Updates to faculty layoff plan and other stuff

[rocki]

I am sure it is equally the governor's and house/senate's fault that we are in this situation, but it is now starting to look more and more like the house/senate democrats are a major cause of the ongoing issues and not as much the governor for once. They have been told that a bill that was within reason would be accepted, instead they keep working for weeks and then passing these bills that are basically exactly the same as the ones before. It just all in all seems ridiculous, but the house/senate needs to man up and pass a bill within reason just to get a budget going, why do they think he will eventually accept a budget amount that is basically the same high number every time? I just do not understand the concept our state has with spending more than we have. Everyone knows we are deep in debt, so their plan is to continue to spend billions more than we have?

AMEN!!!!

[vatusay]

I am sure it is equally the governor's and house/senate's fault that we are in this situation, but it is now starting to look more and more like the house/senate democrats are a major cause of the ongoing issues and not as much the governor for once. They have been told that a bill that was within reason would be accepted, instead they keep working for weeks and then passing these bills that are basically exactly the same as the ones before. It just all in all seems ridiculous, but the house/senate needs to man up and pass a bill within reason just to get a budget going, why do they think he will eventually accept a budget amount that is basically the same high number every time? I just do not understand the concept our state has with spending more than we have. Everyone knows we are deep in debt, so their plan is to continue to spend billions more than we have?

This has been my opinion for some time now.

They literally are insane.

At least Rauner's proposals have the funding/cuts that would pay for them, unlike the democrats/madigan thinking they can use monopoly money. I wish we got to balance our checkbooks like politicians lol.

[wiu712]

The local UPI leadership at Western has been expressing concerns about the amount of money that is spent on Athletics.

Has there been a cost analysis conducted as to how much money it takes to run our current NCAA Division 1 program versus going to NCAA Division 2, NCAA Division 3, NAIA Division 1, or NAIA Division 2 ??????

[leatherface]

I have concerns about the amount of money being spent on programs that have few enrolled in them. I wonder if any faculty view these posts, or for that matter, would even have the guts to get on here and explain their position to WIU alums. I doubt many- if any- have the guts.

[WIU0812]

So basically they are saying you are not taking our jobs, but should fire those involved in athletics. They are still workers and will be affected the same as firing a union worker. This is almost getting sad, I hope the school just finds a way to remove what is needed and avoid the union issues.

[vatusay]

How many hours do they even teach a week?

How many have been teaching the SAME thing for years, so there's no prep work.

How many hand a bunch of their actual work to their student professors or whatever they are called?

How many of their classes have low attendance?

The whole university, and quite frankly, whole state is suffering and taking cuts. They refuse to delay their once percent raise and at the same time point fingers at other areas of the university costing too much?

What a mess.

I am convinced there is no common sense left in the world.

[Tere North]

WIU faculty should be forced to take a mandatory 5-day furlough during Spring Break (March 14-18). This would save money and not affect teaching since students won't be on campus, and likely, neither will faculty. An additional 5-day mandatory faculty furlough days should be right after grades are due (May 18-20, 23-24).
If Rocky has to take furlough days, so should all.

Furlough.jpg (51.06 KiB) Viewed 5663 times

[leatherface]

Tere- that is a great picture. That is great. Too bad it can't appear in the Courier!!

[Tere North]

Had a retired faculty member tell someone who responded to my post of that image on Facebook that the protections UPI is affording the faculty is the very reason all folks at WIU should be in a Union, to protect us from the "unreasonable demands of an employer." Still such arrogance that they are above the rest of us and should not have to be involved as part of the solution.

[leatherface]

I don't know if it's arrogance, or just a matter of many of them suffer from " dumb a$$ disease".