Leatherneck Nation

WEEK-TV (Peoria) had a news story about Western this week:

Western Illinois University is revamping its majors and programs in an effort to help grow the institution.

WIU President Jack Thomas said the university will increase focus on its areas of strength: science, technology, business, education, community service, and regional and state needs.

Several departments will be merged or split at both the university's Macomb and Quad Cities' campuses. WIU will also create new online degree programs in both undergraduate and graduate degrees, upgrade facilities, and increase focus on dual enrollment.

"Western is taking necessary steps to focus on programs that have the greatest rate of return for the students, as well as employers," state Rep. Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) said.

WIU has struggled with declining enrollment for years, with a total of just 6,805 full-time students attending in the spring 2018 term. There were more than 10,000 full-time students in spring 2008. Last month, university officials announced the layoffs of 24 faculty members, and the elimination of 62 more vacant positions.

When a person gets paid $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to represent a Major University. It is incumbent that that person has the utmost command of the English language and a presence on stage that is confident and welcoming.

I do not know Dr. Thomas professionally or personally. From the ear of a Central Illinoisan his speech is peculiar. I mean I know he is from Alabama. I have been to Alabama.

Whatever, if we are to have him as the leader moving forward, I stand behind him. I also strongly suggest that he not speak in any promo videos. It's like a guy trying to pretend to sound what one thinks an educated East coast Ivy League /West African might sound like. Bizarre.

Again everyone has opinions.

I thought for a moment and I came up with......... You know what? Since Dr. Thomas has been here things have gotten progressively worse.

If you are a coach you get fired.

If you work in the private sector you get fired.

That is all, carry on.

RedNeck wrote: ↑Mon Jul 23, 2018 1:40 am I thought for a moment and I came up with......... You know what? Since Dr. Thomas has been here things have gotten progressively worse.

If you are a coach you get fired.

If you work in the private sector you get fired.

That is all, carry on.

Well, I think the question is:

Is this a situation where Dr. Thomas has done the best he could, given the issues with funding at the state level?
Or is this a situation where we could have done better (or held steady) if we'd had someone else at the reigns.

I don't know the answer, but I know that a lot of the faculty and union people have no confidence in him whatsoever.

Good luck finding anyone who has any confidence in him whatsoever. Minus his cronies, of course.

RedNeck wrote: ↑Mon Jul 23, 2018 1:40 am I thought for a moment and I came up with......... You know what? Since Dr. Thomas has been here things have gotten progressively worse.

If you are a coach you get fired.

If you work in the private sector you get fired.

That is all, carry on.

The Board of Trustees went out of their way to hire him over the preferred candidate who went on to become President/Chancellor at U o I Springfield. What the Board has sowed, we all are forced to reap. Yes, there's been drought, but crop choice has not changed.

Susan Koch is the Chancellor at UIS. She was one of the top finalists for the Western job in 2011. She had a lot of people backing her.

We are enhancing some signature programs by making them available online. Exactly what does that mean? I am sure it varies from program to program and even course to course but here is my question. Do we currently have the network and technical infrastructure in place which allows distance students to view and participate in the class in real-time, just as if they were sitting in the classroom?

sealhall74 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 27, 2018 7:42 amDo we currently have the network and technical infrastructure in place which allows distance students to view and participate in the class in real-time, just as if they were sitting in the classroom?

Or more specifically....kinda...but with not much in the way of support for any improvements or upgrades.

From Jim Nowlan's column in today's Peoria Journal-Star:

"Public higher education is a shambles. Several century-old public campuses appear to be dying."

Jim Nowlan is a former legislator and senior fellow at the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs. He lives in Toulon.