1. Romney visit gathers community
Mitt Romney visited Bradley on the eve of his win in the Illinois Republican primary, Mar. 19. He addressed a crowd of about 1,000 students, faculty and community members and took questions from a handful of people in the audience.
Romney’s appearance was a last-minute decision, and students were informed less than three days prior to the event. For hours, Founder’s Circle was crowded with news vehicles and national press personnel as they prepared for the speech.
That same day, Rick Santorum, who was also running for GOP nominee, made a stop at Davis Brothers Pizza in East Peoria.
2. Renaissance Campaign completed
After three years of construction and more than $161 million raised, the Campaign for a Bradley Renaissance is on the eve of its completion.
The campaign surpassed its original goal by more than $11 million, making it the most lucrative fundraising effort in Bradley history.
The Markin Center, the Renaissance Coliseum, the Main Street parking deck, the renovation and expansion of Westlake Hall and the construction of the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center were all products from the campaign.
Money generated from the campaign was also used for 79 new scholarships and $15 million will be used for scholarship assistance.
The most recent project was the alumni center, opening its doors during Homecoming Week. A new quad, located in front of the alumni center, was also debuted during the festivities.
Westlake Hall will open its doors in the fall semester, concluding the campaign.
3. Free condoms available on campus
Beginning in January, free condoms were available on campus to students for the first time. As a result of a Student Senate resolution, the president’s cabinet voted in October to support and implement the resolution, which requested that free condoms be available in residence hall offices and in the Wellness Center.
During office hours, students were able to pick-up one package of 10 Trojan brand condoms without having to sign-up or provide a student ID.
The program was successful and program coordinators said they had few problems.
This was not the first year that condoms were provided on campus. The Wellness Center previously had a program where students who attended a Help Empower and Teach sexual education class were able to pick up 15 condoms a month for one dollar.
4. Sold-out game back on the hilltop
It has been thirty years since students packed a home court on campus during a regular season for the Braves. But on Nov. 16 the Renaissance Coliseum sold out for the men’s basketball game versus Southeast Missouri State University.
The game theme was “throwback,” in honor of the 1981-82 NIT Championship team, who was the last team to play a game on campus.
5. Glasser diagnosed with breast cancer
In December, university President Joanne Glasser announced she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Later that month, she underwent surgery. After three weeks of recovery, Glasser was back on campus and said she was feeling great.
As a result of routine examinations and early detection, Glasser said she did not need any additional treatment such as follow-up radiation or chemotherapy.
This was the second time the president has been diagnosed with breast cancer and received treatment for the disease. She was first diagnosed in December 2008.
Even though this is her second time battling a life-threatening disease, Glasser said she has never considered stepping down from her position as president.
6. Eurest dining contract expires
Bradley’s nearly 60-year-old contract with Eurest, the university’s food provider, ended this year. The change means that every food item sold on campus will be swapped for other products in June, and the university has not revealed if a new company has been selected.
Eurest currently employs 108 staff members at Bradley. In a letter they received April 9, employees were told that the new company Bradley chooses may interview former employees to hire “with the intention to maintain continuity of services.” The contract ends officially on June 10 of this year.
7. Geisert cafeteria renovations complete
After years of planning, renovations to Geisert Cafeteria were completed in August, providing students with more healthy food options and twice as much seating.
“The original Geisert cafeteria was built in the ‘60s to service only Geisert,” the Director of Dining Services Rob Gibson said. “Now, we have a restaurant-style kitchen and can store a lot more food.”
The renovation has provided dining services with a variety of new benefits including a larger kitchen in addition to a kosher kitchen, state-of-the-art serving lines, more cooler and freezer space and new public bathrooms.
8. ACBU weathers disappointing year
It seems like the Activities Council of Bradley University couldn’t catch a break this year.
ACBU hosted Taking Back Sunday, The Maine and The Bad Rabbits for the Fall Concert. In comparison to the Jason Derulo and Mike Posner 2011 spring concert, ticket sales dropped by 55 percent.
In February, ACBU announced that DJ Redfoo from LMFAO would perform at the spring concert. However within a few weeks, DJ Redfoo cancelled the show along with other shows in their tour for the month of April.
After quickly assembling a list of new artists, ACBU said Girl Talk would take the place of DJ Redfoo for the spring concert.
Even with the new idea of a general admission pit, which was only open to Bradley students, Girl Talk sold less tickets than Taking Back Sunday.
9. New police chief starts at BUPD
Bradley University Police Department Chief Brian Joschko moved to Bradley from Marquette University, where he was the Lt. Police Chief, last summer. Halfway through first semester, Joschko left campus for several weeks for training to become an accredited Illinois police officer.
Since his arrival, Joschko said he has aimed to promote greater police presence and improve student-officer interactions.
“One of the things we’re transitioning on is letting officers and the university know that we’re a student-centered operation,” he said in a Sept. 2 article.
10. Pi Beta Phi and Hillel find new homes
Two organizations on campus made their way to new locations on Fredonia Ave. this year: the Bradley Hillel house and the Pi Beta Phi sorority house. Hillel’s new home finally opened its doors after 13 years of planning, funding and waiting.
Pi Phi, after 20 years of planning, finally broke ground in October for its new sorority house.
The old house, located on the corner of North Institute Ave. and Main Street, needed expensive updates. The new house will be open in August for the new members to move in.
