General Information

Click on a link to be taken to the entry below.

Eastern Illinois University is accredited through the specialist level by the Commission on Institutions of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education for the preparation of elementary and secondary teachers and school service personnel. In addition, the business programs offered by the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The industrial technology programs are accredited by the National Association of Industrial Technology and the programs in Family and Consumer Sciences are accredited by The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, American Dietetic Association, and National Association for the Education of Young Children.

The programs in art are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. The B.S. degree in Chemistry is accredited by the American Chemical Society. The B.S. degree in Family and Consumer Sciences is accredited by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. The B.S. degree in Industrial Technology is accredited by the National Association of Industrial Technology. The B.A. degree in Journalism is accredited by the Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

The programs in music are accredited for the B.Mus. and M.A. by the National Association of Schools of Music. The B.S. degree in Physical Education with Athletic Training is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The B.S. degree in Recreation Administration is accredited by the National Recreation and Parks Association. The programs in Communication Disorders and Sciences are accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Eastern’s Counseling Service is accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services.

Eastern Illinois University is governed by its own Board of Trustees. The President is responsible for the operation and general welfare of the University.

The University is organized into four areas, each headed by a vice president: Academic Affairs, Business Affairs, External Relations, and Student Affairs.

The primary academic units include the College of Arts and Humanities; the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences; the College of Education and Professional Studies; the College of Sciences; the Graduate School; the Honors College; and the School of Continuing Education.

Faculty, staff, and students participate in University affairs through membership on the Faculty Senate, Student Senate, Staff Senate, and academic and administrative councils and committees. These groups, most of which have student and faculty members, consider and recommend policies and procedures to the President.

Eastern Illinois University is located in Charleston, Illinois, the county seat of Coles County, in east central Illinois. The city has a population of approximately 20,000. Two state highways, 16 and 130, go through Charleston and provide access to Interstates 57 and 70. Amtrak service is provided through Mattoon, 10 miles from Charleston.

The University was established as Eastern Illinois State Normal School in 1895 by the Illinois General Assembly. In response to growth and change, the institution became Eastern Illinois State Teachers College in 1921, Eastern Illinois State College in 1947, and

Eastern Illinois University in 1957. The University grants bachelor’s, master’s, and specialist’s degrees.

The University campus is located on 320 acres and consists of 72 buildings, including 12 residence halls and 17 apartment buildings. The University also owns wooded tracts near Charleston, which are used for nature study and life science research.

The Eastern Illinois University Foundation was founded in 1953 under the laws of the State of Illinois as a not-for-profit organization. There are over 160 alumni and friends of the University who serve as members of the Foundation. The nine-member Board of Directors is elected from the general membership. The Foundation’s purpose is to assist and support the University’s educational and cultural mission through encouraging philanthropic gifts of money, property, works of art, and other materials having educational, artistic, or historical value. At June 30, 2003, Foundation assets totaled $38,374,584. During the 2002-2003 year, the Foundation awarded 605 scholarships totaling $552,233 and made payments to the University of more than $437,430. The Neal Welcome Center, home of the Foundation, is located at 860 W. Lincoln Avenue in Charleston. The building, on the west edge of Charleston, also serves to welcome visiting students and their parents, providing printed materials as well as video introductions to the University’s campus.

The EIU Alumni Association was established in 1905 as a means of allowing continuing involvement of graduates and former students in the development of their University. The organization has a number of broad objectives, which it has traditionally pursued. These include: sponsoring special events for alumni; assisting with homecoming, reunions, and similar activities; facilitating communication between alumni and the University; assistance in maintaining alumni records; and helping with fundraising and other initiatives which contribute to the welfare of the University.

First formed in the fall of 1974, the Parents Club is an established and energetic organization at Eastern Illinois University. The purpose of the Parents Club is to act as a communication link between the University’s administration and parents. Members help to increase the personal ties between the University and the parents by voicing their opinions on policy matters and other issues through the Parents Club board of directors. The Parents Club also selects worthwhile projects to benefit the students, their parents, and the University. Monies collected through membership fees help fund the various projects. All parents and families are invited to join this worthy organization.

In 1985 the Parents Club established a scholarship program available to all Eastern undergraduates. That year, the club awarded one $500 scholarship. The number of scholarships (20) and the amount of each award ($850) have increased over the years. The club has now awarded over $253,050 to 306 students.