Updates to faculty layoff plan and other stuff

Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:04 pm

For anyone that missed it, Governor Rauner was in town today for the bypass ribbon cutting and to talk directly to some of the WIU admins about the state of the university:

Neckfansince71 · Fri Jun 01, 2018 6:00 pm

Well son of a .............., something positive for a change!! I have heard that the Governor was a "Jack Thomas" fan from the get go. Unfortunately his failure to pass a budget 2 years in a row put the President in the cross hairs of many involved in the Town & Gown which led eventually to the vote of no-confidence which is very tough to politically recover from. Now I am not going to say that everything was rosie with philosophy and the direction of the university, but it sure turned the "heat" up even more! And so the next woman or man that takes the job will have an opportunity of a lifetime, one that I hope helps WIU through not only the financial crisis, but also through the identity crisis that our alma mater is currently in. I am going to say this one more time, sorry if I said this before, but Town/Gown is the only place to start. With it you have a solid understanding of where everyone is coming from along with a foundation to rebuild both a town and university!

And ladies and gentlemen, if I am being way to positive well than so be it! The time for complaining and shaming are drawing to a close. Its time to move on! I have no idea where WIU is heading, but I am going to support it and help it to the end of my time on the face of this earth! And surprisingly enough, the football facility up-grade continues to move forward! Enough said!

jc

wiu712 · Sat Jun 02, 2018 1:08 pm

Very interesting ===> Illinois State University is on tap to receive $61.9 million for its Visual Arts Center complex. That was among several projects approved in a massive capital plan under Gov. Pat Quinn but halted when funds ran out and the legislature failed to re-approve them in subsequent budgets.

Illinois college leaders relieved at quick state budget resolution.
From today's Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-m ... story.html

wiu712 · Mon Jun 04, 2018 11:42 am

It's official!

Today, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law a $38.5 billion spending plan for state government, approving a full budget on time for the first time since he took office in 2015.

AIM HIGH scholarships will get $50 million to encourage Illinois high school grads to attend Illinois universities.

The MAP grant program is funded for four years. Colleges get $25 million of new money, and the tuition tax credit program stays intact.

Guaranteeing MAP grants for four years, instead of just one, is perhaps the greatest single accomplishment of this budget.

Western_101 · Mon Jun 04, 2018 9:14 pm

Shouldn't this be in the Bruce Rauner thread Scott created?

Neckfansince71 · Mon Jun 04, 2018 10:51 pm

712,
The 61.9 you are talking about at Illinois State comes from the same account as the CPA at WIU! Hmmmmmm....

We all need to buckle on our chin straps because "changes" are a coming.....

jc

sealhall74 · Tue Jun 05, 2018 7:30 am

Neckfansince71 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 04, 2018 10:51 pm 712,
The 61.9 you are talking about at Illinois State comes from the same account as the CPA at WIU! Hmmmmmm....

We all need to buckle on our chin straps because "changes" are a coming..... jc

Which of the two is more shovel ready? I think I know the answer.

wiu712 · Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:46 am

sealhall74 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 7:30 amWhich of the two is more shovel ready? I think I know the answer.

Things seem to be going very well for Illinois State.

New student admissions and enrollment deposits are both up 8 percent over last year at Illinois State. They are expecting a Fall 2018 enrollment level of over 20,750.

The new Illinois spending plan includes nearly $66 million in capital funding for Illinois State, with almost $62 million targeted for their Fine Arts Complex construction and renovation project. When those funds will be released is not known at this time.

sealhall74 · Tue Jun 05, 2018 11:12 am

wiu712 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:46 am
sealhall74 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 7:30 amWhich of the two is more shovel ready? I think I know the answer.
Things seem to be going very well for Illinois State.

New student admissions and enrollment deposits are both up 8 percent over last year at Illinois State. They are expecting a Fall 2018 enrollment level of over 20,750.

The new Illinois spending plan includes nearly $66 million in capital funding for Illinois State, with almost $62 million targeted for their Fine Arts Complex construction and renovation project. When those funds will be released is not known at this time.

Proximity to major interstates is their strength. Just got back from Harrisonburg, VA, home of JMU. I-81 litterally splits their campus in half. Thye leveraged that and created their own "Duke Dog Alley" which is well-utilzed pedestrian tunnel under the interstate in the vicinity of the Rec Center. You can drive south on the interstate and get a great view of their Rec center on the left and inside the football stadium on the right. How many families drive thru there and have the kids saying "Dad, can go to a game there, can we, can we?". I am sure there are those who firmly believe that college campuses should be located in some quiet and tranquil area of a town or city more conducive to academics and seriously deep thinking. I am not one of them. I want the movie theatre, the Walmart, the McAlisters, the Texas Roadhouse, and most of the hotels in the city to be right across the street from the campus boundaries. That is what I saw in Harrisonburg. JMU also had buildings and facilities all over the place. Their baseball/softball facility was not really that close to the major campus area, instead residing in a city park. The athletic department communication offices were close but off-campus and right where they needed to be, i.e. right smack dab in the middle of where all of the major hotels and restaurants are located.

In summary, location is everything when it comes to college campuses. If you want growth, be where the traffic is.

Tue Jun 05, 2018 11:21 am

I was starting to get seriously angry hearing about Illinois State getting money for their new Fine Arts Complex (which was planned and approved after our own Center for Performing Arts), but nothing heading our way.
Then I went and read the details of the budget. I will say, I don't understand the "legalese" in all instances, but in the official "act": http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publica ... 0-0586.pdf, on page 730, Section 80, it describes the section as:

Section 80. The following named sums, or so much thereof as may be necessary, are appropriated from the Capital Development Fund to the Capital Development Board for the Illinois Board of Higher Education for the projects hereinafter enumerated:

Within that section is the mention of ISU's Visual Arts Center Complex among other things:

For renovations of the Visual Arts Center Complex, and other capital improvements..................61,900,000

But then down at Western, we have:

For constructing a performing arts center in addition to funds previously appropriated, and other capital improvements..................89,000,000
For improvements to Memorial Hall, and other capital improvements.....................225,000

It also lists a total of $8.978M for renovations and construction at the WIU QC Riverfront Campus.

So...am I right in thinking that this means that the funds have actually been allocated towards our Center for Performing Arts?

EDIT - ok, so here's what Dr. Thomas has to say about it: http://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php ... e_id=15603