Members of Eastern’s campus will get to know each other and the new president at Student Government’s “Premiering the Prez” event 3:30 p.m Tuesday in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Stephen Simpson, the student body vice president of academic affairs, said this would be President David Glassman’s new debut to the student body.

The event will be somewhat different than others in the “Prowling with the Prez” series hosted by Student Government in previous years.

“It’ll be to break him into the series and EIU,” Simpson said.

“Last year, they(Prowling with the Prez) were kind of big bangs to send President Perry away,” Simpson said. “What I did was I kind of slowed it down a little bit.”

Simpson said he was slowing things down to break the new president in a little bit.

“Definitely student government will be there. We’re just reaching out to everyone because we just want students to meet President Glassman and know that he’s a real person,” Simpson said. “They don’t have to be nervous to ask him any questions.”

Simpson said it’s important for students to know he cares.

“Yes, he’s in charge of the university, but he’s also here for us,” Simpson said. “If he can hear those concerns from students it’s more personable.”

Glassman and student government met Wednesday to discuss Premiering the Prez.

“He’s actually glad we do this event because he really wants to meet students,” Simpson said.

Glassman will speak for a little while to introduce himself to the attendees.

“I don’t know where he’ll take it. I told him 10 to 15 minutes,” Simpson said.

An ice cream bar will be provided for refreshments.

“That’ll be a backdrop for people to take pictures with him if they want to,” Simpson said. “If not him, I invited Billy the Panther there, so hopefully he comes, too.”

Simpson said the turnout for other Prowling with the Prez events has been pretty good.

“Some events, turnout is as low as 30 people showing up, and some, 500 people showed up,” Simpson said. “The last one we did for President Perry, PHC (Pan-Hellenic Council), IFC (Interfraternity Council), they all linked up with student government and made it happen, so a lot of students showed up. It depends on the month and time events are.”

Simpson hopes for at least 50 people for this event.

“It’s the first one, so I don’t know how people are going to be with coming out,” he said.

Along with helping students get to know the president, students will also be able to get to know each other as well.

“What does he see himself doing in the future, enrollment– those are probably the top concerns people have,” Simpson said. He also said that some students may be concerned about budget cuts.

It is not just concerns people will be able to bring up to the president.

“It’s also ideas,” Simpson said. “Like, what can we do in Charleston, what can we do about this.”

Simpson said a Prowling with the Prez event happens once a month, with the exception of August and sometimes January.

“Future events will be pets on parade. It’ll be kind of a study release,” Simpson said. “We also link with Java a lot so we’ll do pastries with the Prez.”

Cassie Buchman can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]