ISU’s Dietz: Expect governing board overhaul as Pritzker assumes power

Posted on January 15, 2019

By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – Illinois State University President Larry Dietz told faculty on Monday there might be a major overhaul of ISU’s governing board.

In a letter to faculty at the start of the spring semester, Dietz noted newly-installed Gov. J.B. Pritzker appoints public university trustees. The terms of Chairman Rocky Donahue, Secretary Mary Ann Louderback and Bob Churney are set to expire at the end of January.

Dietz said the tenure of four other trustees are up in the air because they’ve never been confirmed by the Senate. They are Bob Dobski, Sharon Rossmark, Julie Jones, and John Rauschenberger.

Dietz said he met with Pritzker as part of the new governor’s higher education transition team. Dietz urged the legislature to approve an equitable funding formula for higher education.

In the letter to faculty, Dietz also revealed applications for the next school year are up 27 percent from the same time last year, while admissions are up 17 percent. He said the university is also attracting more minority students. Dietz said applications for African-Americans are up 34 percent, Latino and Latina applications have risen 40 percent, and applications from Asian students are up by 40 percent from year ago, levels.

Dietz said the “Redbirds Rising” fundraising campaign has surpassed $135 million, moving closer to the $150 million goal. Among the 46,000 donors, there are almost 18-thousand new contributors, according to Dietz.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…