Updates to faculty layoff plan and other stuff
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leatherface
- Posts: 423
- Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2014 4:42 pm
I just don't know if U of I would want two branch campuses within two hours of each other. They just bought UIS a new student Union, and seem determined to see UIS grow. I just hope Eastern and Western don't find themselves strangled out. Low populated areas, rely on community colleges from the two areas to pick up the first two years, then students can transfer?
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sealhall74
- Posts: 5985
- Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:18 pm
- Location: Wherever, Windblows
I think the enrollment decline at WIU and EIU has more to do with the "changing times" than this budget fiasco. There are just many more avenues to education now than there were 20-30 years ago. Only the very top tier universities are not going the feel the pain from that. If you don't adapt quickly, you will perish.
Embrace the pace of the race.
One week left to get a budget. The deadline date is May 31.
Some of the state universities may not be able to hold on until Rauner's term ends in Jan 2019. With only getting 31% of their expected 2016 fiscal year funding, the state universities are on a "starvation diet". Western might make it to 2019, but it may not be the same place that most of us remember from our days as students.
Springfield public radio at WUIS-FM reported today that Coles County (Charleston) voted 64% for Rauner in Nov 2014. I imagine that some of those voters might now be second-guessing their decision. WUIS also reported that there are a lot of For Sale signs now in Carbondale.
Some of the state universities may not be able to hold on until Rauner's term ends in Jan 2019. With only getting 31% of their expected 2016 fiscal year funding, the state universities are on a "starvation diet". Western might make it to 2019, but it may not be the same place that most of us remember from our days as students.
Springfield public radio at WUIS-FM reported today that Coles County (Charleston) voted 64% for Rauner in Nov 2014. I imagine that some of those voters might now be second-guessing their decision. WUIS also reported that there are a lot of For Sale signs now in Carbondale.
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leatherface
- Posts: 423
- Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2014 4:42 pm
Unless I have missed something-which is possible- I'm surprised the WIU Alumni Office hasn't been aggressively involved in getting Alumni support for contacting state officials and representatives about the funding crises.
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Leatherneck10
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2016 8:32 am
The University of Illinois had a branch campus in our region, in Galesburg, for a few years after WWII. They closed it and focused on building a campus in Chicago. Probably the right choice. I don't see them coming back anytime soon.leatherface wrote:Looks like they are tapping into the "prestige" thing of graduating from the U of I. We have had folks apply for openings who during the interview stress they went to Illinois, when in fact it was UIS. I guess they are technically correct.
I feel more and more Western's future would be better as part of the Illinois system. University of Illinois-Western. That would keep intact Western's identity from a historical perspective.
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sealhall74
- Posts: 5985
- Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:18 pm
- Location: Wherever, Windblows
UIS is very aggressive. I did not know until today that Illinois already has a "University Center" in place up in Lake County which is similar to what South Dakota has in Sioux Falls. Western is a participant. We dont offer much. Not sure how many students we have enrolled up there. Take a look at the programs that UIS offers at the University Center and compare with the other state universities. The power of the "System" is also evident up there. If you belong to a system, your member universities can feed off of each other if you lay out the program offerings in the right way. E.g., go to UIS to get your BS in Computer Science. Jump on over to UIUC for your masters. You never had to pack up your belongings and move somewhere for the entire journey. Bitch all you want about Rauner and Madigan, but it the "System" that is beating us, not them. What the residents of Illinois should really be pressing for is a comprehensive higher education system umbrella that covers all public universities. 712, we would all like Western to be like it was back in the day. Truth is it will never be that way. The job at hand now is to find our niche in the education world and move forward.
http://ucenter.org/universities/ui-springfield/
http://ucenter.org/universities/ui-springfield/
Embrace the pace of the race.
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leatherface
- Posts: 423
- Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2014 4:42 pm
You are so right-Seal. The days of a regional school believing they will continue to stroll along as always because they represent that particular state geographic region is fast ending. It is particularly problematic for schools in low populated areas, isolated from large populated areas, and travel to the campus is long or difficult.
As we have said before, WIU needs to find a niche, become respected in that niche, and recruit like hell. I'm afraid the days of trying to be everything to everyone is ending. Technology is so advanced, online courses so common, students will be more selective as schools have programs and opportunities offered that meet their needs without disrupting their lives.
Add the fact that community colleges are now viewed as a cost effective alternative- both for transfer needs or career and technical programs, the whole game is changing.
As we have said before, WIU needs to find a niche, become respected in that niche, and recruit like hell. I'm afraid the days of trying to be everything to everyone is ending. Technology is so advanced, online courses so common, students will be more selective as schools have programs and opportunities offered that meet their needs without disrupting their lives.
Add the fact that community colleges are now viewed as a cost effective alternative- both for transfer needs or career and technical programs, the whole game is changing.
The General Assembly is now down to its last 4 days of the spring session. And it is not sounding very encouraging at this time.
From today's Chicago Tribune:
Senate President John Cullerton on Friday floated the idea of a short-term state budget to get law-makers past the November election and to encourage further discussions among legislative working groups on Rauner's agenda.
"Between now and the end of the fiscal year, there might be universities closing. So we would provide for an agreement where they'd have spending authorization…. That would be something we'd give the governor, he'd agree to sign it, so that he can continue to make payments, for example, so we don't have a total meltdown of government," Cullerton said.
But Speaker Mike Madigan's spokesman said that the Speaker isn't willing to be a partner with Cullerton on the short-term spending bill.
From today's Chicago Tribune:
Senate President John Cullerton on Friday floated the idea of a short-term state budget to get law-makers past the November election and to encourage further discussions among legislative working groups on Rauner's agenda.
"Between now and the end of the fiscal year, there might be universities closing. So we would provide for an agreement where they'd have spending authorization…. That would be something we'd give the governor, he'd agree to sign it, so that he can continue to make payments, for example, so we don't have a total meltdown of government," Cullerton said.
But Speaker Mike Madigan's spokesman said that the Speaker isn't willing to be a partner with Cullerton on the short-term spending bill.
State faces another fiscal year without a spending plan.
By Ivan Moreno of The Associated Press
Illinois lawmakers signaled Monday they won’t have a budget deal before a key deadline, leaving the state hurtling toward another fiscal year without a spending plan and bringing further uncertainty to public schools, colleges, and social services providers.
Leaders from both parties met with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday in another attempt at compromise, exiting his office to deliver remarks that all but guaranteed they won’t find agreement before they adjourn their spring session Tuesday night.
“The bottom line for the taxpayers of Illinois is that as of tomorrow there will be no balanced budget,” said Republican Senate Leader Christine Radogno.
The meeting happened just moments after Democrats showed their force by overriding a Rauner veto on a proposal to lower Chicago’s pension payments for police and firefighters.
Lawmakers can still pass a budget after Tuesday, but it will be a heavy lift requiring three-fifths support from each chamber in what’s expected to be a bruising election year. A budget passed before the deadline would need only a simple majority.
Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan said after the meeting there was a “good exchange of ideas,” the brightest outlook he’s given yet after a discussion with Republican leaders and the governor in recent weeks.
But even though he reported progress from legislative working groups trying to get a budget compromise, Madigan said the House is prepared to continue working through June.
“If there’s no agreement tomorrow night, I would ask the governor to keep his working groups functioning on a regular schedule because the House is going to ... schedule ourselves to be here every Wednesday through June starting next week,” Madigan said.
His chamber has already passed a budget that Rauner has said he’ll veto if it passes the Senate because it is $7 billion out of balance. By the Democrats’ design, that $40 billion spending plan includes funding for schools in an attempt to force Rauner’s hand; a veto would allow them to blame the governor if schools can’t open this fall.
The 11-month budget standoff on a budget that should’ve taken effect July 1 makes Illinois the only state in the country without a budget for the current fiscal year.
Already, that’s forced colleges and universities to lay off staff and decimated social service programs across the state.
About 90 percent of state’s spending is on autopilot because of court orders requiring funds for crucial services such as Medicaid and salaries for state workers. But those decrees don’t cover higher education institutions and some social service providers.
Tim Nuding, Rauner’s budget chief, last week warned of “devastating” consequences if the budget gridlock extends into another fiscal year.
Illinois already has the lowest credit rating of any state and could face another downgrade, which would increase taxpayers’ cost with any borrowing, Nuding said.
Rauner and Democrats are clashing over the first-term governor’s business-friendly agenda that curbs union power. Democrats say those issues should be set aside until a $5 billion deficit is addressed through a tax increase and spending cuts.
But Rauner won’t sign off on a tax increase without getting some of his demands, saying taxpayers should be assured that lawmakers are putting changes in place to grow the state’s economy.
With neither side budging, a high-stakes November showdown is becoming inevitable.
Rauner wants to chip away at the Democratic majorities in each chamber to make it harder for them to impose their will at the Capitol. At the same time, Democrats will try to add more seats to their supermajorities so they can override any future Rauner vetoes and clear the way for them to pass whatever budget they want.
Jim Durkin, the Republican House leader, said Rauner’s fight with Democrats can extend beyond this year’s election into his re-election campaign, when Democrats try to retake the governor’s office.
I “think it’s more about the 2018 election,” he said.
By Ivan Moreno of The Associated Press
Illinois lawmakers signaled Monday they won’t have a budget deal before a key deadline, leaving the state hurtling toward another fiscal year without a spending plan and bringing further uncertainty to public schools, colleges, and social services providers.
Leaders from both parties met with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday in another attempt at compromise, exiting his office to deliver remarks that all but guaranteed they won’t find agreement before they adjourn their spring session Tuesday night.
“The bottom line for the taxpayers of Illinois is that as of tomorrow there will be no balanced budget,” said Republican Senate Leader Christine Radogno.
The meeting happened just moments after Democrats showed their force by overriding a Rauner veto on a proposal to lower Chicago’s pension payments for police and firefighters.
Lawmakers can still pass a budget after Tuesday, but it will be a heavy lift requiring three-fifths support from each chamber in what’s expected to be a bruising election year. A budget passed before the deadline would need only a simple majority.
Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan said after the meeting there was a “good exchange of ideas,” the brightest outlook he’s given yet after a discussion with Republican leaders and the governor in recent weeks.
But even though he reported progress from legislative working groups trying to get a budget compromise, Madigan said the House is prepared to continue working through June.
“If there’s no agreement tomorrow night, I would ask the governor to keep his working groups functioning on a regular schedule because the House is going to ... schedule ourselves to be here every Wednesday through June starting next week,” Madigan said.
His chamber has already passed a budget that Rauner has said he’ll veto if it passes the Senate because it is $7 billion out of balance. By the Democrats’ design, that $40 billion spending plan includes funding for schools in an attempt to force Rauner’s hand; a veto would allow them to blame the governor if schools can’t open this fall.
The 11-month budget standoff on a budget that should’ve taken effect July 1 makes Illinois the only state in the country without a budget for the current fiscal year.
Already, that’s forced colleges and universities to lay off staff and decimated social service programs across the state.
About 90 percent of state’s spending is on autopilot because of court orders requiring funds for crucial services such as Medicaid and salaries for state workers. But those decrees don’t cover higher education institutions and some social service providers.
Tim Nuding, Rauner’s budget chief, last week warned of “devastating” consequences if the budget gridlock extends into another fiscal year.
Illinois already has the lowest credit rating of any state and could face another downgrade, which would increase taxpayers’ cost with any borrowing, Nuding said.
Rauner and Democrats are clashing over the first-term governor’s business-friendly agenda that curbs union power. Democrats say those issues should be set aside until a $5 billion deficit is addressed through a tax increase and spending cuts.
But Rauner won’t sign off on a tax increase without getting some of his demands, saying taxpayers should be assured that lawmakers are putting changes in place to grow the state’s economy.
With neither side budging, a high-stakes November showdown is becoming inevitable.
Rauner wants to chip away at the Democratic majorities in each chamber to make it harder for them to impose their will at the Capitol. At the same time, Democrats will try to add more seats to their supermajorities so they can override any future Rauner vetoes and clear the way for them to pass whatever budget they want.
Jim Durkin, the Republican House leader, said Rauner’s fight with Democrats can extend beyond this year’s election into his re-election campaign, when Democrats try to retake the governor’s office.
I “think it’s more about the 2018 election,” he said.