the next person to hold the office while away but assured whoever it will be that the job is a rewarding one. “This is an outstanding college with outstanding faculty and outstanding leadership,” Schoon said. “I think that person will enjoy being here.”