Nineteen EIU employees are set to separate from the university following the voluntary separation incentive program’s Nov. 4 intent form removal deadline, according to Interim Provost Holly Farley. 

Eastern expects to save $2 million as a result of the VSIP program and October’s layoffs and nonrenewals, but $1 million may be put back into the rehiring process, according to Vice President for Business Affairs Matt Bierman. 

According to Bierman, the nonrenewals of faculty by college are as follows: 

1. Business and tech – 4 
2. Health and human services – 1 
3. Liberal arts and sciences – 11
4. Education – 3 
5. Library – 1 

Bierman also said the nonrenewals of academic support professionals by college include: 

1. Business and tech – 1 
2. Liberal arts and sciences – 1 
3. Education – 1 
4. Honors – 1 

The layoffs consist of civil service workers, and Bierman said via email on Oct. 27 that the final number of layoffs isn’t definitive, as some may be transferring to other departments or positions at Eastern.  

Bierman said $270,000 will be saved in the current fiscal year to help address the $1.9 million deficit. The remaining savings will arrive in future fiscal years. 

Director of Forensics Sara Gronstal oversees the speech team and is among the faculty members whose contracts were not renewed. 

Gronstal found out about her nonrenewal via an email sent from Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Barbara Bonnekessen asking to meet urgently. The two met at 8 a.m., and the news was delivered of Gronstal’s contract expiring in May 2027. 

“I’m glad that I was one of the people who found out before [Gatrell’s] email went out to campus that said layoffs were happening,” said Gronstal. 

After 17 years at Eastern, Gronstal began looking to update her resume and informing her students, who Gronstal said were understanding and supportive. 

“Having them reach out and be like, ‘Are you going to be OK?’ is very touching. Hard, but touching,” she said. 

During the VSIP and layoff/nonrenewal process, Bierman said it was possible that one event could’ve affected the other. 

The VSIP was voluntary, but the nonrenewal list was not. However, the list was flexible. 

For example, if a department’s workload was no longer achievable because of the number of employees who took VSIP, then someone’s name could be taken off the nonrenewal list, Bierman said.  

Another factor that could influence the list is if an employee submitted retirement forms after the layoff/nonrenewal deadlines. Once these forms were processed, it would effectively result in the reinstatement of an employee being let go, which is what happened in the case of professor Brianne Eads.