Planning to participate in the Fall 2025 Commencement ceremonies? Please complete this form. This will help EIU prepare for seating arrangements and allow for reserved parking. 

Saturday, December 20 - Groniger Arena

Commencement would not be possible without the dedication of volunteers, as they play an essential role in creating a smooth and memorable experience for our graduates and their families! If you wish to volunteer for the Fall 2025 Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, December 20, please fill out this form.

If you have any questions, please contact mamorecraft@eiu.edu.

Last year, Booth Library hosted their first Beats and Books, an after-hours party where students left with good books and great memories. Beats and Books will be coming back this year on December 5^th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. 

Partygoers will get to “speed date” with six book titles and take home the book of their choice. Pizza, snacks, and mocktails will be available to enjoy. Students are invited to hit the dance floor at Booth Library and pick up a free book! 

Reservations are required—secure one of the 75 spots by following this link: https://eiu.libcal.com/event/15614137

Looking for a creative and practical hobby that can be used for everyday life? Booth Library invites the EIU community to attend the Sewing Machine Workshop at the Center of Student Innovation! This instructor-tailored workshop will be led by Jenna Gove, assistant professor at the Theater Department. 

This workshop introduces the set up and operation of sewing machines. Attendees will learn general sewing skills, such as how to thread a sewing machine, adjust stitch length and width, stitch straight and curved seams, and more! After learning the basics of sewing, participants can reserve a sewing machine to use at the Center of Student Innovation. 

The Sewing Machine Workshop will be hosted on Wednesday, November 19 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Center of Student Innovation, located on the 1000 level of Booth Library. Participants will receive scrap fabric to work with. Please register through LibCal by November 19 to ensure access to materials.

Dear Colleagues,

The University will be closed in observance of the 2025 Thanksgiving holiday on:

• Thursday, November 27, 2025
• Friday, November 28, 2025

We will also observe 2025 Christmas and 2025/2026 New Year's Eve/New Year's Day on Eastern's four official holidays:

• Wednesday, December 24, 2025
• Thursday, December 25, 2025
• Wednesday, December 31, 2025
• Thursday, January 1, 2026

Please note all offices must remain open through December 23, 2025. The University will reopen for full service on Friday January 2, 2026.

In addition, per IGP #7.5, paid Gift Days for 2025 will be observed on:

• December 26, 2025
• December 29, 2025
• December 30, 2025

Employees, including probationary employees, will not have to use their own leave time for these days. Essential employees of the University will still be required to work on one or more of the Gift days. Vice Presidents and/or Directors will identify those areas/employees deemed essential for University operations. An employee(s) identified as “essential” will be allowed to flex the Gift days at another time but must use that time by March 31, 2026. For more information regarding Gift days please visit here.  

Employees who are in probationary status who wish to use time outside of the Gift days (example, December 22, 23, January 2), will be allowed to use any available accrued leave or take leave without pay during the Holiday season, with supervisor approval. Probationary employees who wish to use accrued leave during the holiday period must submit the Civil Service Employee Request for Accrued Leave During Probation form online and available here.  

Supervisors are encouraged to approve time-off requests, unless the employment is required for essential duties during that period, or the time off impedes the ability for the office to remain open through December 23, 2025. Should an employee choose to take leave without pay, please note that accrued leave, sick leave and service credit will not be earned.

Please note that the following eligibility rules apply for holiday compensation:
Employees must be in an approved pay status, with or without pay, on the last scheduled workday before the holiday and the first scheduled work day following the holiday in order to receive holiday pay. Employees who are subject to the provisions of a prevailing-rate agreement or a collective bargaining agreement will be paid according to the terms of the respective agreement. 

Time reporting codes have previously been created for use on time sheets and leave reports.  If you do not have to work on December 26, 29 or 30, please report it under University Gift Day – Non-work (763).  If you must work on any of the Gift days, please report applicable time under University Gift Day – Time worked (764).  If you must work and flex your day(s) at another time, when you use that day, you will use the 763 – University Gift Day – Non-work at that time.

As in previous years, please make note of the adjusted monthly payroll schedule for December. The pay date for December will be on January 2, 2026.

Inquiries regarding this information may be directed to the Benefits Office at (217) 581-5825 or by e-mailing benefits@eiu.edu.

Thank you!

Human Resources

There are new parking procedures in place at the MLK Jr. University Union. Former meters have been replaced with Text-To-Pay signage. There is a still a single meter on the corner of the union lot closest to the police station along with two free thirty minute spaces located in front of the east entrance to the building. The hours of operation have also been updated to include evenings and weekends. Please visit or call the scheduling office with any questions you may have in regards to this new addition. Instructions on how to use the platform are kept at the front desk. 

The Assessment, Testing, & Prescription (ATP) Lab is open!

Exercise Science students conduct FREE physical fitness assessments for all EIU students, faculty, and staff. The fitness assessments offered include: resting blood pressure, body composition (skinfolds, waist & hip circumferences, BMI), muscular fitness (strength, endurance, and flexibility), and cardiorespiratory testing utilizing the YMCA bike test protocol. 

The lab is located in Room 1011 of the Lantz Building. Fall semester hours are Mondays & Wednesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. and Tuesdays & Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m.

To schedule an appointment, call the ATP Lab at 217-581-7109, stop by and schedule one in person, or use the following link:  https://square.site/appointments/book/EPMEPD12NYJW7/atp-lab-eiu-charleston-il

EIU's Adult Fitness Program is a physical fitness program for adults in Coles County and surrounding areas. We specialize in creating individualized exercise programs to help members achieve their fitness goals. Graduate students work individually with members and lead group fitness programs, such as bootcamp and Pilates. 

Members have access to the Student Recreation Center and the Lantz pool during specific times of the day. 

All it takes to get started is to sign up for a screening! The cost of the screening and membership for a year is $40 for current EIU employees and EIU annuitants or $70 for those not currently employed by EIU. To learn more, visit our website at https://www.eiu.edu/adultfitness/

Call the Adult Fitness Office at 217-581-7579  or email us at adult_fitness@eiu.edu to schedule your screening today!

Did you know you can update your own EIU online profile and directory information?

Each University employee has access to a personal profile editor that makes it easy to keep your information current. Simply visit the profile editor directly, or click the “Update Your Profile” button located in the lower left-hand corner of your profile page. After logging in with your EIU credentials, you’ll be able to edit a wide range of content - from your biography and office hours to languages spoken and photo.

These updates help students and colleagues get to know you better and ensure your profile reflects your current role and contact information.

Note: Certain fields (including phone number, building, office location and department) are managed through Banner. If you need to update any of those, you’ll be directed to a form that will be reviewed and processed by Human Resources.

EIU Marketing & Communications is excited to share our students’ college success through Merit Pages, a platform that highlights student achievements and allows us to tell our student's stories.

These stories include:

• Dean’s list inclusion
• Scholarships
• Presenting research/academic work
• Winning awards
• Internships
• Volunteering
• RSO & club involvement
• Work experience
• Other recognition & accomplishments

EIU's Merit Pages helps showcase student accomplishments from admission through graduation and creates an online presence that will set students apart as they enter the workforce. This makes it easier for employers, graduate schools and internship coordinators to discover and recognize student success. In partnership with EIU Marketing & Communications, Merit Pages also turns student accomplishments into personalized stories.

To learn more and suggest a Merit Page update, visit the Marketing & Communications Merit Page info site.