Illinois soybean checkoff board gives College of Ag $500,000

Matthew McConkey
Daily Egyptian

The Illinois Soybean Checkoff Board presented the College of Agricultural Sciences a check for $500,000 Monday, which will go toward hiring and retaining the college's faculty.

Lyle Roberts, executive director for the Illinois Soybean Checkoff Board, presented the check and said the endowment was given to the college to recognize and validate leadership on campus, to pull together a shared vision of soybean farmers and researchers at SIUC. The endowment will help it maintain the University's state-of-the-art facilities, Roberts said. "This is a commitment to continue research and retain quality faculty so we can continue through this next decade and on forward," said Gary Minish, dean of the College of Agriculture. Chancellor Walter Wendler said this donation demonstrates the board's commitment to SIUC's advancement in excellence.

"It's reinforcing to us when organizations outside say, 'We like what you are doing, and we are going to invest in it,'" Wendler said. Wendler said the money will also help push the University and the agriculture college toward achieving the goals of "Southern at 150," which is the University's long-range plan to become a top 75 public research institution by its 150th birthday in 2019. Private endowments are essential for "Southern at 150," Wendler said, because the states budget is so tight, extra money is hard to come across. Provost John Dunn said budgets for higher education are stretched to capacity, yet the need for expansion is needed. Dunn said the endowment also shows the College of Agriculture is moving in the right direction.

"The gift helps validate the quality of work that is going on here," Dunn said. Bryan Young, associate professor in plant, soil and agricultural systems, said this is a clear message from the soybean board saying it believes in SIUC and the faculty members and what can be accomplished. Wendler said this endowment gives SIUC a margin of excellence, which can help the University retain more endowments in the future. "That's what we need," Wendler said.