EIU Media Relations

Hencken Named Ninth President of Eastern Illinois University

"We have a president."

With those words Friday, the term "interim" was stripped from his title and Louis V. Hencken officially became Eastern Illinois University's ninth president.

Eastern's Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a contract which appoints Hencken as president and extends his contract until June 30, 2006.

Hencken, 59, has served as Eastern's top administrator since Aug. 1, 2001, when President Carol D. Surles resigned due to health reasons.

The university conducted a nationwide search, beginning in the fall of 2001, but the outcome was unsuccessful. The search was scheduled to resume this semester; however, concerns were raised over the wisdom of seeking a new president before state revenues stabilized and while Eastern was in the midst of preparing for its 10-year accreditation review.

Trustees decided on Sept. 30, 2003, to offer Hencken an extended contract and postpone the search for an additional two years.

The provisions of that contract, made public on Friday,essentially mimic those of Hencken's earlier contract. Changes include the effective date; the addition of a provision for salary review due to the multi-year term; administrative leave entitlement; an extension of Hencken's term through June 30, 2006; and the removal of the word "interim" at various locations in the contract.

Per Hencken's request, no changes were made to the president's compensation - an annual salary which currently stands at $173,000.

Hencken, who has served Eastern in a variety of administrative positions for nearly 40 years, began his career here in student affairs as a graduate assistant. He advanced through the housing ranks as a counselor and both assistant and associate director prior to be selected director in 1975.

In 1989, he was named associate vice president for student affairs, assuming responsibility for three new student affairs areas besides housing.

His duties continued to expand in 1992 when he was named vice president for student affairs with responsibility for 19 student affairs areas employing 550 civil service and administrative employees and more than 1,500 student employees and a combined operating budget of $50 million.

Hencken has served as president of the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center board of directors for the past five years, and has also served on the Credit Union I board of directors.

He and his wife, Mary Kay, a retired business education teacher at Charleston High School, reside in Charleston.