ISU holds third Presidential Public Forum

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State University is continuing their search for a new president with the third candidate’s public forum occurring on Feb. 26. This forum featured former professor and Associate Dean of ISU’s College of Fine Arts (now the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts), Elizabeth Reitz Mullenix, Ph.D.  

Following her time at ISU, Mullenix began working at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where she served as a professor and department chair of the theatre department, Dean of the College of Creative Arts and Executive Vice President/Provost.

During her time at Miami University, Mullenix worked to increase enrollment and retention rates, facilitated Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts and fundraised over $40 million for the university. During the forum, Mullenix had plenty to say about her time in university administration and her thoughts on how to move forward with the university.  

“If you are following the chronicle of higher education, you see that a lot of universities are struggling,” Mullenix said. “It’s not just small private colleges, so even for a university that’s stable and doing well, it’s imperative to stay ahead of that curve.” 

Diversity is a core value of ISU, with 32 percent of the student populus belonging to underrepresented groups. Mullenix explained her past experience with councils of DE&I and how it is an enjoyable process that she experienced from her research in gender and women’s studies. 

“It is very important to me, not only to my ethos as an academic leader, but it’s a huge part of my research,” Mullenix said. “First of all, you are doing marvelously from my external perspective. To continue to build on that I would work closely with your council for diversity and inclusion with all the administrators who work in that way. As Provost, that’s one of the things I enjoy the most.  

The fourth and final forum will take place on Feb. 29.