Eastern’s nursing program will jump through its next hoop, bringing it that much closer to reality, at Wednesday’s Board of Trustees meeting.

“It is the right program at the right time for Eastern, given the reality of the current and growing need for BSN qualified nurses in East Central Illinois,” said Blair Lord, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

University administrators are proposing a nursing program that would create a partnership with local community colleges and Lakeview College of Nursing to provide continuing education for registered nurses.

Upon completion of the program, Eastern would award students with a bachelor of science degree in nursing.

Currently, Eastern has an agreement with Lakeview College of Nursing that allows it to offer Lakeview’s nursing course on campus.

The College of Sciences Curriculum Committee first approved the program in early October. From there, the Council on Academic Affairs moved it forward to President Lou Hencken for his approval. Now, the BOT will vote.

If the board passes the program, the final step is acquiring the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s approval at its Feb. 7 meeting.

Lord said he does not expect the board to have too many questions or concerns with the program.

“We had to keep the Board of Trustees informed as the program proposal moved through the campus approval process,” he said.

Funding is the main concern that Lord reiterated with each group that has approved the program.

“I know the Board of Trustees, like the other groups, will have some questions about how we will address the obvious need for new funding to launch this program,” he said.

In order to raise funds for the program, Lord said the board would need to approve the proposal.

“We believe that is a true need for this program, and I don’t think anybody disagrees with that, and what we’re trying to do now is to get the dollars,” said President Lou Hencken.

The board is also expected to vote on spending $1.16 million to build a 4,870 square-foot, second-floor addition to the east side of Lantz Arena.

The Lantz addition would house coaching offices for the men and women’s basketball teams, an academic space that would include staff offices, a study area, a computer lab, restrooms and a conference room.

In addition, the board is to consider allocating $235,000 for the purchase and demolition of property at 1816 Ninth St., Charleston, to create a student and staff parking lot.

The house is currently owned and occupied by the Zeta Alpha chapter of the Alpha Phi sorority. Acquisition of property in that area is in accordance with the Campus Master Plan.

The board will meet at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.