Updates to faculty layoff plan and other stuff

[Neckfansince71]

What and who made the comments Dr. Thomas is referring to at the WIU website? jc

[wiu712]

What and who made the comments Dr. Thomas is referring to at the WIU website? jc

Probably from SIU President Randy Dunn.

Dunn made this comment yesterday: "Compared to the financial health of other state universities, SIU falls in the middle of the pack. Eastern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, and Chicago State University have all declared financial emergency."

Dunn went on to say that the SIU Board of Trustees will have a special meeting in May to approve a permanent chancellor hire, at which point the board will discuss declaring a financial emergency at Carbondale and allowing the cash-strapped university to borrow from SIU-Edwardsville to continue daily operation.

Randy Dunn's comments about a "financial emergency" being declared at EIU, Chicago State, and Western have been disputed by both EIU and Western in statements issued today by both universities.

But Randy Dunn is holding on to his comments. Randy Dunn released this statement later this afternoon:

"While I agree that words do matter, we may be dancing on the head of a pin here. The EIU and WIU boards may not have done explicit declarations, but both boards in fact passed resolutions so as to access payment providing for “financial support for essential operations” under the authority of P.A. 99-0524, the second stopgap signed into law on June 30. Enabling provisions included in the BIMP amended the Board of Higher Education Act to provide: “In fiscal year 2017 the Board…shall conduct a review to determine the existence of a financial emergency at a public institution of higher education that requires financial assistance from the Board, but only after the institution’s governing board has formally requested the review by adopting a resolution stating that the institution is in a state of financial emergency that requires financial assistance from the Board.”

While I felt I should offer a response to a legitimate question posed at the faculty meeting, there was no attempt to drag any other institution down. We very much value the relationship we have with all the public universities in Illinois, and we’re all in this together. Indeed, the SIU Board is itself in the midst of considering a financial emergency declaration for the Carbondale campus within the coming months. But given the larger background, I stand by my comments made."

[sealhall74]

Dunn must have graduated from Trump U. That is a classic Donald Trump move. Downplay your competition with hyperbolic "almost falsehoods" which are subject to much debate.

Update: Downplay is not the right word. Denigrate is what I meant to say.

[vatusay]

He was just stating alternative facts.

[leatherface]

I really wonder if some of the folks on here realize how serious the situation is for Western. Financial Emergency- and I believe Dunn is generally correct- can have a very negative impact on a school in a variety of ways, not to mention if a new university plan for Illinois is put into effect, the schools in the worst shape will be impacted the most.

[ST_Lawson]

I really wonder if some of the folks on here realize how serious the situation is for Western. Financial Emergency- and I believe Dunn is generally correct- can have a very negative impact on a school in a variety of ways, not to mention if a new university plan for Illinois is put into effect, the schools in the worst shape will be impacted the most.

I realize it.

If you live in Illinois, contact your local congress-critters and tell them to get funding for higher ed.
If you don't, but you have family or friends in Illinois, tell them to do the same.

Meanwhile, I'll just be here doing the best job I can and keeping my resume up-to-date. Not sure there's really much else I can do.

[wiu712]

I really wonder if some of the folks on here realize how serious the situation is for Western.

Just talk to some of the Macomb business owners right now, and you will soon realize how serious things are in town. The owners of off-campus housing units are being impacted now.

The Illinois House has approved another stop-gap spending plan that provides $800 million to human-service programs and higher education. The Senate will take it up when they return on April 24. Right now, that is the best that we have going.

This would be a good time to contact your local Illinois State Senator and ask them to support the stop-gap.

[vatusay]

I use humor as a defense mechanism.

I understand how crippling the situation could be become for the town. I wish wiu had the right leadership to avoid this mess. Look at ISU, they are doing very well. I'm afraid even if a budget is passed, wiu will be continue it's downward spiral into the ground by certain people in certain positions.

I sure hope I'm wrong, but I won't be holding my breath.

[rocki]

I really wonder if some of the folks on here realize how serious the situation is for Western. Financial Emergency- and I believe Dunn is generally correct- can have a very negative impact on a school in a variety of ways, not to mention if a new university plan for Illinois is put into effect, the schools in the worst shape will be impacted the most.

I think we all absolutely understand how dire things are. However, unless you are ready to start an actual "tar and feather, peasants with pitchforks and torches" war, what are we to do? We can call, text, email, write paper and pen letters, and voice our displeasure until the cows come home, and unless the idiots in charge actually want to do something, it won't get done. I can call for accountability all I want to, but as long as legislators have people in their pockets, I don't matter one bit. I know it's been stated this is non-partisan, but as a downstater born and bred, I call BS. As long as Chicago with its' democratic base is involved, change is not going to happen. You can scream at Rauner all you want, but Madigan and his ilk are still content to try and force a budget that still isn't balanced - which is how we got here in the first place. I love Illinois, and I love Western, but if it wasn't for family I'd ditch this state so fast it would make your head spin. Common sense does not reign here, idiocy does, and I have very little patience for idiots. End of rant (for now).

[wiu712]

The faculty union at Western has been very quiet this spring. Last year at this time, the union president was seen frequently on both WGEM and KHQA newscasts talking about the budget's impact on the university.

Meanwhile at UIS, the faculty there have authorized a strike if necessary.