Updates to faculty layoff plan and other stuff

General Campus News, Updates, Discussion
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Tere North
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sealhall74 wrote: Tue Jun 12, 2018 9:06 am [I hope those expectations are all SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) else they fall in to that Trump-Kim Summit Agreement category.
That is key. Unfortunately, that seems not what has happened in the past. The strategic plan set a goal of sustaining 10K students. Yet, while specific and measurable, is it achievable? It is relevant, but not time-bound.

It would do a lot for public confidence to see very specific, achievable goals set forth along with what is being done to achieve them and reporting progress along the way. Even if progress isn't being made, rather than hide by not providing a press release as was done with the Spring 2018 head count, we need to be up front with what we did achieve and renewed efforts to make progress.
wiu712
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Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

At Friday's BOT meeting in Moline, President Thomas said: "More difficult decisions will need to be made to balance our budget, address our deficit spending, deal with our enrollment, and many other matters. We have to come together in order to make this work."

With a state budget to work from, trustees approved a preliminary spending plan of $224.3 million for fiscal year 2019. The plan is $11 million less than the spending plan for fiscal year 2018.

For the fall semester, Western has accepted 405 international students from 32 countries. That is up 22% from last year. Western is working with federal officials to ensure that the students get the visas necessary to come to the U.S. for their education..
rocki
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Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2014 9:08 pm

sealhall74 wrote: Tue Jun 12, 2018 9:06 am
wiu712 wrote: Tue Jun 12, 2018 8:53 am From Mark Bernards (Western Ag Professor): "If we continue this pattern of decline in enrollment, I calculated WIU will have a student population of less than 4,000 by the fall of 2022. The Board of Trustees has a responsibility to maintain WIU."
From the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns- ... story.html


Contract Details Being Worked Out for WIU President.
From Tri-States Public Radio WIUM-FM:
http://tspr.org/post/contract-details-b ... -president
The "contract" sounds more like probation to me. I hope those expectations are all SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) else they fall in to that Trump-Kim Summit Agreement category.
Why bother with "probation" now? My feeling is that pretty much everyone wants him gone before we go even further down the swirling drain. Just can him and get it over with.
wiu712
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Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

WIU makes military student tuition change.

From tonight's WGEM News:
http://www.wgem.com/story/38419431/2018 ... ion-change
wiu712
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Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

WIU President Jack Thomas: "We're Not Out of the Woods Yet".

From Tri-States Public Radio, WIUM-FM:
http://tspr.org/post/wiu-president-jack ... -woods-yet
wiu712
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Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

The WIUM-FM News report that mentioned the possibilities of Furloughs and/or Layoffs at Western caught a lot of people off-guard and sent shock waves through the community. It has been the main topic of conversation everywhere that I have been.

My co-workers at the SIU Med School told me that they are hearing lots of chatter about a re-organizing of the state universities next year regardless of who wins as Governor.

Governor Rauner was at the Western-Quad Cities campus a few days ago. He made some vague references about the need for change while addressing concerns over declining enrollments at Illinois colleges and universities.

"We’ve had enrollment shrinkage at many higher-education institutions in Illinois in recent years," he said. "But, frankly, this has been going on for decades. We’ve been losing students, and many of our universities have had shrinking enrollments.

"This is a challenge we need to take on by getting the mandate relief on our schools, getting more state support but bringing down the cost structure," he said.

Some state universities overlap each other, offering the same degrees for the same programs, he said. Some schools do it more cost-efficiently than others.

"So we need to have a rationalization across the state university system, so some focus on areas of education for themselves that may be different than other campuses," he said.

Prior to 1995, there were three operating systems for the state's 12 public universities:
University of Illinois system.
Board of Regents.
Board of Governors.

Western was a part of the Board of Governors.

In 1995, Governor Jim Edgar gave each state university its own separate Board of Trustees. So today, Illinois has nine separate BOT's instead of the original three.
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Tere North
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wiu712 wrote: Sat Jun 16, 2018 12:30 pm Governor Rauner made some vague references about the need for change while addressing concerns over declining enrollments at Illinois colleges and universities.

Some state universities overlap each other, offering the same degrees for the same programs, he said. Some schools do it more cost-efficiently than others.

"So we need to have a rationalization across the state university system, so some focus on areas of education for themselves that may be different than other campuses," he said.

Prior to 1995, there were three operating systems for the state's 12 public universities:
University of Illinois system.
Board of Regents.
Board of Governors.

Western was a part of the Board of Governors.

In 1995, Governor Jim Edgar gave each state university its own separate Board of Trustees. So today, Illinois has nine separate BOT's instead of the original three.
So we have 12 publics and 9 Boards, probably 2 too many publics, but definitely 7 too many Boards. Overarching Boards could prevent the "offer everything" approach that has bloated offerings as the non UofI campuses.
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Western_101
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Location: Morton, IL

wiu712 wrote: Sat Jun 16, 2018 12:30 pm The WIUM-FM News report that mentioned the possibilities of Furloughs and/or Layoffs at Western caught a lot of people off-guard and sent shock waves through the community. It has been the main topic of conversation everywhere that I have been.

My co-workers at the SIU Med School told me that they are hearing lots of chatter about a re-organizing of the state universities next year regardless of who wins as Governor.

Governor Rauner was at the Western-Quad Cities campus a few days ago. He made some vague references about the need for change while addressing concerns over declining enrollments at Illinois colleges and universities.

"We’ve had enrollment shrinkage at many higher-education institutions in Illinois in recent years," he said. "But, frankly, this has been going on for decades. We’ve been losing students, and many of our universities have had shrinking enrollments.

"This is a challenge we need to take on by getting the mandate relief on our schools, getting more state support but bringing down the cost structure," he said.

Some state universities overlap each other, offering the same degrees for the same programs, he said. Some schools do it more cost-efficiently than others.

"So we need to have a rationalization across the state university system, so some focus on areas of education for themselves that may be different than other campuses," he said.

Prior to 1995, there were three operating systems for the state's 12 public universities:
University of Illinois system.
Board of Regents.
Board of Governors.

Western was a part of the Board of Governors.

In 1995, Governor Jim Edgar gave each state university its own separate Board of Trustees. So today, Illinois has nine separate BOT's instead of the original three.
I have to agree with the Gov. on this one. Illinois publics need to more streamlined. Too much redundancy. Also, good grief, why does each school need it's own board?
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

WIU Hopeful for Center for Performing Arts Money.

From Tri-States Public Radio, WIUM-FM:
http://tspr.org/post/wiu-hopeful-cpa-money
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Neckfansince71
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So I know that we had a bit of a debate regarding the CPA, but folks it's funding will create a much needed economic boom for Macomb and the area called west-central Illinois for the following reasons:

1) Macomb/WIU deserves to have a professional venue. Should have happened a number of years ago. Western has outstanding music and stage students and the CPA will only serve to put this cultural aspect of WIU on the map.

2) A large number of area construction companies will benefit from the CPA construction which will take 2-3 years. Construction companies need workers, and workers need to be paid which will bring more money into the area.

3) Some construction companies will come from other areas of the state. Their workers will stay in Macomb during the week, but will probably travel home during the weekend. I have run into many construction workers doing that while working to enlarge Pella and or NTN Bower. This should not only help the stores in Macomb but also the rental of properties throughout the WIU/Macomb area.

4) State investment in the CPA means state investment in Macomb/WIU! Fears of Macomb/WIU's future will instantly disappear leaving only Macomb/WIU's future for us all to enjoy.

Your thoughts? ;) jc
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