EIU Media Relations

An Important Message from President Glassman Following the Executive Order Extension

Dear Students –

It is my absolute hope that you are all doing well as you continue to transition your coursework to an online format. The Governor of Illinois recently extended the “Stay-at-Home” Executive Order to continue throughout the month of April.  During this time, we urge all our students to follow the guidelines for safe practices that will help in slowing the spread of COVID-19.  It is critical that we all do our part to stay healthy and to keep those around us as safe as possible. 

Following the Executive Order extension, I’d like to share the following important updates with our students:
 

• For those students who have left University Housing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, prorated credits are being applied to your student accounts, and refunds of positive balances will be made to your direct deposit account in about four to five weeks.  For those students who have not signed up for direct deposit, refund checks will be sent by mail to your permanent address.
   
• All Graduate Assistants will be paid their stipend through the end of the semester.
   
• All students on federal work-study funds will continue to be paid up to the amount allocated in federal funding. All students on federal work-study should continue to work on campus or remotely if at all possible.
   
• All student workers who were working prior to Spring Break and were scheduled to return to work after Spring Break will continue to be paid, beginning from March 23, for the remainder of the semester. Students’ pay will be based on the average hours worked per week prior to Spring Break or based on their supervisor’s intended scheduling of the student’s hours for the remainder of the semester. All students will be paid at their regular hourly rate and direct deposits will be made according to the University’s established payroll schedule. Students currently still working on campus or remotely should turn in their work hours as they normally do.  These students may consult with their supervisor to work additional hours if it is within budget and doesn't exceed 42 hours per pay period.  For all other students, pay-period hours will be handled automatically through the Payroll Office. 
   
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and because nearly 90% of our summer enrollment is through online learning, EIU’s Summer 2020 courses will be online or hybrid. 
   
• With the extension of the Governor’s Stay-at-Home Executive Order, the University cannot allow students to move out their belongings from EIU’s university housing (Residence Hall, Greek Court, University Court and University Apartments) at this time. When it becomes possible to do so, students will receive a message from Eastern’s Housing Office indicating the process and timeline for safely moving their belongings out of on-campus residences.
   
• At the end of the semester, students will need to return their textbooks. This can be done by using the external book drop located on the east side of the Textbook Rental Service building or by mailing textbooks back to Textbook Rental Service. Students will need their E-numbers or Panther Cards to activate the external book drop. Eastern is extending the deadline for returning textbooks through Sunday, May 10. The address for mailing textbooks back to Textbook Rental Service is Textbook Rental Service/ Eastern Illinois University / 975 Edgar Drive / Charleston, IL 61920.  When mailing textbooks, we recommend students insure all packages.  Students returning to Charleston to move out of their on-campus housing may return their textbooks at that time to Textbook Rental Service via the external book drop.
   
• To our graduating seniors: I, like you, am deeply regretful that this unprecedented pandemic has forced us to cancel our May graduation ceremonies. Please know that all of us at EIU celebrate your success and accomplishments. You are all wonderful examples of what it means to be an EIU Panther, poised to go on to great successes in your future. Still, we want to provide an opportunity to publicly celebrate your graduation with friends and family, and hope you will join us for a shared commencement ceremony on Saturday, December 19, 2020, that will allow us to applaud our May 2020 and December 2020 graduates. We expect it to be a monumental occasion, and allow us all to simultaneously celebrate EIU’s 125-year anniversary.  It is surely going to be a wonderful event!

As we move toward the end of the semester, I want you all to know how proud our faculty, staff and administration are of every single one of our EIU students.  We realize the unforeseen challenges of moving back home, transitioning to online coursework, and the general stress and anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced us all to respond rapidly and responsively to an abruptly changing environment. You have done so with remarkable resolve, and we are all deeply inspired by your collective confidence, responsibility, and Panther pride.  

With gratitude for your exceptional resilience,

David M. Glassman
President