Eastern Illinois University Names Glassman as New President
Mar-02-2015 |
| David M. Glassman |
David M. Glassman has been named the 12th president of Eastern Illinois University.
Glassman, 61, was introduced to the EIU community Monday following an official vote by the university’s Board of Trustees. He currently serves as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Bradley University, a private university located in Peoria, Ill.
Board Chairman Kristopher Goetz credited Glassman’s energy and enthusiasm, in part, for the board’s decision. “They were certainly important factors,” he said. “But we also believe that Dr. Glassman has a clear vision for the future of Eastern, as well as a strong understanding and appreciation of our strategic plan.
“And, being from Illinois, he certainly understands the challenges higher education faces in the state. We view his experience at a private institution as a positive thing. The funding model has been changing; Eastern can no longer rely on state appropriations as its major funding source. As a private institution, Bradley already relies on funding based on tuition. We believe Dr. Glassman will be able to help us in that transition.”
“I’m thrilled to have been chosen and am honored and thankful for the confidence shown in me by Eastern’s Board of Trustees,” Glassman said. “I look forward to beginning my work on campus.”
That beginning will take place on June 1. Glassman intends to remain in his current role through May 31.
“There won’t be much down time,” he admits, but that fact doesn’t seem to bother him, as he’s hugely excited to begin the next chapter in his academic career.
Glassman has experience with both private and public institutions of higher education, having spent 19 years (1985-2004) as a faculty member, associate dean and chair of the Anthropology Department at Texas State University (formerly Southwest Texas), in San Marcos. His tenure as a professor of anthropology and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, followed (2004-2010), and he arrived at Bradley University as provost and vice president for academic affairs later in 2010.
He earned both a master’s degree and doctorate in anthropology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, after completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota.
Glassman said one of the deciding factors in his decision to accept the position at Eastern was the emotion he witnessed during his on-site interviews in January. “I was impressed by the passion for the university as expressed by its faculty, staff, administrators and students,” he said. “Plus, it’s a beautiful campus. I look forward to making my place there.”
He plans to make periodic visits to the area between now and June 1 in order to “establish” himself, to focus on the impending presidential transition and find a home. He will spend the first few months of his presidency “absorbing the culture of the area and identifying the areas that will need my immediate and full attention.
“Enrollment management, of course, will be of the highest importance,” he said.
Glassman will immediately begin fostering and strengthening existing partnerships with the university’s various constituencies, including legislators, alumni and the community. Furthermore, he plans to enhance Eastern’s resources by developing new partnerships and may, in time, even return to the classroom.
“If my schedule allows time to do so, I would like to teach – maybe one course every other year or so,” he said. “In addition to helping me keep in touch with our students, teaching allows me to make better decisions relative to the faculty.”
Eastern’s search for a new president began when William L. Perry announced in March 2014 that he would complete his service as president in 2015. Perry began serving as EIU president in 2007.
In acknowledging the successful end to the nearly year-long search, Joe Dively, chair of the presidential search advisory committee and a member of Eastern’s BOT, thanked the committee, the university community, and the Charleston community at-large for their participation and feedback.
“With the assistance of the search committee, we were able to bring four exceptional higher education professionals to campus for on-site interviews, and we had great participation in the candidate forums,” Dively said. “And I’m convinced Dr. Glassman is the right leader for Eastern.”
**********
EIU History
David M. Glassman will be Eastern’s 12th president, but the 11th “sitting president.”
Samuel M. Inglis was appointed as the institution’s first president in 1898, but died before officially assuming the full duties of the office.
Subsequent presidents of Eastern Illinois University have been:
Livingston C. Lord (1899 to 1933)
Robert G. Buzzard (1933 to 1956)
Quincy V. Doudna (1956 to 1971)
Gilbert C. Fite (1971 to 1976)
Daniel E. Marvin (1977 to 1983)
Stanley G. Rives (1983 to 1992)
David L. Jorns (1992 to 1999)
Carol D. Surles (1999 to 2001)
Louis V. Hencken (2001 to 2007)
William L. Perry (2007 to 2015)
