The Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Higher Learning Commission have granted approval to Western Illinois University to establish a Ph.D. program in environmental science. The new degree program, which focuses on large river ecosystem, will be available at the WIU-Quad Cities Campus. A multidisciplinary committee of WIU faculty members developed the proposal for the new program. They are affiliated with geography, biological sciences, mathematics and the WIU College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office. The committee was assisted by a number of organization representatives, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and River Action.