Looking back at the 2021-2022 academic year

News Staff

 

As the semester ends and spring commencement is over, here is a look back at the 2021-2022 academic year:

August

The fall semester kicked off with move-in, First Night and Quakin’ in the Quad.

Mark Codo, a senior television and video production major, holds up his arm to try and gain balance while riding on the bull during Quakin’ in the Quad on Aug. 21. (Ashanti Thomas)

The first day of classes was August 23.

Ramsey Johnson, a freshman computer science major, walks to class on Aug. 26. He said his first week of classes were “not very extravagant.” (Ashanti Thomas)

September

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 981, the union representing Eastern’s building service workers, cooks, kitchen laborers, clerical workers and technical workers reached an agreement with Eastern Sept. 2.

Kim Turner, member of The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 981holds a sign demanding contracts from the university.

Director of Track and Field Keith Roberts started Sept. 3.

Director of Track and Field Keith Roberts speaks at the memorial service for Jason Aguilar Thursday afternoon. The memorial service took place at the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union Grand Ballroom. (Rob Le Cates)

Eastern’s football team played SEC opponent South Carolina on Sept. 4.

Eastern defensive lineman Justin Growel drags down a South Carolina ball carrier in the Panthers game against the Gamecocks Sept. 4. Eastern lost the game 46-0. (Sandy King | Eastern Athletics)

Meet the Greeks made a comeback Sept. 10 and celebrated the eight historically Black fraternities and sororities that have chapters at Eastern and Eastern’s Latinx-interest fraternity Alpha Psi Lambda National, Inc.

Members Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.,  and Alpha Psi Lambda Fraternity, Inc. represent their organizations.

Fall 2021 enrollment numbers showed Eastern’s enrollment had a slight decrease in students.

A graph shows the 20-year history of Eastern’s Fall enrollment, including the slow then rapid decline followed by a recent uptick in students after Eastern began offering dual credit courses for high school students. (The Daily Eastern News)

Brother Jed and Sister Cindy made their annual trip to Eastern on Sept. 13.

Sister Cindy preaches and tells stories about her life to students listening in the Library Quad in front of the Mellin steps. (Ashanti Thomas)

Eastern’s Student Government met for the first time of the year on Sept. 14. They were led by Eastern’s first Black female student body president, Jacqueline Williams.

Student Government President Jacqueline Williams start the meeting by having senate members repeat after her at the Wednesday Student Government meeting. (Rob Le Cates)

Eastern celebrated Latino Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

Brejona Hutchinson, a sophomore majoring in computer and information technology, enjoys Latino Heritage Kickoff by waiting in line for a taco. (Iyanna Stanton)

Family Weekend 2021 brought Eastern students’ families together.

Jennifer Escobedo, a senior health education major, eats tacos while talking to Luis Paniagua, a senior graphic design major, at the tailgate before the start of the home football game Sept. 19 during Family Weekend.

The Tarble Arts Center reopened its doors on Sept. 24.

Cole Lu, an artist and writer based in New York, visits the Tarble for their Tarble After Hours event Friday night to talk about his work and answer questions from the audience. (Ashanti Thomas)

The circus came to Eastern Sept. 28.

The Campus Food Pantry held its grand opening on Sept. 30.

Anne Flaherty and President Glassman cut the ribbon to showcase the new campus food pantry in McAfee on Sept. 30. (Kyara Morales-Rodriguez)

October

Dustin Hatfield and Jaime Marcos broke the school record in the 8K at the Louisville Classic on Oct. 2. with Hatfield holding the fastest time and Marcos holding the second-fastest time.

Eastern redshirt senior Dustin Hatfield (24) competes in the men’s 5,000-meter run at the EIU Big Blue Classic on April 1 and O’Brien Field. Hatfield did not finish the event, but set a school record in the 5,000 meters the previous week at the Raleigh Relays with a time of 13:53.21. (Sandy King | Eastern Athletics)

During the annual State of the University address on Oct. 6, University President David Glassman announced his plan to retire in June 2023.

President Glassman delivers his State of the University address in the Dvorak Concert Hall on Oct. 6, 2021. (Ashanti Thomas)

A Bright New Boise was performed in the Doudna Fine Arts Center from Oct. 7 to Oct. 10.

Pi Kappa Alpha submitted a letter of intent to surrender its charter on Oct. 12 due to a decline in enrollment at Eastern and an increasing debt to the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity. The fraternity had six members at its closing.

ASHANTI THOMAS | THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS
PIKE house. (Ashanti Thomas)

Eastern’s Naming Committee reconvened Oct. 14 to review a list of names for their fitness as potential name replacements for Douglas Hall.

Angie Campbell, former chair of the Naming Committee, discusses the internal governing policy for the committee. (Corryn Brock)

The 2021 Homecoming Court was crowned on Oct. 18.

The 2021 Homecoming Court. Homecoming Coronation held Monday night in the MLK Union Grand Ballroom. (Rob Le Cates)

The Council on Academic Affairs voted to reduce the number of required residency hours to align with other Illinois universities on Oct. 21.

Associate Vice-President for Enrollment Management Josh Norman, and Jeffery Stowell, a psychology professor present a proposal to the Council of Academic Affairs about reducing the current residency hours requirement for transfer students at the Oct. 21, CAA meeting held in the Whitters Conference Room. The proposal suggests that the current requirement of 40 credit hours be reduced to 30. The council approved of the vote with only one member, Billy Hung, not in favor. (Rob Le Cates)

Eastern’s gender-inclusive floor was dedicated to Doug Dibianco on Oct. 22.

The crowd toasts to the Doug DiBianco floor dedication in front of McKinney Hall Friday afternoon. (Ashanti Thomas)

EIU Pride hosted a drag show Oct. 29.

Chanel Lanae sings “BO$$” by Fifth Harmony at the Martin Luther King Jr. Grand Ballroom stage at the EIU Pride Drag Show Saturday night. “I hope everyone enjoyed the show, and support local queer artists and happy Halloween.” (Rob Le Cates)

The men’s cross country team won the OVC Championship on Oct. 30.

The Eastern men’s cross country team starts the race in the EIU Walt Crawford Open on Sept. 3 at the Tom Woodall Panther Trail. The team placed first overall in the event. (File Photo | The Daily Eastern News)

Jason Aguilar, a sophomore accounting major and track athlete died Oct. 30.

A tribute at the front entrance of the memorial service that people could view. As part of the tribute, pictures of Jason Aguilar and teammates and other mementos were placed. (Rob Le Cates)

November

Eastern announced the hiring of the first woman of color to hold the title of Eastern’s University Police Department chief, Marisol Gamboa, on Nov. 14.

Jerimiah Boyd-Johnson, a senior political science major, presents Marisol Gamboa, a candidate for the University police, and opens the room for questions inside the Paris room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. (Ashanti Thomas)

Eastern’s Board of Trustees approved a one-year contract for University President David Glassman on Nov. 14.

Joyce Madigan, the chairperson for the Board of Trustees, and David Glassman, Eastern Illinois University President, convene after the Friday Board of Trustees meeting was adjourned. The meeting was held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Union University Ballroom. The board approved of an addition of one year to Glassman’s contract, all were in favor of the extension except Trustee Lucy Ade. (Rob Le Cates)

December

The Daily Eastern News stopped daily print production on Dec. 9 after nearly fifty years of operating as a daily newspaper. The News transitioned to a weekly print product and continued daily coverage online.

This is the conveyor belt from the folding unit which conveys the cut and folds into the newspaper that comes off the printing press line. (Ashanti Thomas)

Student trustee and Student Executive Vice President Lucy Ade was appointed to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in late December.

Lucy Ade poses for a photo to be on the cover of the Daily Eastern News’ DEN People of the Year edition (Ashanti Thomas)

January

Adam Cushing stepped down as head football coach on Jan. 11.

Eastern head coach Adam Cushing (right) expresses displeasures with a call on the field in Eastern’s Homecoming Game against Tennessee State on Oct. 23, 2021, at O’Brien Field. Eastern lost to the Tigers 28-0. (File Photo | The Daily Eastern News)

Eastern’s Naming Committee sent University President David Glassman a letter with findings on a list of potential names that could replace the name of Douglas Hall after a meeting on Jan. 13.

Naming Committee ex-officio convenor Ken Wetstein and committee members Angie Campbell and Diane Burns review the rough draft of a letter that will be sent to University President David Glassman during a meeting Jan. 13. The letter will include the committee’s findings on each name the committee was asked to review. (Corryn Brock)

Two vigils were held to honor the lives of Kristian Philpotts, an Eastern graduate who was influential in the rechartering of Iota Phi Theta, Fraternity, Inc. at Eastern and Karen Easton, a TRiO Office Support Specialist on Jan. 22.

Chris Wilkerson was named Eastern’s next head football coach on Jan. 26.

From left, Chris Wilkerson, Eastern’s newest head football coach, receives a jersey from EIU Athletic Director Tom Michael for becoming the football team’s new head coach at WIlkerson’s press conference on Friday in the Hall of Champions in Lantz Arena. (Rob Le Cates | The Daily Eastern News)

Coles County saw the highest number of COVID-19 cases during the entire pandemic in January.

February

Black History Month was celebrated with several events in February.

Kayla Crowder, a junior political science major, draws a team number from the bag and is put on team one at the Black Card Revoked event hosted by Theta Zeta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. on Monday evening. (Rob Le Cates)

Eastern’s NAACP celebrated Black excellence during the 2022 NAACP Image Awards.

From left, Daisha Mitchell, a sophomore pre-nursing major, Mia Smith, a sophomore pre-nursing major, and Najma Mosley-Williams, a sophomore biochemistry major, cheer for their friend, Ariel Johnson, a sophomore pre-medicine major, to win the best shoe award during The National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People’s (NAACP) Image Awards Friday night, in the Grand Ballroom of Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. (Ashanti Thomas)

HHD Hair Salon reopened on Feb. 22.

Jewel Harbin takes care of a customer, Shantan Mukesh, a computer science graduate student. The old hair salon reopens with an open house event on Tuesday afternoon by Jewel Harbin, the owner of HHD Salon which is located in the lower level of Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. Harbin says she feels blessed because of the reopening and mentions, “[I’m] happy to be here, Eastern has a great group of people and to be offering a service to Charleston is the main thing.” (Ashanti Thomas)
Most masking requirements were lifted Feb. 22.

(Madelyn Kidd)

Jaedah Franks, a sophomore biological sciences major, was crowned the 2022 Miss Black EIU on Feb. 26.

Miss Black EIU 2022 Jaedah Franks, a sophomore biological sciences major, hugs her father Brian Franks after winning Miss Black EIU on Saturday in the Grand Ballroom. (Rob Le Cates)

March

Bags containing antisemitic, racist and homophobic messaging and rocks were found on campus on March 2.

Antisemitic propaganda was found on in bags with rocks Eastern campus the week of March 2. The content on the fliers also include homophobic, transphobic and racist messaging. (Corryn Brock)

Unofficial 2022 was held on March 5.

John Storsved was named the dean of the College of Health and Human Services on March 14.

(FILE PHOTO) John Storsved, a professor of kinesiology and sports studies, works the information desk during the 19th Annual
Research Fair. (Josh Saxton)

Eastern’s chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois began negotiations for the union’s next contract on March 21.

English professor Jeannie Ludlow raises a sign before members of the negotiation team for the University Professionals of Illinois met with Eastern’s administration team at Booth Library on Monday afternoon. (Rob Le Cates)

The 2022 Women’s History and Awareness Month Awards Ceremony celebrated women on March 30.

From left, Julie Campbell , an English professor, congratulates Kristen Paape, a studio 2D art major, on winning an award for her artistic work depicting queer stories and women’s stories on Wednesday nigh in the Coleman Hall auditorium. Paape added, “I was just really excited to apply it at all. And when I heard that, like feedback, specifically when they weren’t telling me like their comments up on stage, it was just like really fun for me and made me feel really good.” (Elizabeth Wood)

April

Eastern celebrated Pride Month and Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month in April.

Anne Flaherty, the Vice President for Student Affairs, twists the pride flag in place and helps Payton Ade, a sophomore interpersonal communications major, and Jaclyn Thomas, a senior interpersonal communications major, to raise it on the flag pole in the South Quad Friday afternoon, April 1, 2022 in Charleston, Ill. (Ashanti Thomas)
From left, Shariah Campbell, a graduate student studying human service program administration, and Adam Reedy, a primary counselor at TRIO, raise the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month flag Monday at noon. The flag is raised in April instead of May because students won’t be on campus in May. (Rob Le Cates)

Eastern announced intentions to help Lincoln College students transfer to Eastern after their institution closes in May.

Eastern’s Director of Enrollment Support Justin Tierney speaks on Eastern creating a transfer plan for the Lincoln College students after the school closes in May Tuesday afternoon. Tierney said as an alumni, the closing is heartbreaking. (Rob Le Cates)

Ku Klux Klan flyers and rocks were found in bags around campus on April 13.

Eastern Illinois University President David Glassman explains the Douglas Hall renaming to the Board of Trustees during their meeting Friday in the Grand Ballroom (Rob Le Cates)

Greek Week was celebrated from April 18-24.

Eastern’s Board of Trustees voted to rename Douglas Hall as Powell-Norton Hall to honor both Zella Powell and Ona Norton, two Black women with deep ties to both Eastern and Coles County on April 22. The board also approved tuition and fee increases for the 2022-2023 academic year.

The Board of Trustees will vote Friday on renaming Douglas Hall after Zella Powell, Eastern’s first Black graduate, and Ona Norton, a Charleston resident who helped house students of color starting in the 1950s. (Photos courtesy of The Keep)

Student Government election results for the 2022-2023 academic year revealed that Lucy Ade, a sophomore interpersonal communication major, will be the student body president, Connor Mellott, a freshman public relations major, will be the student executive vice president, and Brianna Hull-Dennis, a junior political science major, Lesly Mendoza, a freshman engineering technology major, Karolina Guzek, a freshman political science major, Krishna Raju, a pre-engineering major and Mahlet Mulugeta, a computer science major will serve as senators.

Lucy Ade, student executive vice president, speaks about her executive report for the upcoming Board of Trustees meeting she will attend at the final student government meeting Wednesday night. (Rob Le Cates)

Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton visited Eastern to discuss the teacher shortage in Illinois with students and faculty.

May

Members of the Eastern community held a rally May 5 in response to the Supreme Court’s draft opinion that indicates support for overturning Roe v. Wade.

Spring 2022 Commencement was May 7.

The News can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].