Is your tween or teen interested in becoming a babysitter? This in-person camp is geared toward middle school or older students who are interested in childcare.  Students will gain confidence in caring for infants and children, understand what to do in an emerency, choose age-appropriate activities, recognize and handle a range of behaviors, and more!  A Superhero party will be held the last day of camp, where the students will get real-life skills working with kids!

Please fill out the form at https://www.eiu.edu/hscl/machform/view.php?id=31207 to attend the EIU Summer Babysitting Training Camp, June 8-12, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  Registration for the week is $170.00 per student.    If you have any other questions about registration, please contact Dr. Mikki Biggs at Mlbiggs@eiu.edu

This year's Benefits Fair will be held on Wednesday, May 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the MLK, Jr. University Union. Representatives from several Health/Vision/Dental Plan vendors will be available to answer questions and provide current information regarding those plans. Please feel free to come check out what's new, ask questions about employee benefits, etc.

Also, representatives from CMS will provide presentations at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the 1895 Room. These presentations re open to all and will include time for questions. Both presentations will cover the same information, so employees are encouraged to attend whichever session best fits their schedule.

This year, SURS has asked if they can come. We are excited for their representative to join us and CMS.

Also this year, Benefits will hold a drawing for those who attend for some EIU swag.
*Do not need to be present to win.

We hope to see you all there! As always, if you have any questions regarding your employee benefits, please call (217) 581-5825 or email benefits@eiu.edu.

Following an extensive search process, Eric Wahls has been named Director of Facilities Planning & Management at Eastern Illinois University.

Wahls has served in the role on an interim basis since July 2024, bringing more than two decades of progressive experience in facilities operations, construction management and capital planning. Throughout his tenure at EIU, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to the University, its mission and the campus community.

As interim director, Wahls has provided strategic leadership and oversight across all areas of Facilities Planning & Management. He has managed significant operating and capital budgets while leading a team of more than 100 employees. His work has supported major campus initiatives, including infrastructure improvements, capital development projects and operational enhancements that strengthen safety, efficiency and long-term sustainability.

Prior to his current appointment, Wahls built a strong foundation managing construction and renovation projects at the University, successfully delivering projects and collaborating closely with campus partners and state agencies. Earlier in his career, he served in leadership roles at RR Donnelley, where he gained experience that continues to inform his thoughtful and levelheaded approach.

Please join Eastern Illinois University in congratulating Eric Wahls on his appointment and thanking him for his ongoing dedication to the EIU community.

As part of the upcoming academic reorganization, Marketing & Communications is developing a broader strategy for academic web content, including updates to program pages, site structure, and how information is organized for prospective students.

This work is focused on creating a more consistent, student-centered experience that makes it easier for users to explore programs and find accurate, up-to-date information.

As this planning moves forward, departments are asked to hold on major structural website changes, such as creating new pages or reorganizing navigation, so that future updates can align with this broader approach.

Additional information, guidance, and opportunities for input will be shared in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, routine updates such as correcting outdated information or fixing broken links can continue as usual. (Fill out the Marcom Work Request form for assistance!)

• Olivia Bennett of Charleston is a junior at Eastern Illinois University majoring in broadcast journalism. She has worked as a Gray Television fellow for WOIO-TV in Cleveland; a producer, anchor and investigative reporter for TruBlu Crime Streaming; and managing editor, anchor and reporter for WEIU-TV News Watch. With this year’s award, Benett is now a three-time INBA scholarship winner. She will be taking home INBA Fred “Fritz” Sorenson Scholarship. Sorenson was a longtime reporter and anchor for WKRS radio in Waukegan and WCIA-TV in Champaign.
• Andrew Spaid of Lake in the Hills will graduate this spring from Eastern Illinois University with a degree in TV and video production. He has worked as a sports and news anchor, producer and sports director for WEIU-TV and was an on-air DJ for Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU. He also is a host and producer of the Anytime Sports Podcast, worked on the live sports production crew for ESPN+ and was a freelance camera operator for WQAD-TV. Andrew is the winner of the INBA Don Brown Scholarship. Don Brown is the namesake for the INBA’s first-ever scholarship, given in 1963. He worked for radio stations in Iowa and taught at the Universities of Iowa, Illinois, and Arizona State and was instrumental in forming the INBA in 1955.

• Devin Brooks, reporter/anchor, WQAD-TV, Quad Cities, a multi-time INBA scholarship winner himself and INBA board member.
• Jenna Dooley, news director, WNIJ in DeKalb, and INBA past president
• Rachel Lippmann, justice reporter, St. Louis Public Radio, and INBA past president
• Emily Manley, former Missouri capitol bureau reporter for Nexstar and former INBA vice president

Eastern Illinois University is making important investments to improve our campus.

To help keep the campus community informed, we’ve launched a dedicated construction updates page. Visit the site for the latest information on active projects, timelines, impacts to campus access, and more: go.eiu.edu/construction.

Beginning March 16, 2026, parking lots between the Student Services Building, the Old Steam Plant, and south of Blair Hall will be closed as part of a comprehensive upgrade to EIU's campus infrastructure. NOTE: ADA parking spaces immediately south of Blair Hall will remain open, and an ADA‑compliant ramp will be installed to accommodate east–west pedestrian traffic at the northwest corner of the Student Services Building.

Please review a map of the parking lot availability HERE, noting the additional details below.*

Per IGP#19, campus-wide summer office hours will be in effect from Monday, May 11, 2026, through Friday August 14, 2026. When summer office hours are in effect, all offices must be open Monday through Thursday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and on Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. All administrative offices (and others where possible) will remain open during the lunch hour, Monday through Thursday.

Each office is to change voice mail, signs, and other public communication to reflect its summer hours. Regular business hours will resume on Monday August 17, 2026. Please contact the Human Resources office with any questions.

Employees needing to complete a flex schedule: Please visit Flex Schedules to submit a request for supervisor approval. 

Holiday Weeks

• Memorial Day: Monday, May 25, 2026
  • Employees will record Holiday 7.5 hours and then work 30 hours between Tuesday – Friday. If you still want to leave at noon on Friday May 29, 2026, you may use accrued leave time off or work the additional 3.5 hours between Tuesday and Thursday (this would not be overtime, it would be considered flex time).
• Juneteenth/National Freedom Day
  • The week of June 15, 2026, employees will work (4) 7.5 hour days Monday – Thursday and record Holiday 7.5 hours for Friday June 19, 2026.
• Independence Day
  • The week of June 29, 2026, employees will work (4) 7.5 hour days Monday – Thursday and record Holiday 7.5 hours for Friday July 3, 2026.