Updates to faculty layoff plan and other stuff

[wiu712]

Students, mayor react to WIU layoffs.
From WGEM News:
https://wgem.com/2019/03/01/students-ma ... u-layoffs/

[sealhall74]

So what percent of the current + next FY $26M budget cuts does this personnel layoff acccount for? Surely not all of it.

[wiu712]

Western Illinois University reducing staff.
From the Moline Dispatch-Rock Island Argus:
https://qconline.com/news/local/educati ... d59d3.html

[wiu712]

″...a terrible day”: Western Illinois University gives layoff notice to 132 employees.
From the McDonough County Voice:
https://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/news/201 ... rrible-day

[sealhall74]

I have a hard time seeing how any public university with enrollment in the several thousands could advertise a "signature" program (Musical Theater) to prospective students and have an enrollment cap of only 30 students (that is not 30 per incoming class but 30 across the entire program). I could believe it iff we were a very select private institutution along the lines of an Ivy League university. Kind of makes me think the purpose of the program is to gen interest for a certain PAC facility.

[wiu712]

So what percent of the current + next FY $26M budget cuts does this personnel layoff acccount for? Surely not all of it.

The article in the Dispatch-Argus (referenced above) mentioned: "With these layoffs and other cost-cutting measures, Western is anticipating saving $20 million during the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years, according to the university. How much of the total anticipated savings would be related to the layoffs was not available Friday, the university said."

The unknown at this time is what will be included in the "other cost-cutting measures".

[Leatherneck10]

So what percent of the current + next FY $26M budget cuts does this personnel layoff acccount for? Surely not all of it.

The article in the Dispatch-Argus article (referenced above) mentioned: "With these layoffs and other cost-cutting measures, Western is anticipating saving $20 million during the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years, according to the university. How much of the total anticipated savings would be related to the layoffs was not available Friday, the university said."

The unknown at this time is what will be included in the "other cost-cutting measures".

I'm going to call it now. A furlough program will be announced soon, further demoralizing those employees who remain.

[Tere North]

I would suggest the administration positions for the chopping block.

$175,620 VP-QC - at most, this should be a Dean's position, and certainly not a VP
$142,800 Dean-Libraries - Dean's lead multiple departments that have faculty, this is a single department and its faculty do not teach
$120,000 Chief-of-Staff - this hardly needs an explanation

Almost a half-mill savings with minimal impact on WIU and none on students

[Leatherneck10]

I would suggest the administration positions for the chopping block.

$175,620 VP-QC - at most, this should be a Dean's position, and certainly not a VP
$142,800 Dean-Libraries - Dean's lead multiple departments that have faculty, this is a single department and its faculty do not teach
$120,000 Chief-of-Staff - this hardly needs an explanation

Almost a half-mill savings with minimal impact on WIU and none on students

Every person you mentioned is a tenured faculty member. If their positions were to be eliminated they would have to be offered full time faculty positions. The potential savings is therefore reduced by probably two-thirds.

[wiu712]

Western Illinois University announces 132 faculty layoffs “Today is a catastrophe.”
From the Western Courier:
https://westerncourier.com/43718/news/w ... tastrophe/

Taking Action Amid Layoffs.
From Tri-States Public Radio, WIUM-FM:
https://www.tspr.org/post/taking-action-amid-layoffs