THE
SIU PHOTOJOURNALISM WORKSHOP: A WEEKEND IN MURPHYSBORO
Daily Egyptian SERVING THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY SINCE 1916.
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2026
VOL. 109, ISSUE 29
CAMBRIA IN TURMOIL AFTER TOP COP ADMITS HE SHARED AN IMAGE HE SHOULDN’T HAVE | Page 3
Top Left: Lucy Bily smiles with an apple in her mouth April 10, 2026 at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Murphysboro, Illinois. (Peyton Cook | @cookmeavisual) Top Right: Murphysboro Firefighter, Alex Crawshaw, and Fire Captain, Michael Dosch, take down a damaged American flag preparing to put up a new flag April 10, 2026 at the Murphysboro City Cemetery in Murphysboro, Illinois. (Photo by Maggie Bland) Bottom Left: Lisa Mileur, 70, places apples on top of lard dough to make apple pie April 10, 2026 at Mileur Orchard in Murphysboro, Illinois. (Carly Gist | @gistofthestory) Bottom Right: Anthony Hunter walks past the ‘Welcome to Murphysboro’ mural on the corner of 14th & Walnut Street April 11, 2026 in Murphysboro, Illinois. (Photo by Dominique Martinez-Powell) SEE MORE PHOTOS | 6, 7, 8
SIU photojournalism students capture weekend in Murphysboro JACKSON MORRIS jmorris@dailyegyptian.com
18 current and two former photojournalism students spent the weekend embedded in the Murphysboro community documenting the essence of the community as part of the school’s Weekend Workshop. The Weekend Workshop is an intensive photojournalism experience in which students work on assigned stories while being coached by visiting professional photojournalists who are working in the industry. The workshop, previously known as the “South of 64” workshop, was revamped when SIU photojournalism professor Julia Rendleman revived the workshop after taking over for previous professor Mark Dolan. “The workshop is one of the best ways for students to learn quickly - it’s like a boot camp,” Rendleman said. “Plus they get to meet visiting professionals who are working in the industry. It’s just learning on steroids.”
Sheryl Tucker to step down as provost In email and text, Chancellor Lane urged Tucker not to announce exit CARLY GIST cgist@dailyegyptian.com
Daily Egyptian Editor-in-Chief Carly Gist photographs Howard Mileur as he mows around trees at Mileur Orchard April 10, 2026 in Murphysboro, Illinois. Soph Levinson | @hpos.artz
Rendleman said what makes the Weekend Workshop special is how the students get constant feedback and critique on their work. “It is the thing that helps set our students apart and advances them in the world of photography, so much more
than just traditional classroom learning,” Rendleman said. Students spent their weekend shadowing stories ranging from 17th Street BBQ all the way to the Murphysboro police and fire departments. MURPHYSBORO | 5
SIUC Provost Sheryl Tucker is stepping down after three years in the role, but the announcement came months after the decision, prompting scrutiny among faculty about administrative transparency. According to documents obtained by the Daily Egyptian, Tucker planned to announce her departure in early November 2025, but SIUC Chancellor Austin Lane told her in an email not to do so, saying that he would announce the departure after her contract ends in June 2026. While Lane said this was protocol, members of the Faculty Senate, the representative body of SIU faculty, expressed concern about what holding off on an announcement would mean for current initiatives and the search for a new provost. Tucker joined the university in July of 2023. As provost and vice chancellor
of academic affairs, she reports directly to and collaborates with the chancellor to oversee various academic activities, “from faculty development and academic budgeting to technology, assessment, program review, and international student affairs,” according to her office’s website. David Johnson, budget committee chair of the Faculty Senate, said Tucker’s departure from office was left an open secret, leading to widespread distrust on campus. “Some knew she was on her way out; others didn’t, leading to confusion about who was in charge of what,” Johnson wrote in a statement to the DE. It is unclear at this time why Tucker decided to leave the role. She confirmed in a text to the DE that she would remain a professor of chemistry at SIU, but she declined to comment further. Chancellor Lane PROVOST | 4