“This new administration needs to strengthen and guide the university forward instead of gutting the quality of education.”
Macomb, IL – Yesterday, during the Western Illinois University (WIU) Faculty Senate meeting, Interim President Kristi Mindrup announced that the university intends to layoff an undetermined number of contingent and tenure/tenure track faculty and academic support professionals. Details will not be available until after a scheduled emergency Board of Trustees meeting on August 6. The layoffs will be in addition to the 35 contingent faculty who were laid off in June.
Merrill Cole, president of the WIU Chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI), Local 4100, issued the following statement in response.
“The administration’s announcement to lay off more of our experienced, dedicated faculty and academic support professionals is short-sighted and ill-conceived. These layoffs will impact the quality of education that WIU offers to students, devastating our community and regional economy.
“These layoffs – only days before students return to campus – will reduce academic programs and devalue the high standards we are so proud of here at WIU. Regardless of the potential timing of additional layoffs, they would have a negative and immediate impact. Lower enrollment is sure to follow, which will further harm the university’s bottom line.
“For years, this Board of Trustees has been content to pass irresponsible, unbalanced budgets, while insisting that the university could not cut its way out of its problems. Now, their solution is to take extreme action that would immediately damage WIU’s capacity to serve students and destroy the university’s academic reputation. It didn’t have to be this way. This new administration needs to strengthen and guide the university forward instead of gutting the quality of education.
“For the sake of our students, community, and the future of the WIU, we urge the administration and board members to reconsider their reckless plan, and work with us to find ways to build – not break – this important rural institution.”
The Western Illinois University chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois (IFT Local 4100) represents about 500 faculty, instructors, academic support professionals and technical support staff at Western Illinois University in Macomb. They are affiliated with the Illinois Federation of Teachers.
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