Leatherneck Nation

Posted: Feb 21, 2017 4:50 PM CST

WIU enrollment has dropped by thirty percent since 2006.
WIU enrollment has dropped by thirty percent since 2006.

Western Illinois University officials noted that the state budget problems haven't helped their situation.
Western Illinois University officials noted that the state budget problems haven't helped their situation.

The University has been looking to other states for students.
The University has been looking to other states for students.

Ron Williams said that Illinois is the number one exporter for students to other states.
Ron Williams said that Illinois is the number one exporter for students to other states.

Richard Moore said many families are moving out of the state for better opportunities.
Richard Moore said many families are moving out of the state for better opportunities.

MACOMB, Ill. (WGEM) -
Since the fall of 2006, Western Illinois University has seen a thirty percent decline in enrollment.

Richard Moore is a junior at Western Illinois University. He said on Tuesday that the continued decline in enrollment doesn't surprise him.

"Families are moving. They're finding new job opportunities, they're getting stationed other places." Moore said. "They're taking better opportunities, and they're moving their families. There's not going to be as many people going to school here."

There are currently 9,469 students enrolled for the spring semester, which is a significant drop from fall of 2006, when there were 13,602 students.

Interim Vice President for Student Services Ron Williams said the steady decline of students isn't just a Western Illinois University problem. He noted that it has been happening across the state.

"Illinois is the largest exporter of students and that doesn't have anything to do with Western Illinois University, that is a state issue." Williams said. "That's a state problem that we have."

In addition to the exporting of students, Williams added that state budget issues have made matters worse.

"I think it really is the crisis of confidence." Williams said. "I think without having a state budget, that's a very public narrative, and I think that students and parents alike, students and families alike, are concerned that the public universities in the state of Illinois might not be able to meet their needs."

Students like Moore say they're aware of the financial problems between the university and the state, and they hope a solution is reached soon.

"It's complicated and it's only really getting worse, I haven't seen it getting any better but I can't really necessarily say it's Western's fault." Moore said.

leatherface wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:59 amWIU enrollment has dropped by thirty percent since 2006.

The continuing State budget battle between Rauner and Madigan bears a big responsibility in this current downward trend. Lack of confidence in Illinois' state universities is making high school seniors look to out-of-state colleges.

Looks like former Western President Al Goldfarb (2002-2011) may have been correct when he predicted that Western's enrollment would stabilize at 6,000. I can remember people laughing him off when he made that statement. He foresaw Western's future to be a university similar to Truman State (Kirsksville, MO) and perhaps a return to Division 2 Athletics.

But on the positive side, I have heard that the "Discover Western" events for current high school seniors have been getting a good response.

WIU's enrollment decline affecting Macomb businesses.

Lead story from tonight's KHQA-TV-7 News:
http://khqa.com/news/local/wius-enrollm ... businesses

Of course, this is my "favorite" topic to respond to on this board!!! Admission's approach and the marketing of WIU have improved which is attracting more and better students to "Discover Western" but the governor and legislature continue to drop the "budgetary ball" creating this constant threatening cloud in the distance. I have had enough of this state standoff and I refuse to stand back and watch as our elected officials continue to think about their political wants and needs instead of the wants and needs of the people they are suppose to be serving!!! Too bad we can't bring back all of the former legislators who created the mess in the first place for a locked door meeting! jc

Neckfansince71 wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2017 8:52 am Of course, this is my "favorite" topic to respond to on this board!!! Admission's approach and the marketing of WIU have improved which is attracting more and better students to "Discover Western" but the governor and legislature continue to drop the "budgetary ball" creating this constant threatening cloud in the distance. I have had enough of this state standoff and I refuse to stand back and watch as our elected officials continue to think about their political wants and needs instead of the wants and needs of the people they are suppose to be serving!!! Too bad we can't bring back all of the former legislators who created the mess in the first place for a locked door meeting! jc

It's my impression some of them are still there, and still wanting to spend what we don't have. Anyone know an innovative lawyer that would work on a class action suit against all of them, since the IL constitution states there MUST be a balanced budget passed and they've broken that statute time and time again? (Since thinking inside the box doesn't work, we might as well get outrageous here, lol!!)

Potentially bad news for Student Workers at the state universities.

From WBEZ Radio, 91.5 FM, Chicago:
Illinois Budget Impasse Jeopardizes Hundreds Of Student Jobs At Northeastern Illinois University.

About 260 Northeastern Illinois University students may be forced out of their campus jobs because of a new rule put in place as a result of the Illinois’ ongoing budget impasse.

A new rule put in place in December by the State Universities Civil Service System, the organization that administers university employee rules, is creating new headaches for Northeastern officials as they try to save money. The rule states that if a university is going to force its employees to take unpaid days off, then it has to prove it’s doing what it can to save money by first kicking students out of their part-time campus jobs.

Northeastern is believed to be the first Illinois school to be pursuing furloughs that will trigger this new rule.

“I can’t figure out right now a way around it. And I just find that exasperating,” said Richard Helldobler, the interim president of Northeastern.

A university spokesman said if the school goes through with the furloughs, it’s unclear how long the students will be out of their campus jobs.

Helldobler said the state currently owes Northeastern $17 million and over the last few years, the university has taken several measures to save money, from reducing personnel by more than 100 positions to furloughing many of its employees for six days last year.

It must be official now- my wife's hair dresser told her and some others that unless Western gets some state money soon, she heard they might close. My wife explained all state schools are in the same boat as far as a strong need of state money , but, Western isn't about to close. As she indicated with a lot of other schools and business's, they are making cuts and getting rid of dead weight academic programs.

The resource gap in college athletics was the lead story in today's Peoria Journal-Star Sports section.

Bradley University president Gary Roberts is convinced that the current financial structure of Division I college athletics is unsustainable.

Bradley's Roberts was the most emphatic in his assessment and believes major restructuring will come sooner than later. Such changes could run the gamut from a split of Division I basketball and other sports into two divisions (such as already exists in football) to individual schools deciding unilaterally to downsize to the less expensive worlds of Division II or III.

The article mentions that Western's revenues are $12,973,264 which ranks #178 in NCAA Division 1.

UIUC is 36.
Northern Illinois is 100.
Illinois State is 108.
SIU-Carbondale is 122.
UIC is 144.
Eastern Illinois is 173.
SIU-Edwardsville is 216.
Chicago State is 225.

The article mentions that 72% of the Western Athletics operating expenses are subsidized by the university.

UIUC is 4.3%.
Northern Illinois is 64.1%.
SIU-Carbondale is 64.3%.
Eastern Illinois is 72.2%.
Illinois State is 72.7%.
SIU-Edwardsville is 74.9%.
UIC is 76.3%.
Chicago State is 90.4%.

You can read the whole article here:
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/20170225/r ... s-big-boys


In a related article, the PJS mentions that declining subscriber numbers for ESPN could bring changes to college sports:
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/20170225/c ... ege-sports

NO! Thomas has single handedly destroyed our alma mater. The Board of Trustees needs to be held accountable.

I do wonder how there have been zero changes made to the leadership that has drove the university down this failing path.