![Larry Dietz](https://www.wjbc.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/389/2016/09/Larry-Dietz-at-ISU-AS.jpeg)
By Howard Packowitz
NORMAL – Illinois State University President Larry Dietz told faculty on Monday there might be a major overhaul of ISU’s governing board.
In a letter to faculty at the start of the spring semester, Dietz noted newly-installed Gov. J.B. Pritzker appoints public university trustees. The terms of Chairman Rocky Donahue, Secretary Mary Ann Louderback and Bob Churney are set to expire at the end of January.
Dietz said the tenure of four other trustees are up in the air because they’ve never been confirmed by the Senate. They are Bob Dobski, Sharon Rossmark, Julie Jones, and John Rauschenberger.
Dietz said he met with Pritzker as part of the new governor’s higher education transition team. Dietz urged the legislature to approve an equitable funding formula for higher education.
In the letter to faculty, Dietz also revealed applications for the next school year are up 27 percent from the same time last year, while admissions are up 17 percent. He said the university is also attracting more minority students. Dietz said applications for African-Americans are up 34 percent, Latino and Latina applications have risen 40 percent, and applications from Asian students are up by 40 percent from year ago, levels.
Dietz said the “Redbirds Rising” fundraising campaign has surpassed $135 million, moving closer to the $150 million goal. Among the 46,000 donors, there are almost 18-thousand new contributors, according to Dietz.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]