The recertification of Eastern’s athletic program to the NCAA was discussed at Tuesday’s faculty senate meeting.

Eastern Athletic Director Barbara Burke discussed the long process it takes for recertification of the programs and the obstacles Eastern must overcome to be recertified.

“The purpose of this really is just to insure that we have the level of integrity in our NCAA programs that is required by the NCAA,” Burke said.

The process started with an orientation video-conference in August 2009.

The NCAA will not make their final decision until February 2011. Eastern’s programs must be recertified every 10 years.

Burke said this is helpful to the program because it allows them to see what they are doing right or wrong.

“It’s been a great process for me so early in my tenure because it has forced me to look at things and really look at processes and procedures that we either have or we don’t have and what we need to clean up,” Burke said.

Burke said it is a “self-awareness” process that is used to improve the program.

A full report of Eastern’s athletic program is due to the NCAA April 30.

“We currently don’t have enough details in each section,” Burke said.

Also discussed at the meeting was the 1 percent increase in the sales tax for local schools.

Charleston Superintendent Ron Miller and Oakland Superintendent Mike Smith were at the meeting to discuss the tax increase.

Both said some of the money would be used for maintenance in the schools.

Charleston hopes to move $500,000 from the maintenance budget with the tax increase.

“We want to be able to move that money to kids’ programs,” Miller said.

John Pommier, chair of the faculty senate, said students and faculty should want to help.

“We do send a lot of students to those schools,” he said.

The next faculty senate meeting will be 2 p.m., Jan. 26, in Booth Library Room 4440.

Courtney Bruner can be reached at 581-7942 or cbbruner@eiu.edu.