President Lou Hencken will retire.

He announced his decision today at a special meeting of the Board of Trustees.

“I have always been told that ‘to everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens,’ and I firmly believe that there is a natural rhythm to academic institutions like this one – a time to begin and a time to end,” Hencken said. “After serving for 41 years at Eastern Illinois University in various positions., I have no doubt that the time has come for the university to begin the search process for its next president. Accordingly I have advised our Board of Trustees that I will retire as president of Eastern Illinois University.”

Hencken’s current contract expires June 30, 2007. He told trustees,however, that if need be, he is willing to remain in office after thatdate and until a new president can assume the office.

During the next twelve months, Hencken told the board and attendees that he plans to stay busy working on several goals he wants to accomplish before he leaves.

“I am personally incapable of being a lame duck, and the challenges and opportunities facing the university are too important to permit that to happen,” he said.

His final statement: “I will always be grateful, more grateful than I know how to say, by the honor given to me by the trustees, by the previous presidents, by the students, by my colleagues on the faculty and staff to have had the opportunity to serve Eastern Illinois

University – my Alma Mater – for so long and in so many ways. And I when I leave office I will do so with the continuing confidence in the future of this great university.”

As Hencken left the podium, from which he announced his decision, the board and those in attendance gave the president a standing ovation.