Dr. Maimon Applauded for Longstanding Service
At a recent Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) meeting, the Chair of the IBHE Board and the convener of the Illinois public university presidents applauded Dr. Elaine P. Maimon, literally and figuratively, for her accomplishments as Governors State University president for the past 13 years.
Dr. Larry Dietz, President of Illinois State University, called President Maimon a mentor who guided him when he was a new president. He noted her groundbreaking additions to academia, and her inspired work to revolutionize higher education since the beginning of her career.
To Dietz, Maimon's continued leadership after she leaves GSU in June is important to all of higher education.
“She’s a distinguished professor in the field of English, and in all the reports we write we have relied on Elaine’s professional expertise in her first discipline. She’s also a scholar in the field of higher education, having written many books and having a lot of exposure in the field, and she’s provided those ideas to us as well. She's going to continue to do that as she moves on to the American Council on Education and higher education's not going to lose her as a resource, and that's just really terrific,” Dietz said.
IBHE Chairman John Atkinson delivered unscripted remarks as well about President Maimon during the meeting. Highlighting her as the longest serving president of an Illinois public university, Atkinson spoke of how Dr. Maimon embodies the transformative spirit that defines Governors State.
“She’s led transformative change. It was an upper-division school until 2014 and is now a comprehensive university with a four-year undergraduate program reflecting best research on general education with a residence facility that’s beautiful. They’ve just done a great job. She’s been an innovator. She’s been a champion of equity in this state. She’s published several books. She’s contributed to the body of work in how to manage change in higher ed,” Atkinson said.
He added personal gratitude, as well.
“I have a lot of respect for her––her energy, her passion––and we’re going to miss her as a president. But she’s not leaving the higher ed sector. She’s going to be doing some work as a consultant and will be available, I think, as a resource to us as we think through the master plan in Illinois. So, thank you Elaine for everything you’ve done for students in Illinois,” he said during the video conference call.
"And, I think we should all unmute ourselves and just give Elaine a round of applause."