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Planning to participate in the Fall 2025 Commencement ceremonies? Please complete this form. This will help EIU prepare for seating arrangements and allow for reserved parking. 

Saturday, December 20 - Groniger Arena

Commencement would not be possible without the dedication of volunteers, as they play an essential role in creating a smooth and memorable experience for our graduates and their families! If you wish to volunteer for the Fall 2025 Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, December 20, please fill out this form.

If you have any questions, please contact mamorecraft@eiu.edu.

EIYOU Showcase will bring EIU's first-year students together to demonstrate what they have learned from the EIYOU class.
Each class will have an opportunity to present what the year has taught them.

Monday, December 8, 2025 from 3 to 5 p.m.
University Ballroom
Martin Luther King Jr. University Union
1720 7th Street
Charleston, IL 61920

Last year, Booth Library hosted their first Beats and Books, an after-hours party where students left with good books and great memories. Beats and Books will be coming back this year on December 5^th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. 

Partygoers will get to “speed date” with six book titles and take home the book of their choice. Pizza, snacks, and mocktails will be available to enjoy. Students are invited to hit the dance floor at Booth Library and pick up a free book! 

Reservations are required—secure one of the 75 spots by following this link:

Don't stop stressing! Stress is a part of our everyday lives. Come learn skills and strategies to help you manage your stress levels. We'll chat about time management, self-care, mindfulness, and much more! We'll be in the MLK Jr. Student Union's Effingham Room (3rd floor) starting at 5:30 p.m.!

Don't stop stressing! Stress is a part of our everyday lives. Come learn skills and strategies to help you manage your stress levels. We'll chat about time management, self-care, mindfulness, and much more! We'll be in Powell-Norton Hall starting at 5:30 p.m.!

Healthy Cooking 101 #6: Power Up! Fuel for Finals

Finish the semester strong with our final healthy cooking of the semester. Join us to learn about how food can help your brain health and help you be successful for finals! We will be making yogurt parfaits and protein balls.
Additional note: plant-based protein powder will be used for the protein balls.

Date              Time           Location     
12/3/2025      5:30 p.m.     Klehm Hall 2309   

Sign up form: /herc/machform/view.php?id=111781

Stressing out over approaching finals? Join the HERC to learn how to manage your stress during all of your upcoming tests/projects! We'll be in the union from noon to 2 PM!

Join the HERC to learn more about our upcoming Healthy Cooking Event! We will be in the MLK Jr. Union on 12/01 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.!

Healthy Cooking 101 #6: Power Up! Fuel for Finals

Finish the semester strong with our final healthy cooking of the semester. Join us to learn about how food can help your brain health and help you be successful for finals! We will be making yogurt parfaits and protein balls.
Additional note: plant based protein powder will be used for the protein balls. 

Date             Time            Location
12/3/2025     5:30 p.m.      Klehm Hall 2309   

Sign up form: /herc/machform/view.php?id=111781

Dear Colleagues,

The University will be closed in observance of the 2025 Thanksgiving holiday on:

• Thursday, November 27, 2025
• Friday, November 28, 2025

We will also observe 2025 Christmas and 2025/2026 New Year's Eve/New Year's Day on Eastern's four official holidays:

• Wednesday, December 24, 2025
• Thursday, December 25, 2025
• Wednesday, December 31, 2025
• Thursday, January 1, 2026

Please note all offices must remain open through December 23, 2025. The University will reopen for full service on Friday January 2, 2026.

In addition, per IGP #7.5, paid Gift Days for 2025 will be observed on:

• December 26, 2025
• December 29, 2025
• December 30, 2025

Employees, including probationary employees, will not have to use their own leave time for these days. Essential employees of the University will still be required to work on one or more of the Gift days. Vice Presidents and/or Directors will identify those areas/employees deemed essential for University operations. An employee(s) identified as “essential” will be allowed to flex the Gift days at another time but must use that time by March 31, 2026. For more information regarding Gift days please visit here.  

Employees who are in probationary status who wish to use time outside of the Gift days (example, December 22, 23, January 2), will be allowed to use any available accrued leave or take leave without pay during the Holiday season, with supervisor approval. Probationary employees who wish to use accrued leave during the holiday period must submit the Civil Service Employee Request for Accrued Leave During Probation form online and available here.  

Supervisors are encouraged to approve time-off requests, unless the employment is required for essential duties during that period, or the time off impedes the ability for the office to remain open through December 23, 2025. Should an employee choose to take leave without pay, please note that accrued leave, sick leave and service credit will not be earned.

Please note that the following eligibility rules apply for holiday compensation:
Employees must be in an approved pay status, with or without pay, on the last scheduled workday before the holiday and the first scheduled work day following the holiday in order to receive holiday pay. Employees who are subject to the provisions of a prevailing-rate agreement or a collective bargaining agreement will be paid according to the terms of the respective agreement. 

Time reporting codes have previously been created for use on time sheets and leave reports.  If you do not have to work on December 26, 29 or 30, please report it under University Gift Day – Non-work (763).  If you must work on any of the Gift days, please report applicable time under University Gift Day – Time worked (764).  If you must work and flex your day(s) at another time, when you use that day, you will use the 763 – University Gift Day – Non-work at that time.

As in previous years, please make note of the adjusted monthly payroll schedule for December. The pay date for December will be on January 2, 2026.

Inquiries regarding this information may be directed to the Benefits Office at (217) 581-5825 or by e-mailing benefits@eiu.edu.

Thank you!

Human Resources

Doudna has a week jam packed with concerts and our annual Holiday Fest. We will have the art sale, vendors, concerts, a radio show, and exclusive performances that make for an exciting week before we wrap up the semester. Many of the shows this week are free to attend. For ticketed events, you can purchase your tickets through , over the phone at 217-581-3110, or in person at our Box Office from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Moonlight and Fire

Monday, December 1, 7:30 pm
Free Admission

Dr. James Giles is a distinguished artist and sought after teacher serving as Coordinator of the Piano Program and Director of Music Performance Graduate Studies at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music.

Dr. Giles's recital at Doudna's Recital Hall will feature a program of poetic lyricism and pianistic brilliance, tracing a musical journey from the Romantic era to the 20th century.

Featuring works by Schubert, Chopin, Debussy, and Earl Wild.

Tuesday, December 2, 7:30 pm
$15 General Admission | $5 EIU Students

The Percussion Ensemble will be performing folkloric music from Cuba and chamber music for percussion. Directed by Prof. Jamie V. Ryan, this concert will feature "Flowstones" by EIU student composer Jackson Mortland.

Holiday Fest

Thursday, December 4 through Sunday, December 7
Free and Open to the Public

Our annual Holiday Fest will be this weekend. Join us in Doudna's Concourse for the holiday art sale, food trucks, kids' crafts, and special performances.

Kid's Day at Holiday Fest

Saturday, December 6, Noon to 4 pm

Kid's Day will be full of exciting activities for families to enjoy including free face painting, Scovill Zoo, The Grinch, Santa, and more.

Thursday, December 4, 7:30 pm
$10 General Admission | $5 EIU Students

EIU's Jazz Ensemble will be swingin' hard on tunes by various artists. This concert will feature guest artists Adam Larson on saxophone and EIU's Paul Johnston on piano.

Friday, December 5, 7:30 pm | Saturday, December 6, 7:30 pm
$15 General Admission | $5 EIU Students

If you missed the Theatre Department's run, you now have the opportunity to listen live to EIU's reprisal of A Christmas Carol radio play during Doudna's Holiday Fest weekend.

Sunday, December 7, 4 pm
$15 General Admission | $10 EIU Employee and Senior | $5 EIU Student and Youth (17 and under)

Join the Eastern Symphony Orchestra, EIU Choral Ensembles, Charleston High, and East Central Chorale for an evening of holiday music. Featuring soprano Jamille Lea in Poulenc's Gloria, the Nutcracker Suite, French Carols, and music from Home Alone.

Happy Thanksgiving! We (the GTC staff) will be handling tickets/projects in several areas on campus thus the building will be closed. Walk-in service will not be available until next week. Please create a ticket/contact the Helpdesk. Thank you and be safe if any of you are travelling this week. 

-GTC Staff

The planned steam outage is complete.

This update overrides last week's announcement.

Facilities Planning & Management does not anticipate a need for more steam outages in the immediate future.

See below for last week's announcement, included here for clarity:

 - - - - - - - - - -

[2nd Revision as of 3:45 p.m. 11/20/2025] -- Please note the revised dates and list of impacted buildings.

Due to an active leak in EIU's main distribution piping, facilities personnel in conjunction with a contractor will be shutting down steam to campus for necessary repairs. Current plans include shutting the steam down the afternoon of Saturday, November 22 with steam anticipated to back online the afternoon of Wednesday, November 26.

During the outage there will be no steam, which affects building heat, hot water, and food service functions.  All buildings will remain operational.  Affected buildings include Physical Science, McAfee, Old Main, Blair Hall, Pemberton Hall, Honors College, Student Services Building, MLK Union, Doudna Fine Arts, Buzzard Hall, UPD, Ford Hall, Mckinney Hall, Weller Hall, Booth Library, Klehm Hall, Coleman Hall, Lumpkin Hall, Thomas Hall, Human Services, Taylor Hall, Lawson Hall, Lantz Complex, Stevenson Hall, Lincoln Hall, Powell-Norton Hall, Andrews Hall, Life Science, Life Science Annex, Greenhouse, and the Tarble. 

• Students planning to stay on campus over the break are encouraged to fill out a request form by logging into the Housing Portal at eiu.edu/housing.
• Employees with concerns about their work environment during these repairs are encouraged to discuss those concerns with their supervisor(s).

Revisions to this outage will continue to be published here if the outage is rescheduled.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as EIU upgrades and enhances its operational infrastructure.

There are new parking procedures in place at the MLK Jr. University Union. Former meters have been replaced with Text-To-Pay signage. There is a still a single meter on the corner of the union lot closest to the police station along with two free thirty minute spaces located in front of the east entrance to the building. The hours of operation have also been updated to include evenings and weekends. Please visit or call the scheduling office with any questions you may have in regards to this new addition. Instructions on how to use the platform are kept at the front desk. 

EIU Marketing & Communications is excited to share our students’ college success through Merit Pages, a platform that highlights student achievements and allows us to tell our student's stories.

These stories include:

• Dean’s list inclusion
• Scholarships
• Presenting research/academic work
• Winning awards
• Internships
• Volunteering
• RSO & club involvement
• Work experience
• Other recognition & accomplishments

EIU's Merit Pages helps showcase student accomplishments from admission through graduation and creates an online presence that will set students apart as they enter the workforce. This makes it easier for employers, graduate schools and internship coordinators to discover and recognize student success. In partnership with EIU Marketing & Communications, Merit Pages also turns student accomplishments into personalized stories.

To learn more and suggest a Merit Page update, visit the Marketing & Communications Merit Page info site.