The Faculty Senate discussed updates in the admissions office and nominated a new executive board at their meeting Tuesday.

Kara Hadley-Shakya, the interim director of admissions, presented several new initiatives the office was working on, including one to help increase the recruitment of Latino students.

Hadley-Shakya said they have been working on the initiative for two years after deciding that focusing on the recruitment and retention of Latino students was an utmost priority.

“We’ve been working for two years to focus on some initiatives and we put together a proposal that has many different recruitment and retention strategies and the president funded four of them this year,” Hadley-Shakya said.

One strategy Hadley-Shakya presented to Senators was a recruitment publication written entirely in Spanish.

“Over 40 hours was put into this publication,” Hadley-Shakya said. “It was dedicated students, staff and faculty that came together (to work on it).”

Last Saturday, the office of admissions hosted its first Latino admitted student day with a presentation in English or Spanish.

“Everything was in Spanish from their presentation, campus tour, admissions appointment, financial aid,” Hadley-Shakya said. “So we really did customize that program to prepare the students and parents.

According to Hadley-Shakya, all 11 students who visited the campus will be attending Eastern in the fall.

With two weeks away from May 1, the official day students decide where they want to attend in the fall, Hadley-Shakya said the university’s incoming freshmen is down 25 percent compared to last year.

For transfer students, Hadley-Shakya said the university is experiencing the same percentage of decline. However, their focus is getting students to complete their next steps in the admissions process, Hadley-Shakya said.

Hadley-Shakya also said they are working on plans to have two new college search events in Naperville and Orland Park.

Jemmie Robertson ran unopposed and will be the chairperson for another academic year with Senator Jeffery Stowell as the vice-chair for the next year.

Senator John Oliver also kept his position as recorder.

The Faculty Senate also welcomed three new senators.

Analicia Haynes can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]