THE
Daily Egyptian SERVING THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY SINCE 1916.
DAILYEGYPTIAN.COM
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2024
VOL. 107, ISSUE 25
AD on Mullins: “We haven’t seen that trajectory” towards tournament-worthy play Brandyn Wilcoxen @brandynwilcoxen
Head Coach Bryan Mullins speaks with Saluki basketball in a media timeout as the Salukis face the Flames of UIC March 7, 2024 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Lylee Gibbs | @LyleeGibbsphoto
When SIU athletic director Tim Leonard informed men’s basketball head coach Bryan Mullins that he would not be returning after five years on the job, the decision was not taken lightly. “I haven’t slept in a week because I knew it was coming and I was dreading it,” Leonard said. Leonard said Mullins had requested a meeting on the morning of Friday, March 8, less than 24 hours after the Salukis’ upset loss to UIC in double-overtime to end their season in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, to inform him of his future with the program, and whether his contract would be extended or not. Mullins had one year left on his original contract after this season, but was essentially working on a “contract year,” meaning the school would choose between extending or moving on after this season.
“We knew that this was a contract year, and Bryan knew that,” Leonard said. “We had to have a good year from him, and show progress.” While the Salukis had a winning record for the fourth time in five years under Mullins, the late-season results fell short of overall program expectations. The team finished 1913, adding to Mullins’ overall record of 86-68. Among the factors going into the decision was SIU’s lack of NCAA Tournament appearances. Although the school touts a rich history of postseason success, it has experienced a 17-year drought of missing the big dance dating back to Mullins’ playing days. “I think what our expectations are is that we will go to the [NCAA] Tournament every couple of years, and in the off years, we’re still gonna be competitive, we’re gonna still be fighting for a top-four seed, and be in PART WAYS | 11
Survey: Large numbers of students using AI without professors’ knowledge Katie Kwasneski kwasneski@dailyegyptian.com
With assistive AI tools making their way into every facet of our daily lives, it’s no wonder that students and faculty are becoming increasingly aware of how they can affect education. The Daily Egyptian did an informal online survey at SIU to ask students, faculty and staff about their take on the use of AI on assignments. There were 105 respondents, 96 of them students. Of those, 51 percent said they use AI for assignments, and 49 percent said they do not. For the students who do use the tool, 74 percent said their instructors do not know about their use of it, while 26 percent said their instructors do know. More than half, 58 percent of students who responded to the AI | 4
Day Starr-Fleming | @DaySF-Facebook
New Mexico State confirms SIU Chancellor Lane will not be its next president Joei Younker | @younker_joei
In early February, New Mexico State announced five finalists for its open presidential position at the university; SIU Chancellor Austin Lane was listed among the top candidates. On Monday, March 11, New Mexico State University released a statement which clarified they will not be selecting any of the finalists that were previously listed. Lane will no longer be considered for the position according to NMSU. “After careful consideration, I do not believe any of the current finalists fully meet the needs of New Mexico State University at this critical juncture,” board Chairwoman Ammu Devasthali stated during the March 11 meeting announcing the school’s decision. After Lane’s hiring at Southern Illinois University in 2020, he oversaw the launch and implementation of the university’s strategic plan, Imagine 2030. The plan includes five important pillars; student success and engagement; diversity, equity and inclusion; branding and partnerships; research and innovation, and sustainability. Lane also initiated the Saluki Commitment and Saluki Transfer Commitment, a pledge to close the gap between financial aid and tuition and fees for qualified students from Illinois. Another mission included Saluki Step Ahead, which allows place-bound community college graduates to more easily earn their bachelor’s degrees remotely. For now, the expectation for Lane is he will remain Chancellor at Southern Illinois University for the foreseeable future. News editor Joei Younker can be reached at jyounker@dailyegyptian.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) @younker_joei