Eastern releases reopening guidebook
Adam Tumino, Editor-in-Chief
July 17, 2020
Eastern released its reopening guidebook Friday in an email to all Eastern students and employees. The 17-page PDF provides more details and explanations of guidelines for dealing with COVID-19 that have been discussed in the past few weeks and months. There is information on how the dining halls...
Breaking: Eastern announces first COVID-19 case on campus
Staff Report
July 13, 2020
In an email Monday evening, Eastern announced the first positive case of COVID-19 recorded on campus. The individual, who is living on campus, was quarantined Sunday evening after being tested the day before. The Coles County Health Department is in the process of contacting anyone who was in contact...
Breaking down Eastern’s reopening plan
Adam Tumino, Editor-in-Chief
July 2, 2020
On June 25, all Eastern students and employees received an email with information regarding the plan for the return to campus for the fall semester. When the Eastern Board of Trustees met at their annual retreat on June 27, they had a lengthy discussion on the guidelines, going over the plan in more...
BOT approves FY 2021 budget, other action items
Adam Tumino, Editor-in-Chief
June 26, 2020
The Eastern Board of Trustees met Friday afternoon and all action items on the agenda. There were also several announcements in the report from the Board Chairperson Barb Baurer. Lynette Drake, who has been serving as the interim vice president for student affairs since January 2016. Prior to that,...
BOT to meet Friday to vote on FY 2021 budget, other financial items
Adam Tumino, Editor-in-Chief
June 25, 2020
Eastern’s Board of Trustees will meet Friday to vote on the budget for fiscal year 2021, increases in tuition and new purchases, among other items. First, the BOT will vote on the purchase and maintenance of new laundry equipment for students. The new equipment will allow students to access it via...
Eastern shares more details of plans for fall semester
Staff Report
June 25, 2020
Eastern President David Glassman sent out an email to all students and employees Thursday afternoon that offered a more comprehensive look at Eastern’s plan for classes in the fall. Eastern’s plan is contingent on Illinois remaining in phase four of the “Restore Illinois” plan. Various health...
Eastern announces plans for face-to-face classes in fall, more details coming soon
Staff Report
June 23, 2020
Eastern had released a statement announcing plans to return to face-to-face classes in the fall. There were not many details in the initial announcement, which said that there will be “specific, actionable guidelines in place to enhance everyone’s safety across campus.” The statement said that...
Eastern to offer modified CR/NC option for summer classes
Adam Tumino, Editor-in-Chief
June 9, 2020
Eastern Provost Jay Gatrell announced that a credit/no-credit option for summer classes, similar to the option made available during the spring semester but with a few key differences. Gatrell said that the option was made available this summer for students who are impacted by current events, including...
Mattoon drive-in to show movies Friday and Saturday after drawing big crowd Thursday
Adam Tumino, Editor-in-Chief
June 5, 2020
Thursday night was the first of three nights for a drive-in movie theater in the parking lot of the Cross County Mall in Mattoon. Movies will be shown at 9 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday. Organized by sisters Courtney and Kasey Considine, the drive-in had 270 cars attend on the opening night. When...
President Glassman, members of Eastern Athletics share thoughts on racial injustice
Adam Tumino, Editor-in-Chief
June 3, 2020
In the week since George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody, many powerful individuals, organizations, sports leagues and companies have issued statements on the incident, and the widespread protests and social unrest that followed. This past week, important members of the Eastern community...
Construction set to begin on Lincoln Prairie Grass Trial
Adam Tumino, Editor-in-Chief
June 2, 2020
Construction is set to begin this week on the Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail, the 12-mile bike trail that connects Charleston and Mattoon. The project is to pave the entirety of the trail. Currently only two of the 12 miles is paved. The project was funded in part by an $800,000 Illinois Transportation...
March held in Charleston as nationwide protests of police violence continue
Adam Tumino, Editor-in-Chief
May 31, 2020
The streets of Charleston played host to a protest rally and march Sunday afternoon. The rally was one of many across the country that have come in response to the death of George Floyd, who died in the custody of the Minneapolis police on May 25. The incident has sparked worldwide protests against police...
