Leatherneck Nation

wiu712 wrote:Not sure if this is related or just a coincidence ...............

Western Illinois faces a federal complaint regarding scholarships.
From The Center Square - Illinois:
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinoi ... 5c975.html
 
 

Probably just coincidence. The group putting forth that lawsuit just does that against anything that offends them. I don’t think there’s much to it…mostly just in it for publicity.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

meganeck wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 1:56 pm Well Tere is happy. Once again an important search and hiring coming up. For the locals were there whispers about this or did it come out of left field or is there more to the story. Anyway I hope they can get some good and who will stick around for more than a couple years.

The article I saw gave credit to Huang for increasing the international student enrollment.

 

That was one of my first thoughts - HUGE congrats to Tere! 

I would like to see WIU pursue Biff Williams as the next president. He is the former President of Dixie State/Utah Tech who oversaw tremendous growth at their school. He is currently a finalist at Missouri State but is expected to finish runner-up. He is a big believer in athletics.

If anyone has connections to the BOT, please nominate him. 

This may not be a factor but still bothers me ... to get the Center for Performing Arts project going, WIU had to accept a smaller facility at higher cost covered by using some funding from other requested/proposed projects. I asked then and still ask ... how much was taken from what projects?
 

pvk7072 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 03, 2024 3:55 pm This may not be a factor but still bothers me ... to get the Center for Performing Arts project going, WIU had to accept a smaller facility at higher cost covered by using some funding from other requested/proposed projects. I asked then and still ask ... how much was taken from what projects?
 
 

I met with the Director of Development, COFAC a few months ago. My understanding from his explanation is, the PAC is being built through Illinois Capital Budget funds dedicated to this one project. Either WIU builds this building, or some other entity gets a new building. These funds were not available for any other project that WIU may have deemed more important. If WIU did not agree to the new PAC, some other Illinois community would have received the funds for their approved capital project. So, according to his explanation, there were no other WIU projects that were trimmed down in order to build the PAC. 

Official WIU press release, Oct. 7, 2022

Center for Performing Arts Construction Funding Released, Construction Underway

Paragraph 8: "To make up for the increased construction costs, which recently came in at $110 million, the CDB, working with Western, has agreed to leverage some funding from another project on WIU's priority request list. The CPA has been the number one priority on the Western's capital development list since 2006 and has been in some form of planning and/or discussion since December 1972. WIU administration will continue to work with state leaders to ensure future capital-funded projects move forward."

https://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.ph ... e_id=18761

According to the posts on this board in October after that release, the "leverage" was about $20 million. Some speculation thought it might be Phase 3 at QC, others mentioned a project at the science building. Also, even with the higher cost, two of three proposed theaters were dropped, and the main theater size went down from 1,400 to 850.

Huang was named president in December 2020, so he had to be involved in this deal. Not saying anything derogatory; just saying this was on his watch.
 
 
 
 
 

pvk7072 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2024 8:28 am Official WIU press release, Oct. 7, 2022

Center for Performing Arts Construction Funding Released, Construction Underway

Paragraph 8: "To make up for the increased construction costs, which recently came in at $110 million, the CDB, working with Western, has agreed to leverage some funding from another project on WIU's priority request list. The CPA has been the number one priority on the Western's capital development list since 2006 and has been in some form of planning and/or discussion since December 1972. WIU administration will continue to work with state leaders to ensure future capital-funded projects move forward."

https://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.ph ... e_id=18761

According to the posts on this board in October after that release, the "leverage" was about $20 million. Some speculation thought it might be Phase 3 at QC, others mentioned a project at the science building. Also, even with the higher cost, two of three proposed theaters were dropped, and the main theater size went down from 1,400 to 850.

Huang was named president in December 2020, so he had to be involved in this deal. Not saying anything derogatory; just saying this was on his watch.

 

Well, I stand corrected. I knew the original design had been reduced from the original plan.
The COFAC Dir. of Development did not share that funding news with me last semester.
He "requested" that any message presented should be - "these are capital campaign funds building the PAC, not general WIU funds".
Now I too am curious what other campus facility was trimmed down to accommodate PAC.

I will be happy to see a completed PAC. But, just a walk around campus proves WIU needs a few million dollars worth of new concrete, and the whole place needs a coat of paint. The campus looks very worn, both inside and out. The west side stadium is an embarrassment. The optics on building a new PAC will not help those future needed maintenance discussions.
 
 

Mindrup feels called to serve as WIU’s interim president.
From Tri-States Public Radio, WIUM-FM:
https://www.tspr.org/tspr-local/2024-03 ... -president
 
 

Outgoing Western Illinois University president looks at successes, challenges ahead prior to departure.
From WGEM News:
https://www.wgem.com/2024/03/12/outgoin ... departure/
 
 

WIU President Huang’s separation agreement details released.
From Tri-States Public Radio, WIUM-FM:
https://www.tspr.org/tspr-local/2024-03 ... s-released