Interim president says 'future is bright' for Illinois State University campus

“It’s not the circumstances I would have wished for, for the institution, but I feel very excited,” said Aondover Tarhule, who was named interim president on Feb. 17. “I think the future is very bright for Illinois State.”

The university’s Board of Trustees appointed Tarhule to the position immediately after approving a separation agreement with former president Terri Goss Kinzy, who abruptly announced her resignation earlier this month after less than two years on the job. The board and Kinzy agreed not to comment about her departure beyond an initial press release, in which the university’s first female president said she would “pursue other opportunities.”

Previously, Tarhule served as vice president of academic affairs and provost since July 2020.

Stepping into the role

Tarhule said the interim president position involves some new things for him. As provost, he was focused on the academic side of the university, and one of the big new responsibilities for him now is building relationships in the community. As such, he is working on meeting with mayors, donors and other constituents in the state, as well as building relationships with the legislators who represent Bloomington-Normal in Springfield and Washington.

Tarhule said he feels prepared for the role after almost three years in the provost’s position and working closely with Kinzy and former president Larry Dietz.

“The provost is the next in line to the president, so it’s the natural line of succession,” he said.

During his past three years as provost, he has worked well with the board and they feel confident in who he is as a person, said board secretary and interim chair Kathryn Bohn after the meeting on Feb. 17.

“I know he can lead this university forward,” she said.

She also appreciated that Tarhule has taken a leadership role in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education on campus, such as through his leadership in the creation of the College of Engineering, slated to begin accepting students in 2025.

“I think students should be excited for Interim President Tarhule,” she said.

Projects like the College of Engineering make it a great time to be at ISU, Tarhule said. While provost, he also worked on a partnership with Memorial Health for the Mennonite College of Nursing at an additional location in Springfield, and helped bring in federal monies for new nursing simulation labs being constructed on campus.

“Illinois State couldn’t be in a better position, and I say that with all honesty, with all sincerity,” Tarhule said.

A university president’s role often includes a focus on fundraising, a skill needed to sustain various operational and capital priorities. Tarhule said he has familiarity with the activity, having sought to raise money for efforts like the College of Engineering and other specific goals, but would look to expand on his past experiences.

“I would not say that (fundraising is) new, but I will have to step it up, though, no question about it,” he said.

Optimistic outlook

Tarhule said he is encouraged by enrollment trends, though he acknowledged that the coming “demographic cliff” would pose a challenge to keeping enrollment steady. Higher education scholars have warned that the number of college-age students will decline sharply around 2025 and 2026 — a delayed consequence of the Great Recession that prompted people to have fewer kids.

“Some schools will actually benefit; they will get more and others will lose. Our job and our goal is to keep ourselves on the winning side and not on the losing side,” Tarhule said.

The university hopes the change will coincide with enrolling students in the College of Engineering and the data science program, which would help offset the wider demographic changes.

As of earlier this month, applications were up 9.5% from last year, Tarhule said. The freshman class last fall was the largest in 35 years — and could have been even larger, he said.

“Last year we could have enrolled more students if we had housing for them,” Tarhule said.

The university has started planning for a new residential building to replace the South Campus complex that closed in 2012.

Additionally, the university is getting closer to reflecting the state demographically, Tarhule said.

“We want to make sure that the university reflects the community that we serve, the community that we live in, and for us that community is Illinois. And if you look at diversity, demographic composition, we’re beginning to approach that,” he said.

University enrollment was 20,683 in fall 2022. Of those students, roughly 12% were Hispanic, 10% were Black and 3% were Asian, according to enrollment data. Illinois’ population, as reported in U.S. Census estimates, is 18% Hispanic, 15% Black and 6% Asian.

While provost, Tarhule initiated a new fund to attract a more diverse faculty, one space where he said the university still needs to improve. Acting Provost Ani Yazedjian will continue the work with the Faculty Diversity Enhancement Program, Tarhule said.

He is also excited for other new facilities projects, including several that were approved at the Feb. 17 board meeting. Those projects include planning for a possible new STEM building that would add updated lab space.

On the academic side, Tarhule is looking toward the in-progress development of a data science program and a plan to move the creative technologies program up to a school status.

Tarhule also sees optimism for coming years in a financial sense, noting Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stated goal to grow funding for higher education. Pritzker’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes significant increased appropriations for the state’s public universities, community colleges and the Monetary Assistance Program (MAP), a state-funded, need-based grant awarded to Illinois college students.

While Tarhule is encouraged, he said, Illinois State will see less appropriated money per student than some other state institutions until a new funding formula is implemented for higher education.

Along with the existing projects, he also wants to look at additional initiatives. Tarhule anticipates he will meet with the university cabinet early in the summer to start looking at other possibilities.

“I am sensitive to the fact that we’ve already taken on a lot. We want to make sure that we don’t bite more than we can chew,” Tarhule said. “But definitely not just going to sit back and keep things on cruise control; I think you’ll be seeing additional initiatives come through here.”