By Adam Studzinski
NORMAL – Illinois State University Chief of Staff Jay Groves is calling it a career at the end of April.
As he looked back on a career that’s included working in news, teaching journalism, and public relations, he said news coverage has changed “dramatically.”
“News is more politicized than it used to be. In the radio, TV, newspaper world it’s less funded than it used to be. It’s smaller within the organizations themselves because there’s so much social media news,” Groves said.
Groves explained he used to tell his students at Illinois State not to just get news from one source. He said to gather information from as many places as possible, then make your own judgments.
Groves added funding for higher education in Illinois has gone down, or stayed the same, each year since 2001.
“It’s really never gotten a lot better,” said Groves. “The state, at some point, needs to decide what it they want higher education to look like in Illinois.”
Groves was not sure what the plan is for replacing him – or if he’ll be replaced. He said some of his duties have already been handed off to other employees. It will be up to ISU President Larry Dietz to decide what will happen with the position.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at adam.studzinski@cumulus.com.
