* Kathleen Chwalisz, co-chair of the SIUC Faculty Senate Budget Committee, in a Southern Illinoisan op-ed…
After Southern Illinois University Carbondale and the rest of the region were blindsided last month by a $5 million reallocation threat to campus and the associated $39 million threat to the region, the SIUC community has been wondering, “How did we get here?”
Budget-related documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act show that SIU President Randy Dunn actively concealed from SIUC Chancellor Carlo Montemagno his plan to transfer $5.125 million from the Carbondale to Edwardsville campus. He sought to use the fictitious 60/40 split formula to — in Dunn’s words in an email exchange with Vice President Duane Stucky, SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook and SIUE Budget Director William Winter — “shut up the b*tchers from Carbondale.”
Randy Dunn’s email reveals his contempt for the Carbondale campus and community, as he denigrates us for questioning the rationale, process and timing of the proposed reallocation move.
In emails and meeting notes, it is apparent that Dunn charged SIUE officials to come up with justification for a manufactured dollar amount — and Board of Trustees Chair Amy Sholar was in on the plan.
Go read the whole thing.
*** UPDATE *** Rep. Terri Bryant, who represents SIUC, just delivered a thundering address on the House floor calling for Randy Dunn to resign immediately.
…Adding… Rep. Bryant did a radio interview after her floor speech. Click here.
…Adding… Rep. Bryant’s full floor speech is here.
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 10:55 am:
Real rocket scientist, putting it in writing.
- Saluki - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 10:55 am:
Randy Done.
- Perrid - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:02 am:
You can think things, and those things might be true, but those things should not be put into writing.
That being said, focusing funds on the growing campus and talking funds away from the shrinking campus makes sense. You don’t continue paying for a campus that has 14,500 students (2017) as if it had 22,400 students (1995). Bemoan the changing times as you will, it will change nothing.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:04 am:
This is the point that every university that has dealt with Dunn reaches…where his happy-go-lucky demeanor fades away and his self-aggrandizing, vindictive personality is revealed. CC Murray State, Youngstown State, and even NIU
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:04 am:
I guess there’s a want to force the closure of Carbondale’s and Charleston’s economic engines.
Also… Rauner has yet to sign a full fiscal year’s funding for all of higher education.
That’s fun.
- Wylie Coyote - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:10 am:
Ol’ Randy may be toast in the eyes of certain SIUC alumni in the Capitol….
- keycat02 - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:17 am:
The enrollment manager position was also vacant on Dunn’s watch, until just recently. That and the budget impasse could explain recent enrollment declines.
- Almost the Weekend - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:20 am:
SIUC and EIU should be working together to split degrees and programs to ensure they are around in 20 years. If I had to guess EIU is gone. It’s to close to uiuc. Politically I can’t see SIU closing but they need to find ways to adapt.
I wonder what wiu thinks of their Quad Cities campus after seeing SIUC
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:22 am:
===If I had to guess EIU is gone.===
Someone should notify Charleston
- DuPage - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:33 am:
- Perrid - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:02 am:
===You can think things, and those things might be true, but those things should not be put into writing.
That being said, focusing funds on the growing campus and talking funds away from the shrinking campus makes sense.===
Underfunding can cause most, if not all of the shrinkage. Potential students are being told “we don’t offer that here anymore” or “we only have one section for that class, and it is already full, do you want to go on the waiting list?”.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:33 am:
===It’s to close to uiuc===
Been “too close” for 123 years…
- morningstar - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:35 am:
Almost the Weekend: You would be guessing. Uninformed guesses in the context of rebuilding public confidence in an institution ravaged by State neglect is not helpful.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:38 am:
===It’s to close to uiuc===
Should Parkland close too?
It’s close to UIUC?
- VanillaMan - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:38 am:
This assignment required a Dick Durbin approach of doing his Eeyore impersonation over how much it breaks his heart to transfer funds from Carbondale to Edwardsville, but fairness required it.
Instead it got Dunn wrong.
- B*tcher in Carbondale - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:40 am:
Dunn needs to go. Someone should take a look at his record leading the SIU System. Enrollment has plunged since he became System President, but no full-time enrollment manager since 2011. He kept the BOT in the dark about the terms of Montemagno’s contract, then tried to throw the Board under the bus when details became public. He has worked tirelessly to undermine the SIUC Chancellor, and, we now know, to destroy the system and the SIUC campus. The BOT should step up and fire him. Immediately.
- Huh? - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:46 am:
“It’s close to UIUC?”
In same state, so it is to close to UIUC and has to move Indiana.
- Illdoc - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 11:52 am:
I think that President Dunn started in 2014 or 2015
- Anonymous - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:05 pm:
==Should Parkland close too?==
Great, so just have EIU convert into a two year community college, and that would then be a valid comparison.
Fact is years ago the directional schools offered majors different than the others. There was a distinction that helped them thrive. Then they decided to get ahead of their skis and become essentially the same schools, and it hasn’t worked out well. SIU’s issues and decline in enrollment began years before the budget impasse.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:11 pm:
===Great, so just have EIU convert into a two year community college…===
So, you want to tell Lake Land Community College in Mattoon, or should I?
What else ya got?
- Anonymous - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:18 pm:
==So, you want to tell Lake Land Community College in Mattoon, or should I?
What else ya got?==
You want to try rereading your comparison I was responding too, first? You compared EIU to Parkland. They serve two different missions, offering different degrees. EIU, insteading of living in the four year focuses degree role it started as, wants to expand offerings that are done better at schools an hour or less away from it (U of I and Indiana State).
- Annonin' - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:19 pm:
After three years of being GovJunk bootlick, Terri Bryant calls for Dunn to resign. Look in the mirror when you want folks who really damage SIUC to go.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:25 pm:
===Rep. Terri Bryant, who represents SIUC, just delivered a thundering address on the House floor calling for Randy Dunn to resign immediately.===
Will Ms. Bryant resign too… when was the last time she voted for funding for SIU?
(Sigh)
To this…
===Great, so just have EIU convert into a two year community college, and that would then be a valid comparison.===
The comparison was to proximity, EIU to UIUC, I then mocked this premise that any higher ed close to UIUC should be closed, because proximity isn’t a great measure to decide higher ed.
That’s what I was doing.
You “deciding”…
===Great, so just have EIU convert into a two year community college…===
… makes my point, again.
Deciding to close universities… it’s neither an easy thing or a solution.
Rauner wants to run on closing EIU and SIUC… I’d let him.
- Anonymous - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:32 pm:
Any idea what Dunn’s severance package will be?
- Perrid - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:36 pm:
Personally I think the contempt was for specific Trustees not the whole community, but most people probably aren’t going to care.
- blue dog dem - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:41 pm:
SIUC’s problems started long,long before this inept governor to the helm. SIUE should receive more money than its little sister SIUC.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:44 pm:
===SIUC’s problems started long,long before this inept governor to the helm. SIUE should receive more money than its little sister SIUC.===
Rauner has yet to fully fund for an entire fiscal year all higher education.
That the rub.
Funding something at a level of zero by never funding it all is waiting it to disappear.
- don the legend - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:46 pm:
Rep Bryant is a little late to the party as her party’s leader has failed to fund any higher ed for three years running.
But I believe it’s Rauner’s plan for higher education along with unions, pensions, health care,social services, corrections, infrastructure, public facilities, veteran’s affairs and any other service of government to be so starved that the required revenue from increased taxes will not be politically possible.
His only hope is to convince the electorate that only he can save us from these massive tax hikes that are sure to happen if these government services are not cut or reduced.
- Almost the Weekend - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:47 pm:
OW
I said it was a guess, the fact of the matter is EIU is on an island competing not only against state schools but schools like Indiana State who offers lower tuition and in state tuition to Illinois residents. Unlike EIU, Lakeland works with local employers to help transition students into the work force. North American Lighting in Paris comes to mind. And no not Paris France, it’s in Edgar County, not named after your favorite governor Jim Edgar, who signed the pension bill that kicked the can down the road long when he knew he would be out of state politics.
I have made this point in the past, EIU and SIU have done nothing to validate their state funding in the 21st century. Carbondale and EIU should work in a collaboration with local businesses and startups to prepare a ready made workforce. A mini research park such as uiuc. Also just having a street with college bars doesn’t cut it anymore. Solid city planning and lively culture help make college towns. Not just cheap beer and good drunk food at gumbys.
20 years ago people in Kewanee or Hardin County would not have believed those prisons would close their doors. Or even Jacksonville or Howe Mental center in Tinley. It’s only a matter of time before higher education gets the same treatment.
- blue dog dem - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:48 pm:
OW. I don’t disagree. But this spat is over SIUC being relegated to second tier status. And it deserves it. By its own making I ,might add.
- LXB - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 12:56 pm:
I almost never agree with Bryant and look forward to voting against her in November, but she’s absolutely right on this.
- Doc Anonymous - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 1:05 pm:
This is all about the power struggle between Dunn and Montemagno. The author of the op-ed is (SIUC Chancellor Carlo) Montemagno’s most outspoken ally on campus. Montemagno has ginned up plenty of controversy himself–nepotism, ill-considered restructuring plan, brow-beating faculty and students in meetings, etc.
SIUE certainly has a case for reallocation of some sort given how much they’ve grown (by any measure) with no change in the allocation. That said, Dunn handled the reallocation horribly. Who knows just what he told the SIUC administration and when he told them (for they have a motive to say they were blindsided), but he didn’t consult with the wider campus.
There don’t seem to be any grown-ups at SIU. When they heard about the reallocation, the SIUC trustees managed to get Rauner to appoint another SIUC trustee to prevent reallocation, stacking the deck. Terri Bryant’s idea of saving the SIU system is to attack SIUE (that will convince them to stay!) That is not a way to work well with others. And the politics mean that this is also a partisan battle, with Dems backing SIUE and GOP people backing Montemagno and SIUC. But Montemagno is also an incredibly divisive figure on the SIUC campus, for the reasons above.
SIUC is or at least could be a a very fine school: an accessible research university in the most beautiful part of the Illinois. But Montemagno was a horrible choice for chancellor (the lab he founded at the University of Alberta has now gone out of business, with angry stories about nepotism and other ethical lapses). Dunn was largely responsible for that choice, if indirectly, as he backed his own candidate and lost the trust of the board. The board took over the chancellor search and the Cardondale trusteess (none of whom were academics) were charmed by a charlatan that academics (including Dunn) could see through. Neither Montemagno nor Dunn has any credibility on campus. And enrollment is plumetting.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 1:05 pm:
OW, don’t go messin’ with Parkland, now. AA has a lot of family equity (and a chunk of the cash kind) inthat school.
As for SIU, Git ‘Er Dunn.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 1:05 pm:
With all respect - Almost the Weekend -
===I said it was a guess, the fact of the matter is EIU is on an island competing not only against state schools but schools like Indiana State who offers lower tuition and in state tuition to Illinois residents.===
Not having funding for two years didn’t help.
What guidance counselor is going to say, given the funding and tuition that Indiana State isn’t the better choice… but the rub is, abd continues to be… to purposely, passively shut down state universities was a plan, not an effect of anything other than Rauner purposely and passively wanting universities closed.
Rauner is 100% depending on the following…
“They were failing already”, “who wants to go *there*?” “It’s not what it use to be”
… to get lemmings to *think*…
“It’s not Rauner, it’s been like this for..”
No.
No, it really has NOT.
And I’m of the belief of saving these universities with the Lincoln University sysytem, so I’m not one to say “leave it exactly the same, just fund it”
No. We need to save the economic engines. Let’s do it with a goal to do that, not passively close universities.
To the marketing…
If a student, “today”, has a choice if SIUC or Iowa, EIU or Western Michigan… “today” we are losing those battles to atmosphere, athletics, marketing, and tuition…
… but to make this about “decades” is allowing Rauner to grin from ear to ear as he forces, without repercussions, the closing of universities… and we lemmings say… “well, look at the past decades”
Nope. Sorry.
With respect.
- Crosstab - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 1:10 pm:
For what it’s worth, EIU’s enrollment has largely stabilized.
All projections indicate that freshmen enrollment will be up next year maybe even 10% and that overall headcount will be down slightly from last year (maybe 1-2%).
In Spring of 2018, EIU’s enrollment was up 5% while SIUC’s spring enrollment was down almost 9%.
- JS Mill - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 1:21 pm:
=Fact is years ago the directional schools offered majors different than the others. There was a distinction that helped them thrive. =
I think your “facts” are off. The state universities offer many of the same degrees and have for at least 35 years going back to when I was an undergrad. EIU and WIU are a little smaller and so had fewer programs overall.
=Carbondale and EIU should work in a collaboration with local businesses and startups to prepare a ready made workforce. =
These are universities not vocational programs and the students come from all over the state not just Charleston and Carbondale.
- hot chocolate - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 1:44 pm:
OW - Rep. Bryant last voted for funding for SIU when she voted to raise the income tax, balance the budget, and override the Governor’s veto. Oh, and then she won a primary race that was waged against her because of her budget vote. Sigh, indeed.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 2:04 pm:
===Rep. Bryant last voted for funding for SIU when she voted to raise the income tax, balance the budget, and override the Governor’s veto. Oh, and then she won a primary race that was waged against her because of her budget vote. Sigh, indeed.==
Aw. That’s fun. Thanks.
Did you forget FY2016 and FY2017… and while we’re at it, and… I remember thanking Ms. Bryant and was hoping someone would bring this up…
… did she flipped to a yes on the overrides, or was she a yes all the way thru the process, not just at the override and the tax increase?
If you’d like to clarify that…
- Turn it up - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 2:08 pm:
The word is that Rep. Bryant voted in favor of the override after consulting with Speaker Madigan who promised she would not face serious opposition in November. I mean, that’s just what I’ve heard.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 2:09 pm:
To be clear - hot chocolate -
My frustration isn’t with you. Nope.
It’s fun, that doing the right thing, Ms. Bryant, the first two years coulda learned from standing up for SIUC in 2016, 2017… she didn’t need to be against SIUC.
So, if it is read as a remark “against” you, I apologize, that was not my intent, but I sigh with you… as doing the right thing with the override… ugh.
- Doc Anonymous - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 2:40 pm:
OW and others: I think Bryant has been decidely unhelpful in her efforts to save the SIU system by angrily attacking SIUE and going after Dunn, when what we really need is someone, somewhere, rising above that fray, and speaking for compromise and a commitment to the good of the entire system, not just sticking up for one campus or the other or sticking it to one SIU leader or another.
But Bryant did cast a brave vote in favor of SIUC (including the tax hike) and she did get a serious primary challenger because of that. So she deserves credit for that vote.
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 2:42 pm:
–SIUE should receive more money than its little sister SIUC.–
Because you live in the neighborhood. Your sense of entitlement to the government trough is way old school.
- Annonin' - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 2:50 pm:
Rep.Bryant was a courageous “P” on SB2047 the stop gap budget in June 30 of 2016— got them 56% of what they should received. Rep. Hays was a brave “E” These strong supporters helped put SIUC on the rocks.
- JS Mill - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 2:54 pm:
You would think that a guy that is leading a university would be smart enough not to act as Randy Dunn has. He really should resign or face dismisssal.
- Annonin' - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 2:56 pm:
Just listened to Rep. Bryant and her declaration she “fought hard for 2 years” SHE VOTED PRESENT
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 2:57 pm:
–You would think that a guy that is leading a university would be smart enough not to act as Randy Dunn has–
We’ve been on a pretty good rip of psycho university heads here in Illinois. ISU, NIU, Champaign,..
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 2:58 pm:
Annonin’, you’re on a roll, standing up for the old alma mater.
Careful that you don’t reveal yourself, lol.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 3:00 pm:
“Forgetting” how Bryant was complicit with Rauner, and the starving of higher ed, and thanking her for the override votes, even after 2 years of helping Rauner is fine.
But, being reminded about Ms. Bryant’s help in FYs 16-17 is as important than thanking her.
Asking Dunn to resign now… after the first two years of starving higher ed seems…
With friends like Ms. Bryant, SIU…
- C'mon - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 3:14 pm:
Listen, this really isn’t about Rep. Bryant. Or her voting record. Really….it isn’t.
- LXB - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 3:26 pm:
==The word is that Rep. Bryant voted in favor of the override after consulting with Speaker Madigan who promised she would not face serious opposition in November.==
She isn’t facing serious opposition, but it’s the same not serious opposition she faced in 2014. But if a wave comes, it may not matter that Marsha Griffin isn’t a very good candidate.
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 3:27 pm:
–Randy Done.–
Simple and perfect. I’m said it wasn’t me who put it out there.
- Perrid - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 3:49 pm:
Rep Bryant repeatedly “misquoted” Dunn as calling the b**ches instead of b**chers. I get they are both offensive but the one he used is specifically used for people complaining and whining. Just saying, she actually misrepresented his insult. May be a distinction without a difference to most people but I don’t think the words are interchangeable.
- Turn it up - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 3:59 pm:
Dunn is told to “go to hell” by an Illinois lawmaker.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-legislature-siu-president-20180517-story.html
- BlueDogDem - Thursday, May 17, 18 @ 5:03 pm:
Word. Did you bump your head lately? Some of your posts are so not like you.
To the post. SIUC has dug it’s own deep hole. Rauner has only sped the process up. Dunn spoke what is true. Again. Ask the kids why they are not going to SIUC.