Jacksonville – The Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, spoke Wednesday on the MacMurray College campus. He addressed nursing students, staff, administration and other guests on the outlook of nursing in the state.

     Dr. Whitaker’s comments were of critical interest to the college and its nursing program. He spoke about Gov. Blagojevich’s plan to ensure the state has an adequate level of frontline healthcare providers.

     Several points were discussed during the 30-minute session including the development of a Center for Nursing, nursing educator scholarships, grants to nursing schools and student loan repayment for nurse educators. Many of these topics were highlighted in the Governor’s budget address and are also part of House Bill 4279.

     Following his remarks, questions were solicited by Dr. Whitaker which prompted one student to ask, “What do you say to those whose only response is ‘but we can’t afford it’?” MacMurray College President Lawrence D. Bryan asked to address the audience in response to that question and said that much of the debate he was hearing was “not over the relative merit of one or another initiative (most considered “good ideas”), but on whether or not the budget was ‘balanced’ over the last few years by smoke & mirrors or by means of legitimate strategies AND whether the State could, in fact, afford these initiatives.”

     Pres. Bryan added that “unless the governor’s interpretation of past and current budget management prevailed in subsequent political debates, then a number of very good, valid and desirable initiatives could be defeated regardless of their individual merits.”

     Located in Jacksonville, Ill., MacMurray College is a private, four-year, liberal arts, coeducational college, founded in 1846, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Its friendly, informal environment stresses academic excellence, personal attention, career experience, and well-rounded development of each individual.