Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » *** UPDATED x1 *** SIU board meeting today in Springfield
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
*** UPDATED x1 *** SIU board meeting today in Springfield

Wednesday, May 30, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

By Hannah Meisel

* Southern Illinois University’s board of trustees is having a special meeting here in Springfield today as tensions reach a fever pitch over a potential split between SIU’s Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses. Click here to watch the Daily Egyptian’s live video stream.

On Sunday, the Southern called for SIU system president Randy Dunn to resign because of his perceived nonchalance about a possible split, and oh yeah, the “b*tchers from Carbondale” comment still seems to be poisoning the conversation

Randy Dunn can no longer effectively serve as president of the Southern Illinois University system.

According to documents obtained by SIU Carbondale faculty member Kathleen Chwalisz and others provided by Board of Trustees member Phil Gilbert, Dunn appears to have withheld information from SIUC Chancellor Carlo Montemagno regarding a proposed $5.1 million shift in funding from the Carbondale campus to SIU Edwardsville.

The funding shift was in reference to the 60-40 split in state monies Dunn insists has been a part of the SIU system’s budgeting process since 1979.

To compound matters even further, Dunn sent a damning email to SIU Edwardsville chancellor Randy Pembrook, SIUE Budget Director Bill Winter, and Vice President for Administrative Affairs Duane Stucky stating that a reference to the 60-40 split was “simply to shut up the bitchers from Carbondale who are saying loudly we shouldn’t even be doing the $5.125M at this time.”

* Other coverage from today includes this Tribune story

Southern Illinois’ trustees have scheduled a special meeting on Wednesday to discuss several bills that could dramatically change how the university is run. The outcome could compel the board to depart from its publicly neutral stance.

At issue is how money is divided between the flagship campus in Carbondale and its sister school in Edwardsville, which receives less funding even though it has grown to nearly match Carbondale’s enrollment.

“It is difficult to wear two different hats,” Edwardsville Chancellor Randy Pembrook said. “On one hand, we’re talking about what is in the best interest of the system, but the trustees live in a certain area, and they’re human. They are part of a community and these universities are very important parts of their towns.”

* Local TV

During the open portion there will be three resolutions on the table (HB 1292, 1293, 1294) in regards to the 50/50 Appropriations, SIU System Split, and the “Reconstitution” of the Board of Trustees.

The board will vote on the University’s position on this, whether in favor, against or if they will remain neutral.

Randy Dunn has already said he wouldn’t resign. We covered this last week, but Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea) says publicly that he’s going to call his bill to split SIU if the resolution to study the issue doesn’t go through. We’ll see what happens today.

*** UPDATE *** The board of trustees rejected a resolution to split the system in two and passed a resolution to oppose splitting the system.

       

44 Comments
  1. - wordslinger - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 11:40 am:

    –Randy Dunn has already said he wouldn’t resign.–

    Meh, his track record shows he doesn’t stay anywhere for long. If the price is right, I’m sure he can be persuaded to leave.


  2. - Perrid - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 11:47 am:

    All the rhetoric about how he’s trying to sabotage SIUC and steal money from them is hilarious. Yeah he shouldn’t have called them names, and if he gets fired over it I won’t be crying, but quite frankly there is a whole lot of crying from SIUC about losing money when they are already losing students. If enrollment changes then funding needs to change, that’s just a fact. You can try to argue that this recent downturn is temporary and reversible, but that doesn’t really fly since they’ve been losing students for decades.


  3. - Saluki - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 11:49 am:

    From the Daily Egyptian 2016…

    The SIU Board of Trustees on Thursday extended SIU President Randy Dunn’s contract through June 30, 2022.

    The extension, which came during the board’s meeting in Carbondale, does not change Dunn’s annual salary of $430,000. It also does not change benefits, and does not include incentives or bonuses, according to a university news release. The board is allowed to sever its employment relationship with Dunn without cause prior to the end of the contract.


  4. - Annonin' - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 11:58 am:

    Two comments …. not such a hot topic to the global audience


  5. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:02 pm:

    ===Two comments …. not such a hot topic to the global audience===

    Rauner would like to see one of these campuses closed, I’m sure.

    When the SIU system decides they not only need both campuses but decide that the Governor wants one or both of them closed, then I’ll be more attentive.

    To the Post,

    While this is important, let’s also keep an eye on the Governor.

    Will he fund SIU… and all of higher ed… with his signature for an entire fiscal year?

    If not, will the deafening silence to this 4th year of starving continue?


  6. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:03 pm:

    ===If enrollment changes then funding needs to change, that’s just a fact===

    Two things. 1) That’s not how K-12 funding works. 2) In an era of higher ed budget cuts, they’re already starving. Cutting SIUC could kill it. If you want to do that, say so.


  7. - City Zen - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:17 pm:

    University of Illinois at Edwardsville
    Illinois State University-Carbondale

    All Illinois universities should merge under 2 systems max, not creating new ones.


  8. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:20 pm:

    * University of Illinois - Chicago, Springfield, Urbana-Champaign. Three universities.

    * Lincoln University System - Three pods, Three universities in each pod.


  9. - 47th Ward - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:26 pm:

    ===If enrollment changes then funding needs to change, that’s just a fact.===

    No, that’s not a fact, that’s just like, your opinion man.

    When enrollment declines, revenues will also likely decline, especially at a school with a small endowment. However, when enrollment declines, you might want to invest in new academic programs, improved facilities and other enrollment growth strategies or else you won’t be able to halt enrollment declines.

    You can’t cut your way to success. You have to have strategic investments.


  10. - Saluki - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 1:11 pm:

    11 Chancellors over 22 years has not helped.

    Chancellor Carlo Montemagno, 2017-Present
    Interim Chancellor Brad Colwell, 2015-2017
    Interim Chancellor Paul D. Sarvela, 2014
    Chancellor Rita Cheng, 2010 - 2014
    Chancellor Samuel Goldman, 2008 - 2010
    Chancellor Fernando Treviño, 2007 - 2008
    Interim Chancellor John M. Dunn, 2006 - 2007
    Chancellor Walter V. Wendler, 2001 - 2006
    Interim Chancellor John S. Jackson, 1999 - 2001
    Chancellor Jo Ann E. Argersinger, 1998 - 1999
    Chancellor Don Beggs, 1996 - 1998


  11. - huskie-bob - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 1:21 pm:

    Northern Illinois University - Southern Illinois Campus


  12. - Enough Already - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 1:27 pm:

    ===when enrollment declines, you might want to invest in new academic programs, improved facilities and other enrollment growth strategies or else you won’t be able to halt enrollment declines.===

    Since 2011 Illinois taxpayers have invested more than $60 million in new facilities (and tens of millions more in operating expenses to develop new programs) for WIU’s Riverfront campus in the QC. During the same period WIU-QC’s enrollment has declined from 1,235 to 894.

    You can’t spend your way to success, either.


  13. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 1:31 pm:

    - Enough Already -

    Since Rauner, and before the budget override last year, state universities were funded at a measurable level of ~30% with the partial funding stop gap.

    Please, stop with the wasted money, the universities were underfunded for 2 fiscal years, EIU couldn’t afford to mow its quad.


  14. - City Zen - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:17 pm:

    ==* University of Illinois - Chicago, Springfield, Urbana-Champaign. Three universities.==

    Putting Edwardsville under the “U of I” umbrella would give southern IL kids two state university options nearby and give “U of I” coverage across the state. Plus now our “flagship” university system gets access to STL metro.


  15. - Board of Regents - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:17 pm:

    There is no comprehensive vision in this state for what public higher ed should be doing and who it should be serving.

    Commmunity colleges want to be 4-year schools, because the 4-year schools want to be research universities, and the research universities suffer from inter-and-intra-system turf wars.

    Consolidate the various trustee boards into a single Board of Regents overseeing two systems: one focused on research universities and one focused on quality undergraduate education with limited graduate offerings.

    People like to talk about “attracting the best faculty” and raising college profiles through research, but guess what quality teaching faculty focus on teaching with research secondary - the best liberal arts colleges with no research agenda don’t do this ‘just because’ - and research costs time and money and takes away from teaching.

    Also, eliminate Div 1 athletics from the regional campuses - let them play Div 3 and focus on getting a degree. They aren’t going pro and taxpayers shouldn’t be subsidizing the college farm league system.


  16. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:25 pm:

    ===Putting Edwardsville under the “U of I” umbrella would give southern IL kids two state university options nearby and give “U of I” coverage across the state.===

    Nope.

    We’re not Alaska, Texas, or Montana.

    The pods…

    Chicago State, Northeastern, Governor’s State…

    Northern Illinois, Illinois State, Southern Illinois - Edwardsville…

    Western, SIU - Carbondale, Eastern…

    Three pods, allowing a grouping of each with the universities facing, arguably, similar challenges.

    Making “Edwardsville” part of the U of I umbrella makes no sense, especially if the talking point is location/geography.

    Respectfully.


  17. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:29 pm:

    ===Also, eliminate Div 1 athletics from the regional campuses - let them play Div 3 and focus on getting a degree===

    If you don’t think students are choosing Western Michigan over SIU and athletics isn’t part of the reason, you can’t be on any board of regents.

    Further, athletics, like for Loyola this NCAA tournament, or NIU football going to the Orange Bowl… you don’t seem to grasp what senior year high schoolers weight when choosing universities, or how universities like Butler or Gonzaga or other private universities use to get students to consider taking on more debt to go there.


  18. - Board of Regents - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:38 pm:

    -City Zen-

    Expanding the “U of I” brand to include SIUE or any other campus isn’t a solution to any of the problems facing public higher education in Illinois.

    “U of I” annexed Sangamon State and in the process took an innovative regional institution with a unique mission in the state and replaced it with … nothing ‘bad’ but also nothing exceptional. SSU (and GSU) had a unique degree-completion + graduate-study mission which, ironically is something the higher education market focuses intently on these days.

    It’s not simply a branding issue - the structures here are broken and need to be torn down and rebuilt.

    Our public universities want to be too many things to too many people, and as a consequence the core mission of education suffers.

    In California, Gov. Jerry Brown was mocked for using Chipotle as a metpahor for cutting excess programs/courses in higher-ed by giving students fewer options to ensure quicker and more affordable on-time degree completion. He was right.


  19. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:40 pm:

    ===need to be torn down===

    I’ve had quite enough of that lately, thanks.


  20. - Board of Regents - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:41 pm:

    -Oswego Willy-

    1) We’re talking about PUBLIC education. What private schools do with their athletics is irrelevant.

    2) I’ve never met a single student or graduate who was NOT an athlete say that he/she enrolled at their alma mater because someone else got to play Div 1 ball.


  21. - BofR - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:43 pm:

    3) I’ve never heard of a single parent tell their kids “you should go to so you can cheer for the the best team.”


  22. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:43 pm:

    ===need to be torn down===

    Ugh.

    Rauner passively wants to close universities, you want to purposely tear down state universities.

    I’m tired of these attacks on higher education, advocating “tearing, closing… “

    Enough.

    Let’s build, let’s fund universities.


  23. - BofR - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:46 pm:

    ===need to be torn down===

    My apologies for the word choice. I don’t intend them in the Rauner-union-busting sense. I did say “rebuilt” :)

    There’s too many silos and no statewide vision, is my point there. Tear down the silos.


  24. - BofR - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:48 pm:

    -Oswego Willy-

    I didn’t say tear down universities. I didn’t say close universities.

    Tear down the administrative/oversight silos. Refocus campus missions with a statewide vision and plan.


  25. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:49 pm:

    ===I’ve never heard of a single parent tell their kids “you should go to so you can cheer for the the best team.”===

    Guess you don’t know too many ND alums?

    Google the Doug Flutie Effect… students choose.

    ===We’re talking about PUBLIC education. What private schools do with their athletics is irrelevant.===

    … and athletics brings donors and money abd eyeballs to tee-vees and people looking at those schools.

    ===I’ve never met a single student or graduate who was NOT an athlete say that he/she enrolled at their alma mater because someone else got to play Div 1 ball.===

    Michigan has no problem filling their student section at The Big House… to watch Michigan Football.


  26. - BofR - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:51 pm:

    Wayne Watson (CSU) and Randy Dunn (SIU) are glaring examples of the ineptit political hacks that our current system sticks us with.


  27. - BofR - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:54 pm:

    Doug Flutie … Boston College private school

    Michigan … non-regional campus major research FLAGSHIP

    “tee-vees” No one’s watching CSU, UIC, or NIU Div 1 athletics on “tee vees” and they sure as heck aren’t bringing in big dollar donors.


  28. - BofR - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:55 pm:

    Schools can have successful Div 3 athletics teams that students and alumni support. Again…look at the best liberal arts colleges.


  29. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:57 pm:

    ===Doug Flutie … Boston College private school===

    Virginia Commonwealth.


  30. - Anonymous - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:57 pm:

    Oh and Notre Dame … private school, HUGE endowment.

    We’re talking about PUBLIC EDUCATION.


  31. - Anonymous - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:58 pm:

    Doug Flutie, played college ball at Boston.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Flutie


  32. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:59 pm:

    ===Schools can have successful Div 3 athletics teams that students and alumni support. Again…look at the best liberal arts colleges.===

    I’m confused, what is the athletic departments’ budgets for the schools you’re waiting to lower?

    How much if that money goes where and comes from where?

    What’s its percentage? Any revenue gained?


  33. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:01 pm:

    You stated…

    ===I’ve never met a single student or graduate who was NOT an athlete say that he/she enrolled at their alma mater because someone else got to play Div 1 ball.===

    So… it’s a single student choosing a public school?

    Moving goal posts or don’t like the responses? lol


  34. - BofR - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:01 pm:

    Nah, it’s your turn Virginia Commonwealth.

    You show me numbers.


  35. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:05 pm:

    https://bit.ly/2Jh76Pu

    ===2. Virginia Commonwealth University

    Virginia Commonwealth University’s admissions statistics offer an even clearer picture of the effect successful tournament runs can have on admissions. In 2011, VCU made it to the Final Four. The following year, its team made a third round appearance. By 2012, VCU saw a 20% increase in applications. And while an increase in applications is important, it is the difference between in-state and out-of-state applications that really matters. In 2008, VCU reported that 92% of freshmen were from Virginia. In 2012, that percentage had dropped to 85. This 8% difference meant almost $3.4 million more in tuition for the school during the 2012-13 academic year===


  36. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:06 pm:

    Your turn, bud.


  37. - wordslinger - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:16 pm:

    – I’ve never heard of a single parent tell their kids “you should go to so you can cheer for the the best team.”–

    Is that a gag? If not, you don’t get around much.

    You ever met anyone who went to Notre Dame? Many more examples.


  38. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:23 pm:

    Let’s talk NIU Football and the MAC Conference deal with ESPN

    https://bit.ly/2JdEruD

    ===Since then, Brett McMurphy of ESPN (and several others) have reported that this 13-year deal with ESPN is worth more than $100 million, or roughly about $8 million a season. That factors out to about $670,000 per school, per season, a big improvement over the roughly $120,000 each school received under the previous $1.4 million a year deal, a nearly 500 percent increase in annual payouts.

    Initial reports by Sports Illustrated suggested the new deal would put the MAC at the head of the Group of Five pack, but in reality it still puts the MAC about $4-6 million a year behind the current deals that both the MWC and Conference USA have. Granted both of these conferences have primary national TV deals, secondary national TV deals and regional TV deals to get to that total, but that’s the thing: they retain the control of their TV rights and make substantially more off of them, still.===

    So, NIU, gets on the Tee-Vee, gets a revenue source, abd exposure to prospective students… every Wednesday night in ESPN… but let’s shut down Div I athletics at Northern…


  39. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:31 pm:

    Would you like to talk Missouri Valley, or “The Valley” basketball and their tv deals with ESPN, CBS…

    … it includes SIU…


  40. - Enough Already - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:33 pm:

    ===In 2011, VCU made it to the Final Four. The following year, its team made a third round appearance. By 2012, VCU saw a 20% increase in applications.===

    …but only a 0.83% increase in actual enrollment.

    Fall 2011: 23,753
    Fall 2012: 23,951

    Which was more than erased the following year when VCU’s Fall enrollment (23,656) dropped to below the Fall 2011 baseline.

    Numbers. How do they work, again?

    Source: http://research.schev.edu/enrollment/E2_Report.asp


  41. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:36 pm:

    ===Numbers. How do they work, again?===

    Hmm…

    ===VCU reported that 92% of freshmen were from Virginia. In 2012, that percentage had dropped to 85. This 8% difference meant almost $3.4 million more in tuition for the school during the 2012-13 academic year===

    That’s… $3.4 million more… in revenue.

    So, there’s that.


  42. - Enough Already - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 4:04 pm:

    ===So, there’s that.===

    Yes, there’s also this - the full quote:

    =In 2008, VCU reported that 92% of freshmen were from Virginia. In 2012, that percentage had dropped to 85. This 8% difference meant almost $3.4 million more in tuition for the school during the 2012-13 academic year.===

    In other words, both you and the original author are erroneously inferring that VCU’s increase in revenue between 2008 to 2012 is attributable to VCU’s Final Four appearance in 2011.

    Apparently, logic isn’t your strong suit, either.


  43. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 4:12 pm:

    ===In other words, both you and the original author are erroneously inferring that VCU’s increase in revenue between 2008 to 2012 is attributable to VCU’s Final Four appearance in 2011.===

    Nope. You should do a lil research.

    VCU NCAA appearances…

    2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

    In 2009, VCU hires Shaka Smart as Head Coach, vowing to take the program to new heights, not just appearances.

    Coach Smart was so good, he turned down Illinois…

    Smart eventually went to Texas.

    Div I sports…


  44. - Wait a sec - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 4:30 pm:

    The new Chancellor of SIU Carbondale is working hard and has already done some great work addressing serious issues that are not on the drama radar. Give this leader a chance–no one is perfect, but he is a hardcore academic with serious grit.


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


* Reader comments closed for the holiday weekend
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition (Updated)
* Uber’s Local Partnership = Stress-Free Travel For Paratransit Riders
* IEA releases member poll, with eye on major pension upgrade
* Finally, a CTU fiscal proposal that doesn't involve magic beans
* Go read the rest
* As lawsuits and strike threats fly, Pritzker calls on Stellantis to live up to its commitments on Belvidere plant
* Today's quotable: George McCaskey
* Buried nugget and magic beans
* Open thread
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some campaign stuff
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller