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By Barton Lorimor Email | @bartonlorimor

* UIUC Chancellor Phyllis Wise has been informed her duties will be reassigned, and that she will become an adviser to President Timothy Killeen.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 4:57 pm

Comments

We think that means U of I thinks they get to keep the $400K exit bonus…guessin’ the lawyers will have other ideas…Maybe she can form the Androne,Lingle Wise firm?

Comment by Anonin' Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:01 pm
Suntimes: University of Illinois President Timothy Killeen told the board Wise is being assigned “new duties,” and that the board intends to begin dismissal proceedings against her. Letters were being sent to Wise “immediately,” he said.

Comment by Langhorne Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:11 pm
Will she be filling a vacant position, or is this a newly formed position? If it is new, it is going to cost them more than $400,000 to keep her.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:13 pm
This is the problem with state universities, no accountability. they can play this games and getaway

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:20 pm
Adviser on what, personal email use?

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:22 pm
The only explanation for today is…

… something that was cloudy is now muddy.

Illinois Trustees: See “Rauner Superstar Job Discriptions” to see what can be borrowed to explain the new gig.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:26 pm
They’ll keep her on to avoid court action, but she’ll probably sue anyway.

Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:29 pm
This is absolutely ridiculous - she should have been let go a long time ago, yet now she is being retained!!!!

I have a dozen questions about this, some of which may eventually be answered.

I love my Alma Mater - and there are 4 generations of my family that are graduates, but this goes beyond anything that I consider to be acceptable. Give me the good old days of David Dodds Henry and Jack Peltason!

Comment by illini Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:41 pm
High paid contract administrators are always given tenure and faculty rank upon hire. She will get a faculty contract with 100% release time to be an advisor to the President.

Comment by Liberty Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:47 pm
She is being dismissed.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:50 pm
A bit more than that…
.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-university-of-illinois-chancellor-bonus-vote-20150812-story.html

Comment by 4 percent Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:56 pm
illini, I’m also a UIUC alum and concur with your sentiment; you reference some “legends”. It seems that as UIUC leadership has transitioned over time from persons born in “Greatest” and “Silent” generations to those of the Baby Boomer generation (of which I’m one), things have gotten worse. My dad starting working for UIUC shortly after WWII; if he were still alive, he would be both angry and ashamed at these current developments.

Comment by kitty Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:57 pm
If the UI dismisses Wise, her testimony in the Salaita case will be VERY revealing and interesting.

Comment by Pius Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 6:02 pm
kitty - the late 60’s and early 70’s were a unique period in our lives. There were definitely problems and issues, but I would not trade those 5 years ( or my 2 degrees ) for anything.

Times have changed!!!!

Comment by illini Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 6:04 pm
illini, I feel the same way. While larger societal issues impacted UIUC pertaining to the Vietnam War and Civil Rights movement, the UIUC administrators were “all business”. To be certain, not all were “legendary” but almost all were respected.

Comment by kitty Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 6:14 pm
Maybe they can off-shore the salary for her new duties from Department of Human Services.

Comment by Michael Westen Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 6:18 pm
kitty - exactly. We could very well have attended at the same time, and if not, you knew what was happening on campus during those years.

As I said - times have changed.

Comment by illini Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 6:20 pm
Kitty I am a boomer too and have much respect for the Greatest Generation of which my parents belonged, however the cynical side of me thinks that my parents generation benefited from not having computers, email, FOIA, cell phones with cameras, and 24 hour cable news channels. They all knew mum’s the word.

Comment by Pacman Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 6:32 pm
We now know who is calling the shots at the U . of I. - and it’s not the president.

Comment by Skeptical Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 6:34 pm
to the post, I agree they should let her go, that should have been the decision in the first place. Also she should not be rehired. Fire her let her go end of story.

Comment by Pacman Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 6:37 pm
Skeptical - not exactly certain what or who you are referring to implying with your post.

Agreed there are any number of stories at various levels that are involved. Maybe I’m too dense or am missing your point.

Comment by illini Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 6:45 pm
Was Killeen the one who proposed the $400k severance amount. Shouldn’t we be looking at him?
We’re paying him a hefty sum not to make this kind of mistake; this one may be reversible but his next big blooper may not be.

Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 6:45 pm
My op ed on the subject
http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-84197452/

Comment by Jay R Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 7:53 pm
Her deal was made before Killeen got there. Looks like they are trying to find a way to deprive her of this deal.

I think the new UIC administration is truly ready for a good future and a new plan. The recent chancellors and presidents have been very poor.

Comment by State worker Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 7:54 pm
Bad to have your first major decision reversed. Even if it yields the right result. So much for the honeymoon.

Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 7:55 pm
Killeen’s comments to the Trib indicate he supported the $400k, etc.

Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 7:59 pm
State worker, not exactly. Her “deal” was $500k after 5 years, with no “proration,” particularly in the context of a forced resignation. She deserved zip.

The question of the day is “Did the BoT toss Killeen under the bus after giving him a go-ahead on Wise’s departure deal, or did he throw himself under by acting too quickly?”

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 8:06 pm
The newspapers list Wise as 70 already which makes her not a baby boomer. The oldest boomers are turning 69 this year. She is tail end of the Silent Generation.

Comment by Rayne Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 7:10 am
Looks like Rauner was right to send that letter. It made a difference.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 10:05 am
The real question is just who hired the woman, who decided her pay schedule and finally, show all the board members the exit door. NO one in education deserves to be paid such huge sums.

Comment by St. Ambrose Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 10:50 am
===Looks like Rauner was right to send that letter. It made a difference.===

lol, based on what that Rauner made the difference, that the Rauner letter was “the difference”.

There were many pressure points from legislators and press as well.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 10:56 am
Wise pushed through the new medical school and was chastised by the last president for being too supportive of the UIUC campus. The President’s office goes through fickled initiatives in the administration and president’s office as they try to manage the bureaucracy to cut costs.

She is going from a highly paid contract administrator to a faculty position where she can assume lesser administrative duties or be returned to the classroom. The Fall schedule is set so the latter is unlikely for the upcoming semester.

Comment by Liberty Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:01 am
Anonymous @5:20pm

While your frustration is understandable in this case, please don’t paint ALL state universities with the same brush. The vitality of the state system is its diversity of missions, size, etc. Several state universities have been operating on shoe string budgets for many years. They, too, find the dollar amounts in the UofI brouhaha truly mind boggling. With no political clout in the legislature they are hapless bystanders.

Comment by Scholar athlete Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:03 am
maybe she can attend Jim Edgars class…

Comment by flea Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:05 am