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Vidette staff on Feb. 22 brandish many of the 31 awards it won in the Illinois College Press Association contest. The student newspaper at Illinois State University is going online-only and being fully folded into the university's communications curriculum. Photo provided
By CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN For Illinois Press Association
NORMAL – Each week, John Plevka sits down with his blue gel pen and critiques the weekly edition of The Vidette.
It used to be daily. He felt like it found its sweet spot in 2015, when financial realities forced the paper publish only twice weekly, before the screws tightened in August 2019 and it became a weekly. On April 27, 2021, the last physical edition of the 132-year-old Vidette will be printed.
“My blue ink is going to be pretty blurry. There’s going to be a bunch of tears,” said Plevka, a former (Peoria) Journal Star executive editor who has served as general manager of The Vidette since 2012.
Plevka (left) said student managers are forming a plan to print a special commemorative edition in late April or early May. The Vidette will report exclusively on its digital platforms – its website, social media channels, newsletters and app.
Plevka said financial strains were bearing down long before COVID-19 gripped the nation. “I’ve been sounding these sirens for several years,” he said. “We didn’t just find out we had a financial problem.”
The university gave Plevka and Business Manager Madeline Jean-Charles non-renewal notices in June. As of July 1, 2021, the traditional advertising department, run by students and a part-time professional business adviser, will be eliminated. ISU’s NPR affiliate WGLT, led by General Manager R.C. McBride and also part of the communications program, will take over business and administrative oversight.
As of now, all that is etched in stone is that printing operations will cease. Stephen Hunt, executive director of the School of Communications, said an adviser will be retained to oversee The Vidette, and it will be determined in the spring whether that’s Plevka – who’s leaning toward accepting a potential offer to stay on.
“There are going to be some hellish growth pains,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of talented kids coming back. I’d like to kind of hold their hand through that next year.”
A committee made up of Plevka, Hunt, an administrator from the College of Arts and Sciences, McBride, faculty members, journalism professors, and others, formed in August and began laying out the plan for The Vidette’s future.
“They have done an incredible amount of thoughtful work in a short period of time to produce an excellent plan moving forward,” said Diane Zosky (left), interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Vidette was actually folded into the communications department in 2011, but The Vidette still paid its own bills, Plevka said. His chief concern is that as the newsroom is tied more closely to communications curriculum, it’s going to lose access to talent.
Previously, all that was required to work for The Vidette was taking six credits at ISU. While details are being ironed out, students will be required to take communications courses to work for The Vidette.
Plevka is optimistic the university will find workarounds for English majors to work for The Vidette, given how closely the major dovetails with journalism.
He’s more concerned about losing the political science and even the biology majors who have played important roles at the paper previously. Many of them have even shifted gears and carved out careers in journalism, Plevka said.
“With those courses being elective for them, they’ll have to ask themselves the question, can they afford to do that?” he said. “Those kind of folks are probably going to be disappearing. The Vidette has prided itself on being a big tent, and inviting to everyone.”
Hunt (below) addressed those concerns in an email Dec. 8, stating the program can manage enrollment in key production courses by removing course blocks, which would allow English majors, for example, to continue to work for The Vidette.
The university’s student-run news broadcast, TV-10, is entirely run through the School of Communications curriculum, but it has a registered student organization, Student Television Workshop, that is open to all majors across campus.
“We’re thinking of something similar for The Vidette,” Hunt said.
When Plevka transitioned to ISU in 2012, The Vidette’s budget was $1 million. It’s now around $250,000. He’s cut an IT position, reduced Jean-Charles’ hours, and pared down the number of paid student employees. The once-five-day newspaper dropped its Friday edition in 2013, went down to two days in 2015, and became a weekly a year ago.
The last fiscal year The Vidette finished in the black was 2013. It’s projected to finish more than $200,000 in the red when the calendar flips to July next summer.
“Looking back, I do feel we could have been a little more proactive on this, potentially as far back as 4 or 5 years ago,” Plevka said.
The Vidette is hardly on an island, as financial hardships led by advertising decline, exacerbated of course by the pandemic, have resulted in student newspapers throughout the Midwest reining in their print frequency.
The Daily Northwestern at Northwestern University went from printing five days a week to reporting online-only, at least for the time being. The Courier at Western Illinois University has committed to going online-only not just this school year, but for good.
The Vidette has won General Excellence in the Illinois College Press Association competition 2 of the past 3 years.
Plevka said he’s hopeful the university will grandfather in current Vidette staff next fall, for them to not be required to take communications courses. He’s also “pushing hard” for the university to continue paying a staff of at least a half-dozen students. Currently, about a dozen are on the payroll.
“If they’re not going to reward those folks, that’s when the thing will really come unglued,” he said. “I don’t want to be around to see that. Then it becomes a class, and some students will be half-assing it. It’s a shitload of work to be an editor. It’s great experience, and there’s value in doing it. You can’t have a student adviser as editor-in-chief. It takes away from the learning experience.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 11, 2025 Contact Information: Cadeala Troublefield, project manager Griffin & Strong Ph: (678) 364-2962 ext. 111 cadeala@gspclaw.com Courtney Clark, deputy project manager Griffin & Strong Ph: (404) 348-0690 ext. 113 courtney@gspclaw.com
VIRTUAL INFORMATIONAL MEETING DETAILS DATE(TENTATIVE): Wednesday, November 19, 2025 6 PM CST/7 PM EST Interested Participants Can Register Here: https://gspclaw.zoom.us/meeting/register/ytfUEAagQzqnrQE8eO8mSQ#/registration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2025 Contact Information: Kara Kienzler, associate executive director - communications Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) Ph: (217) 528-9688
SPRINGFIELD — November 15 of each year is designated as School Board Members Day. The day of recognition is an occasion to build community awareness about the important role school board members play in a representative democracy by providing a local voice for community education decisions. In 2007, the Illinois House of Representatives declared November 15 as School Board Members Day in the State of Illinois. The resolution states the annual recognition is “a way to honor those citizens who devote so much of their time and energy for the education of our children.” “School board members serve as our local, volunteer education advocates striving for quality learning opportunities for every student. They take on this immense responsibility not for a paycheck, but because they are committed to their communities and the belief that every child deserves a quality education,” said IASB Executive Director Kimberly A. Small, J.D. “Our school board members wear many hats; beyond their educational leadership, they are policy-makers, contract negotiators, and budgeteers. They are also our neighbors, our friends, and our schools’ biggest fans. On November 15 –– School Board Members Day — it is our chance to say, ‘Thank You.’” IASB encourages school districts, communities, businesses, and others to thank local school board members and recognize them for their dedication to providing successful education opportunities for all students. Resources and images to recognize school board members on November 15 are available at www.iasb.com/thankaboardmember.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2025 Media Contact Illinois Principals Association Alison Maley, government and public relations director PH: 217-299-3122 alison@ilprincipals.org
SPRINGFIELD – In a direct response to the growing school leadership shortage across Illinois, the Illinois Principals Association, through its Ed Leaders Network (ELN), has teamed up with Aurora University to launch an exciting and streamlined Alternative Principal Endorsement Program. This endorsement pathway enables educators who already have five years of experience and hold a master’s degree in education to earn their Principal Endorsement in just one year – without completing an additional graduate degree. Approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and aligned with National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards, the program blends an immersive one-year internship with micro‑credentials tailored to school leadership practice. Eligible educators can earn licensure‑approved endorsement within one calendar year. This program is significantly less expensive than a full master’s degree and delivered on a fully remote platform. Participants in the program have appreciated the flexibility and experience the program provides as they enter or continue their school leadership journey. “Having already completed my master's degree, I knew I wanted to add the Principals Endorsement to my license, but I did not want to enroll in another full master's program. I was able to pull from previous leadership experience as I worked through the micro-credentials while still gaining valuable experience during my internship activities. The program is challenging but rewarding as it offers a way to reflect on previous experiences while building new skills as an educational leader."
- Jon Pieper, division head for Career & Technical Education, Physical Education, Drivers Education, and Health Education at Elk Grove High School
“The Alternative Principal Endorsement program was a great fit because everything was online, and I could work at my own pace. The flexibility allowed me to balance professional responsibilities while advancing my leadership skills. I would highly recommend this program to aspiring leaders.”
- Dr. Maribel Guerrero, director of language acquisition, Naperville CUSD 203
Dr. Ed Howerton, director of graduate education programs at Aurora University and former district administrator, shared: "Our program leans heavily into a ‘learning by doing’ framework that is extremely self-driven. It provides flexibility for professionals and ownership in the learning process. Many of our completers have moved into administrative roles sooner than if they had gone through a master’s degree program, and filling leadership voids in our schools is key to promoting student success.” Dr. Jason Leahy, executive director of the Illinois Principals Association, also shared: “When compared to a little over a decade ago, the State of Illinois has experienced an almost 60% reduction in the number of individuals who earn their principal endorsement each year. This alternative pathway provides a rigorous, cost effective, and expedited opportunity for quality educators to demonstrate they possess the skills necessary to be effective school leaders.” Eligible candidates must hold a current Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL), possess a master’s degree in education, have completed five years of teaching or school support experience, are employed in a full‑time, permanent educational position before program start, and complete required evaluation training and principal content exams to qualify for endorsement. Currently, 81 students are enrolled at various stages of the program at Aurora University, including 30 students that began this fall semester. Twenty-four students have completed the program since its inception, with 12 individuals working in leadership positions. Aurora University Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Aurora University is committed to preparing leaders for the future of education. For a full overview of the program’s structure and registration information, visit the Alternative Principal Endorsement at https://aurora.edu/academics/graduate/principal-endorsement/index.html. Illinois Principals Association The Illinois Principals Association is a leadership organization which serves more than 6,900 educational leaders throughout the state of Illinois and whose mission is to develop, support, and advocate for innovative educational leaders. For more information about the IPA, please visit www.ilprincipals.org. Program Contacts Aurora University – Ed Howerton, director of Graduate Education Programs, ehowerton@aurora.edu, 630-844-5626 Ed Leaders Network / Illinois Principals Association – Arlin Peebles, Ed Leaders Network director, arlin.peebles@ilprincipals.org, 217-241-0598
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 5, 2025 Contact Illinois Bar Foundation Jessie Reeves, director of events & administration Ph: 312-920-4681 jreeves@illinoisbarfoundation.org
CHICAGO, November 5, 2025 - Mark D. Hassakis, a personal injury and workers' compensation attorney at Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C. of Mount Vernon, Illinois, was recently honored with the Illinois Bar Foundation’s Distinguished Award for Excellence on Oct. 17 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. Mark D. Hassakis has the legal advocacy of Illinois victims in his blood. Born and raised in Mount Vernon, Mark followed in the footsteps of his father, Demetri, a lifelong Mount Vernon attorney, to practice law at Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C, now celebrating 75 years. Mark has dedicated his professional life to helping his fellow Illinois citizens and the community at large. In addition to his exceptional career representing individuals’ needs in the areas of personal injury and workers’ compensation, professional malpractice, and general tort injury cases, Mark is a true leader with unparalleled dedication to giving back to the community. The Illinois Bar Foundation’s Distinguished Award for Excellence, the organization’s highest honor, is awarded annually to individuals whose career and personal life exemplify their ongoing commitment to the law and legal community. “The selection of Mark Hassakis for this year's Distinguished Award of Excellence reflects our belief in the principle that legal excellence and community service go hand in hand. His career demonstrates how individual attorneys can make a lasting impact not just through their practice, but through their commitment to strengthening the legal profession and ensuring access to justice for all Illinois residents.”
Lauren N. Tuckey, Tuckey Law Illinois Bar Foundation President 2025-26
Bar leadership and community impact Mark's commitment to the legal profession extends far beyond his practice. As president of the Illinois State Bar Association (2010-11), he championed juvenile justice reform, established young attorney mentorship programs, and highlighted the vital role lawyers play in strengthening their communities. His passion for juvenile justice led to the establishment of the Illinois Bar Foundation's M. Denny Hassakis Fund, which focuses on improving Illinois' juvenile justice system through public policy changes and programs supporting vulnerable youth. Mark served as president of the Illinois Bar Foundation from 2000 to 2002, during which time he was instrumental in creating the organization's signature fundraising events, including the Gala and Lawyers Rock concert. Mark has held numerous other leadership positions, including chairman of the ISBA Mutual Insurance Company; president of the Jefferson County Bar Association; and board member of the Hellenic Bar Association, the Lawyers' Trust Fund of Illinois, and the Juvenile Justice Initiative. Beyond his legal work, Mark has been a driving force in Mount Vernon and Southern Illinois development. He has spearheaded projects focused on downtown development, historical building restoration, and the support of community parks and arts initiatives. Notable achievements include bringing nationally acclaimed jazz artists to teach area grade school students and commissioning an "Abraham Lincoln as a Lawyer" sculpture for the 5th Appellate Court grounds in Mount Vernon. A proud Northwestern University alumnus, Mark continues to serve as an alumni regent and member of the Northwestern University Leadership Circle since 2012, acting as an ambassador for the university. Mark's extensive community involvement includes leadership roles with the Downtown Development Corporation of Mt. Vernon, Jefferson County Historical Society, Lincoln Park Foundation, Vernon West Rotary Club (Paul Harris Fellow), and numerous other local organizations dedicated to enriching Southern Illinois. Bar Admissions