* Tri States Public Radio…
The Western Illinois University administration will borrow $2 million from the WIU Foundation on April 1.
Ketra Roselieb, WIU Vice President for Finance and Administration, said daily cash on hand remains at a critical level.
“The university appreciates the foundation’s extension of this partnership and its approval of a distribution from unrestricted endowment to fund this loan, which will come with temporary cash flow shortages while the university continues to implement our significant budget adjustments,” Roselieb told the WIU Board of Trustees during its March 12 meeting. […]
She did note the Illinois comptroller’s office has been prompt with all reimbursements thus far this year.
BoT Vice Chair Carin Stutz said it appears expenses for this fiscal year will come in closer to $180 million rather than the projected $189 million. She lauded the financial stewardship of the administration and faculty. She said every department is being accountable and working together.
“It’s nothing short of incredible. This will be a case study for universities one day. It absolutely will be,” Stutz said.
- Mr. Middleground - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 11:22 am:
WIU and other regionals are slashing budgets. They are down to the bone. Any extra money found to put toward new recruitment, retention and workforce program expansions is being gobbled up by critical, emergency deferred maintenance. It is long past time for the State to step with the new funding formula. WIU has done its part.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 11:47 am:
===It is long past time for the State to step with the new funding formula.===
Or, hear me out, maybe it’s time to do something different. There isn’t enough tax money to support all of the public universities. It might be time to use WIU as a pilot for a new model of post-secondary education. Get it out of inter-collegiate athletics. Stop producing mediocre research. Incentivise adult education, career education, regional job training, and even remedial education.
Higher education is undergoing the most serious disruption of the last fifty years. The future of universities will look very different from the past. The state should use this moment to try something new. Sending more money to a failing institution is not the best use of scarce resources.
This is the time to experiment, and WIU could be a good test case for a new model of public university.
- very old soil - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:30 pm:
I agree with 47th ward. Time for a new approach.
- Proud Papa Bear - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:36 pm:
I believe we should do both: more equitably fund our regionals and create a more student-centered environment.
- ChicagoBars - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:56 pm:
There’s a post-Great recession demographic dip coming and it is somehow catching all the directionals by surprise?
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db60.htm
- OBResident - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 12:57 pm:
Pritzker and co must help fix the directional school system. They are truly teetering towards the abyss.
- Mr. Middleground - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:38 pm:
—This is the time to experiment—
I don’t disagree. Expand WIU’s strongest programs (especially law enforcement, which already makes up ~25% of enrollment) and continue eliminating weaker ones. Centering the rebuild around a top-tier law-enforcement hub—with expanded training, crime lab, etc.—could meet critical regional/state needs. There is big potential, but it requires serious investment. So back to my point, it is time for the State to step up.
- Ron - In Texas - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 1:40 pm:
47th is on to something.
“Higher education is undergoing the most serious disruption of the last fifty years. The future of universities will look very different from the past. The state should use this moment to try something new. Sending more money to a failing institution is not the best use of scarce resources.”
If Illinois wanted to be ahead of the curve, they should look at the studies on what careers/fields (and therefor degrees) are most impacted by AI, And actually structure a college level curriculum that is forward looking.
Studies like these: https://karpathy.ai/jobs
The concept of 4 years of study where your skills are useless the day you graduate is going to die. Maybe Illinois could get ahead of it… But it takes a vision and the ability to deal with some risk… Politicians and colleges are not good at either.
- Downstate - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 2:02 pm:
Two thoughts….
1. This is not confined to Illinois. Reading some Missouri publications, their state universities and colleges face the same challenges.
2. A cohort at UIUC noted that they have budgeted approximately $600 million in needed maintenance to existing infrastructure. They asked an outside firm to conduct an independent audit. Their estimate came in at $2 billion. Those are additional dollars needed by our state’s most successful university.
- Oldtimer - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 2:22 pm:
Regardless of whether the state adopts a funding formula for public universities, expect WIU to either be closed entirely or dramatically downsized/reorganized in the next 5 years.
- Nick - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 2:58 pm:
Long term the best bet is probably to make the quad cities campus a satellite of the UoI system or something and close down Macomb.
- Frida's Boss - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 4:48 pm:
Yet we have enough money for Chicago State, which has the worst academic metrics of all Illinois universities, to now start an entire new D1 College football program?
- Mason County - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 5:44 pm:
=Yet we have enough money for Chicago State, which has the worst academic metrics of all Illinois universities, to now start an entire new D1 College football program?=
WIU is still in Division I but has a $3.5 million Athletic budget deficit. President and Board refuse to acknowledge it.
- JS Mill - Monday, Mar 16, 26 @ 6:22 pm:
=Get it out of inter-collegiate athletics. Stop producing mediocre research. Incentivise adult education, career education, regional job training, and even remedial education.=
I agree on athletics. At best, go D2. Much lower costs. But really, they cannot afford a program.
As for the rest of what you suggest, I think it would be better to close western and take the state money and invest it in Community colleges. What you describe is really their mission.