Updates to faculty layoff plan and other stuff

General Campus News, Updates, Discussion
wiu712
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From today's Peoria Journal-Star editorial about the State's Budget:

The crisis affecting higher education in Illinois — reportedly the incoming freshman class at Western Illinois University could be down nearly a third, with eye-popping enrollment declines at some other institutions, notably Southern Illinois University — will continue, certainly not alleviating fears of a collective brain drain.



Today's Springfield State Journal-Register Editorial:

If all you focus on is the in-fighting between the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses of the Southern Illinois University System, you might not notice that what some are advocating for in this battle is the creation of another layer of government.

As if Illinois needed another governmental board.

The latest headline was due to the revelation that SIU System President Randy Dunn in an email called some members of the Carbondale campus “bitchers.” But the root of the disagreement between the two campuses is resources: Edwardsville advocates argue that since its population is growing while Carbondale’s sinks, it should get a larger slice of state dollars the SIU System receives.

SIU Carbondale gets about 60 percent of the system’s share of state funding, even though the two campuses last fall had almost the same enrollment. In fall 2017, Edwardsville had 13,796 students compared to 14,184 at Carbondale. Compare that to 2000, when fall enrollment at Edwardsville was 12,193 but a whopping 22,645 at Carbondale.

Edwardsville administrators recently asked to transfer $5 million from Carbondale to Edwardsville for the 2018-2019 school year, a request the SIU board of trustees narrowly voted down. Also in the mix: Legislation was introduced in the General Assembly that would separate the Edwardsville campus from the SIU system and let it become a standalone university.

If legislators are going to get involved, it should be to start working toward consolidating the nine boards that govern the 13 public, four-year universities in Illinois into one system. Take those nine system presidents, and their many layers of administrators, and create one system that oversees all of the public universities. Those are all high-level, well-paid positions that take up a lot of funding (and we’re not even counting the folks over at the Illinois State Board of Higher Education). Use that money instead to actually educate students, instead of endless layers of bureaucracy.

This system works elsewhere, notably for our neighbors to the north in Wisconsin. Each campus would have strategically selected areas of specialization, and one board would oversee the system with an eye toward what is best for the state — and taxpayers — as a whole.
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sealhall74
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wiu712 wrote: Thu May 24, 2018 8:45 am From today's Peoria Journal-Star editorial about the State's Budget:

The crisis affecting higher education in Illinois — reportedly the incoming freshman class at Western Illinois University could be down nearly a third, with eye-popping enrollment declines at some other institutions, notably Southern Illinois University — will continue, certainly not alleviating fears of a collective brain drain.



Today's Springfield State Journal-Register Editorial:

If all you focus on is the in-fighting between the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses of the Southern Illinois University System, you might not notice that what some are advocating for in this battle is the creation of another layer of government.

As if Illinois needed another governmental board.

The latest headline was due to the revelation that SIU System President Randy Dunn in an email called some members of the Carbondale campus “bitchers.” But the root of the disagreement between the two campuses is resources: Edwardsville advocates argue that since its population is growing while Carbondale’s sinks, it should get a larger slice of state dollars the SIU System receives.

SIU Carbondale gets about 60 percent of the system’s share of state funding, even though the two campuses last fall had almost the same enrollment. In fall 2017, Edwardsville had 13,796 students compared to 14,184 at Carbondale. Compare that to 2000, when fall enrollment at Edwardsville was 12,193 but a whopping 22,645 at Carbondale.

Edwardsville administrators recently asked to transfer $5 million from Carbondale to Edwardsville for the 2018-2019 school year, a request the SIU board of trustees narrowly voted down. Also in the mix: Legislation was introduced in the General Assembly that would separate the Edwardsville campus from the SIU system and let it become a standalone university.

If legislators are going to get involved, it should be to start working toward consolidating the nine boards that govern the 13 public, four-year universities in Illinois into one system. Take those nine system presidents, and their many layers of administrators, and create one system that oversees all of the public universities. Those are all high-level, well-paid positions that take up a lot of funding (and we’re not even counting the folks over at the Illinois State Board of Higher Education). Use that money instead to actually educate students, instead of endless layers of bureaucracy.

This system works elsewhere, notably for our neighbors to the north in Wisconsin. Each campus would have strategically selected areas of specialization, and one board would oversee the system with an eye toward what is best for the state — and taxpayers — as a whole.
I would not hire a new president if his vision was not strongly aligned with this one.

Update: I went to bed early and woke up early. Brain not working right that early in morn. Two nots are not right. Better wording below.
Last edited by sealhall74 on Fri May 25, 2018 8:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
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sealhall74
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sealhall74 wrote: Fri May 25, 2018 2:45 am
wiu712 wrote: Thu May 24, 2018 8:45 am From today's Peoria Journal-Star editorial about the State's Budget:

The crisis affecting higher education in Illinois — reportedly the incoming freshman class at Western Illinois University could be down nearly a third, with eye-popping enrollment declines at some other institutions, notably Southern Illinois University — will continue, certainly not alleviating fears of a collective brain drain.



Today's Springfield State Journal-Register Editorial:

If all you focus on is the in-fighting between the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses of the Southern Illinois University System, you might not notice that what some are advocating for in this battle is the creation of another layer of government.

As if Illinois needed another governmental board.

The latest headline was due to the revelation that SIU System President Randy Dunn in an email called some members of the Carbondale campus “bitchers.” But the root of the disagreement between the two campuses is resources: Edwardsville advocates argue that since its population is growing while Carbondale’s sinks, it should get a larger slice of state dollars the SIU System receives.

SIU Carbondale gets about 60 percent of the system’s share of state funding, even though the two campuses last fall had almost the same enrollment. In fall 2017, Edwardsville had 13,796 students compared to 14,184 at Carbondale. Compare that to 2000, when fall enrollment at Edwardsville was 12,193 but a whopping 22,645 at Carbondale.

Edwardsville administrators recently asked to transfer $5 million from Carbondale to Edwardsville for the 2018-2019 school year, a request the SIU board of trustees narrowly voted down. Also in the mix: Legislation was introduced in the General Assembly that would separate the Edwardsville campus from the SIU system and let it become a standalone university.

If legislators are going to get involved, it should be to start working toward consolidating the nine boards that govern the 13 public, four-year universities in Illinois into one system. Take those nine system presidents, and their many layers of administrators, and create one system that oversees all of the public universities. Those are all high-level, well-paid positions that take up a lot of funding (and we’re not even counting the folks over at the Illinois State Board of Higher Education). Use that money instead to actually educate students, instead of endless layers of bureaucracy.

This system works elsewhere, notably for our neighbors to the north in Wisconsin. Each campus would have strategically selected areas of specialization, and one board would oversee the system with an eye toward what is best for the state — and taxpayers — as a whole.
I hope we bring in a new president who is welll-aligned with this board consolidation vision. As for the IBHE, the sooner they get rid of it, the sooner real progress begins.
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wiu712
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Five former Chancellors at SIU-Edwardsville speak out about going their own way:

SIU board must live up to its fiduciary responsibilities.

We, the undersigned former chancellors of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, believe it is time for the Board of Trustees of the Southern Illinois System to live up to its fiduciary responsibilities to the people of Illinois by reallocating funds between Carbondale and Edwardsville. If it fails to do so, then it is time for the legislature to abolish the System and create a Board of Trustees for each university. Such a change is not without precedent. In 1996 the legislature abolished both the Board of Governors and Board of Regents.

Since 2000, Carbondale has received 64 percent of the SIU System’s appropriation (excluding funding for the System Office and the School of Medicine in Springfield) while Edwardsville has received 36 percent. Since 2000, the enrollment at Carbondale has dropped significantly while that at Edwardsville has increased. By fall 2018, Edwardsville will likely have a larger enrollment than Carbondale.

At its meeting on April 12, 2018, the SIU Trustees reviewed a proposal documenting the disparity in funding. Even adjusting for the greater doctoral level work at Carbondale, the analysis underlying the proposal showed that between $17 million and $23 million needed to be shifted from Carbondale to Edwardsville. The Trustees failed to take action.

SIUE at one time benefited from being part of the SIU System, but that is no longer the case. If the Board of Trustees cannot live up to its fiduciary responsibility to the citizens of Illinois and its university at Edwardsville, then it is time for a change.

Nancy Belck, Chancellor, 1994-1997
Julie Furst-Bowe, Chancellor, 2012-2015
Stephen Hansen, Interim Chancellor, 2015-2016
Vaughn Vandegrift, Chancellor, 2004-2012
David Werner, Chancellor, 1997-2004
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Neckfansince71
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Well we got ourselves a budget ladies and gentlemen. Does anyone have any idea about Capital support and the PAC?
wiu712
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Neckfansince71 wrote: Thu May 31, 2018 5:36 pmWell we got ourselves a budget ladies and gentlemen. Does anyone have any idea about Capital support and the PAC?
The Capital Bill includes $75 million for higher education facilities and emergency projects.

A break-down of how that $75 million will be spent has not been posted at this time.
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ST_Lawson
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Neckfansince71 wrote: Thu May 31, 2018 5:36 pm Well we got ourselves a budget ladies and gentlemen. Does anyone have any idea about Capital support and the PAC?
I would be absolutely flabbergasted if they were still considering the PAC at this point.
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sealhall74
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$75M might build one and half new facilities in the state if they can hire really cheap labor. Or, more likely, it will go toward needed maintenance of existing facilites across the state.
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Tere North
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ST_Lawson wrote: Thu May 31, 2018 6:37 pm
Neckfansince71 wrote: Thu May 31, 2018 5:36 pm Well we got ourselves a budget ladies and gentlemen. Does anyone have any idea about Capital support and the PAC?
I would be absolutely flabbergasted if they were still considering the PAC at this point.
Agreed Scott. With the economic outlook for the State, whatever money there is needs to be spend on needs, not wants. Maintenance, bridges, etc., are far more important than a performing arts center, especially given our enrollment declines, with a 14% hit projected for Fall 2010 give Western in total only 8K, so well under 7K in Macomb, combined grad and undergrad.
wiu712
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WIU Teachers Ratify New Contract; Board of Trustees Vote Scheduled for Friday.

From Tri-States Public Radio WIUM-FM:
http://tspr.org/post/wiu-teachers-ratif ... led-friday
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