Accomplishments - June, 2026
Omid Kamran Disfani, associate professor, School of Management and Marketing, was an Expert Opinion source on WalletHub.com on the topic of gas-rewards credit cards.
Eric Farr, associate professor and director of graduate studies in the School of Architecture, has been selected to serve in the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) pool of accreditation-site visitors for the 2026–2030 term. NAAB is the sole agency responsible for accrediting professional degree programs in architecture in the U.S. Its accreditation process helps ensure the quality, rigor, and continuous improvement of architectural education nationwide and internationally. Farr noted that “NAAB accreditation plays a vital role in maintaining and advancing the quality of architectural education.”
Brandy Johnson, an assistant professor of law at SIU Simmons Law School, was appointed June 5 by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to the state’s Guardianship and Advocacy Commission. The appointment is pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate. Johnson is a two-degree SIU Carbondale alumna, Johnson’s appointment for the term that expires June 30, 2028, is pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.
The New Arts Jazztet (NAJ) will have two performances Feb. 23-24, 2027, at the Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries in St. Louis. The performances are part of the venue’s Coffee Concerts Series. Tickets go on sale Monday, June 8. Since 1984, the NAJ has been in residence at SIU Carbondale, where all but one of its current members are active or retired SIU School of Music faculty. The lineup includes Dick Kelley, reeds; Bob Allison, trumpet/flugelhorn; Isaac Lausell, guitars; Phil Brown, bass; and Jimmy Beers, drums/percussion.
