Updates to faculty layoff plan and other stuff

General Campus News, Updates, Discussion
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

WIU reviewing 18 academic programs - eliminations possible.
From tonight's KHQA-TV-7 News:
https://khqa.com/news/local/wiu-reviewi ... s-possible
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

Macomb PBS (WMEC-TV) may be acquired by SIU broadcasting group through partnership deal.
From the Springfield State Journal-Register:
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20181026/wsec- ... rship-deal
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

The possibility of eliminating up to 18 majors was a prime topic at today's tailgate.

People were wondering if this would be a "righting of the ship" or the beginning of something darker.

People tend to stay away from colleges that are making cut-backs. This makes it more difficult to attract new students and new faculty.

President Thomas has said that he needs to cut $5.5 million from the current budget. No specific areas have been announced. But according to news reports, the cuts will come from non-academic areas.
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

WIU’s new academic re-alignment plan sparks controversy.
From tonight's WGEM News:
https://wgem.com/2018/10/30/wius-new-ac ... ntroversy/
User avatar
ST_Lawson
Site Admin
Posts: 8247
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2014 1:15 pm
Location: Macomb, IL
Contact:

A lot of those on the list aren't actually going to be cut or anything. For example, the Meteorology department added a huge (for them) class of new freshmen this year and is on track to receive a grant that will make WIU the only university in the state of Illinois with its own dual-polarization Doppler Radar (I don't really know what the dual-polarization bit is, but I copied that from a friend who's a meteorologist and grad of the department). I'm pretty sure that's a really awesome thing and it's highly unlikely they're going to cut a department that's growing like that.
Scott Lawson - Board Admin
Western Illinois University Alum/Fan/Employee
Member of the Marching Leathernecks - 1996-2000
User avatar
Tere North
Posts: 1146
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2014 10:59 pm

ST_Lawson wrote: Tue Oct 30, 2018 9:17 pm A lot of those on the list aren't actually going to be cut or anything. For example, the Meteorology department added a huge (for them) class of new freshmen this year and is on track to receive a grant that will make WIU the only university in the state of Illinois with its own dual-polarization Doppler Radar (I don't really know what the dual-polarization bit is, but I copied that from a friend who's a meteorologist and grad of the department). I'm pretty sure that's a really awesome thing and it's highly unlikely they're going to cut a department that's growing like that.
That would be logical, but I fear logic is not a forte of our current administration.
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

Western Faculty Senate discusses the Board of Trustees "Open Meeting Act" violations.
Headline story in today's McDonough County Voice:
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/news/2018 ... violations
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

JB Pritzker has made creating a balanced budget for the state of Illinois a top priority.

Pritzker will be sworn into office Jan. 14. Within weeks after that, he will have to deliver a budget proposal to the General Assembly that will have to begin addressing the severe financial problems still facing the state.

The state bill backlog still stands at $7.5 billion. There is an estimated $1 billion hole in the current state budget, and pension payments continue to restrict spending on other programs.
rocki
Posts: 1510
Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2014 9:08 pm

wiu712 wrote: Fri Nov 09, 2018 8:35 am JB Pritzker has made creating a balanced budget for the state of Illinois a top priority.

Pritzker will be sworn into office Jan. 14. Within weeks after that, he will have to deliver a budget proposal to the General Assembly that will have to begin addressing the severe financial problems still facing the state.

The state bill backlog still stands at $7.5 billion. There is an estimated $1 billion hole in the current state budget, and pension payments continue to restrict spending on other programs.
The key question is, will he FINALLY cut spending to fit incoming monies, or are we going to lose another kabillion people due to overwhelming, strangling, taxes?
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

Dark Days for Transparency & Shared Governance at WIU.
From Tri-States Public Radio WIUM-FM:
http://www.tspr.org/post/dark-days-tran ... rnance-wiu
Locked