Old Main Line Vol. 2 No. 3 (Fall 1986)

Archives :4206:3X c2
LB 1986 ILL.
EIU, CHARLESTON,
1861
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v.2,

no.3
1986

Eastern Illinois University/Charleston, Illinois 61920/Vol. 2, No. 3/Fall 1986

Thompson Attends Coal Conversion Opening Ceremonies

by Harry Read, Director Rives presented the governor a of up to $340,000 in fuel costs annually The president added "as an Illinois
Information and Publications plague bearing an inscription describing is anticipated when the plant is fully University deeply commited to quality
the facility as a partnership between the operational . education at reasonable cost , we accopt
Gov . James R. Thompson tossed a University and the state's coal producers this significant improvement of our
symbolic shovel full of coal into a hop­ The Illin.ois Environmental Protection p hysical plant as an investment in Il­
per, capping both a ceremony and '' Agency (EPA) believes emission control linois by Illinois for Illinois ."
Thompson's commitment to the Illinois measures will exceed all state and
coal industry. As an Illinois University federal standards for removing sulfur Mrs. Nancy Froelich , Chairman of
deeply commited to quality dioxide and particulate matter from bur­ the Board of Governors, introduced
The occasion was the opening of education at reasonable ning coal. Thompson at the Sept. 23 ceremony.
Eastern 's coal conversion faci!ity. cost, we accept this signifi­ Dr. Thomas Layzell, BOG chancellor,
Thompson joined Dr . Stanley Rives, cant improvement of our Illinois coal can be safely burned due said the Coal Conversion Program is
Eastern's president, and officials from physical plant as an invest­ to the system which cleanses the coal "another way in which the BOG univer­
the Illinois Capital Development Board ment in Illinois by Illinois and its gases. The system utilizes a bag sities are involved in the growth and
and the Board of Governors of State for Illinois. house which will filter 93 percent of the developement of our State's economy .'"
Colleges and Universities in the particulate matter from the gases and a
ceremony . -Stanley Rives scrubber that will remove 90 percent of GE Gives
President the sulfur dioxide from the coal, accor­
Basic components of the project are ding to Gary J. Skoien, executive direc­ Largest
the reactivation of three coal-fired Eastern Illinois University tor of the Capital Development Board
boilers and modification of two existing (CAB). The CAB oversaw the conver­ Matching
gas-fired boilers to burn both oil and '' sion .
gas. The conversion allows Eastern to Gift to EIU
switch its heating and cooling systems ���- Brad Evilsizer, director of the Illinois
from natural gas to coal. Approximately Department of Mines and Minerals, said The General Electric Foundation
16,000 tons of coal will be used annual­ under Thompson's leadership. it is anticipated that as a result of the has donated $7,525 as part of its
ly. Funded by both state and federal conversion program at Eastern and matching gift program to the Neil
other sites, Illinois mines will expand Cutright Scholarship Fund within
Thompson said he made in 1980 a sources, the project cost about $8 . 6 operations and additional miners will be the Eastern Illinois U niversity Foun­
commitment to the Illinois coal industry million . Rives said the University re­ hired . dati o n .
by creating the State Facility Coal Con­ quires 350,000 million BTU per year to
version Program . He said "the program satisfy energy needs and that a savings Rives said "we are pleased to again This is the largest single matching
was established to promote greater be able to use Illinois coal produced by gift the EIU Foundation has ever
utilization of Illinois coal. Conversions Illinois workers. . .it is, as Lincoln might received as part of a corporate
such as this one mak� that program a have said were he here, altogether fit­ alumnus program, which matches
reality . " ting and proper that we should do so." donations by employees to
qualified universities and colleges.
�.
. "The largest portion of this gift
will go into the Cutright Fund," said
Illinois Gov. James Thompson (foreground) and Eastern 1/­ shovel of coal during the opening ceremonies of the EIU Coal Charles Ross, EIU director of
Development.
linois President Stanley Rives participate in the ceremonial fist Conversion facility.
The Neil Cutright Scholarship
was established by George and
Dorothy Cutright on behalf of their
son, who died at age 22 in 1984, a
victim of muscular dystrophy.

The scholarship will be awarded
annually to a Cumberland High
'School graduate who will enroll at
EIU . The first recipient will be
chosen later this spring.

Neil Cutright graduated from
Eastern in 1983 with a degree in ac­
counting. He attended both
elementary and junior high school
in Cumberland County public
school s .

G eneral Electric was the corpora­
tion that began the matching gift
program in 1953. "Their philan­
thropic leadership has expanded to
include nearly 1, 100 companies
nationwide who participate in
similar programs for their
employees," said Ross.

L

Distinguished Alumni Where is your moneyl Going for the Brass Ring

Six EIU graduates were honored at Homecoming Eight designated need areas were established for EIU graduate Gina Sperry won "Super Run II" and
by receiving Distinguished Alumni Awards. the Tenth Decade Campaign. its grand prize-$500,000.

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