Updates to faculty layoff plan and other stuff

[leatherface]

Competition for students is very demanding, and often times cut throat. These out of state schools are only practicing good business techniques. It's happening on the western side of the state too with Missouri and Iowa schools. Offering in state tuition and financial aid packages students and parents are willing to look at. In state private schools are also putting together aid packages to attract students during the turmoil. No parent wants to send their children to a school that is cutting staff, programs or has a perception of being in financial difficulty - only a fool would not look at the institutions perceived viability, whether accurate or not as portrayed by the media.

[wiu712]

Rauner and Madigan have been an excellent recruiting tool for Truman State, University of Iowa, UW-Platteville, etc. Those two have done a decade's worth of damage in just one year's time.

[leatherface]

Another issue that Western and other four year schools must face is the recognition by more and more students and parents is the advantages of attending a community college for two years, then transferring to finish up their four year degree. Potential large money savings, and credits transfer. Also, students are seeing the advantage of technical and career field of interest to them, which training allows them to make more money than some four year college jobs. Folks are recognizing a four year degree isn't the only ticket to success any more.

[wiu712]

Unionized Faculty at Western Agree to Pay Cut

From Tri-States Public Radio WIUM-FM
http://tspr.org/post/unionized-faculty- ... ee-pay-cut

[Tere North]

Unionized Faculty at Western Agree to Pay Cut

From Tri-States Public Radio WIUM-FM
http://tspr.org/post/unionized-faculty- ... ee-pay-cut

I had heard that a lot of faculty put pressure on the Union Exec Board to get this before the membership for a vote as they wanted to be part of the solution. Initially the Union Exec Board had refused to even consider and concessions, as noted at the December 2015 Board of Trustees Meeting. Fortunately, the membership pressure prevailed.

It will be interesting to see what the new contract to begin July 2017 contains since the Administration refused to just consider an extension, which is what the Union Exec Board wanted, similar to the current extension that kept everything the same except for pay increases. I'm guessing the Administration is going to be bargaining hard for greater flexibility in balancing student enrollment with faculty numbers, especially since enrollment is down 25% since 2006, but faculty only down half that.

[leatherface]

Just as an example of students going out of state- my brother-in-law works at a community college in the Western Illinois region, and has discovered three students are transferring to Missouri Western ( first time any one can remember interest there), two to Truman, two to Missouri-St. Louis. In part because these schools were a presence on campus during times colleges could visit with students. SIU-E is the "hot" school, followed by UIS. WIU getting a number of students mostly because of the students living at home or it's close to home.

[wiu712]

WIU faculty union agrees to pay cut.

From today's McDonough County Voice:
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/news/2016 ... to-pay-cut

[sealhall74]

Question for someone in the know: With most faculty on 9 month term contracts, what sort of extra compensation is available for work they may do over the summer? Is their a set limit on how many classes a prof may handle within a year, beyond which he/she gets paid extra? Just interested in the extra stuff that the university must pay for, not the personal projects that are funded on their own or from elsewhere.

[wiu712]

WIU continues to struggle without a state budget as thousands graduate on Saturday.

From Saturday night's WGEM News:
http://www.wgem.com/story/31974638/2016 ... n-saturday

[wiu712]

Higher ed supporters rally to promote funding.

From today's McDonough County Voice:
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/news/2016 ... te-funding