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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.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 11:36 am
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–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.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 11:40 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.
Comment by Perrid Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 11:47 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.
Comment by Saluki Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 11:49 am
Two comments …. not such a hot topic to the global audience
Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 11:58 am
===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?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:02 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.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:03 pm
University of Illinois at Edwardsville
Illinois State University-Carbondale
All Illinois universities should merge under 2 systems max, not creating new ones.
Comment by City Zen Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:17 pm
* University of Illinois - Chicago, Springfield, Urbana-Champaign. Three universities.
* Lincoln University System - Three pods, Three universities in each pod.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:20 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.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:26 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
Comment by Saluki Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 1:11 pm
Northern Illinois University - Southern Illinois Campus
Comment by huskie-bob Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 1:21 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.
Comment by Enough Already Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 1:27 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.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 1:31 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.
Comment by City Zen 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.
Comment by Board of Regents Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:17 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.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:25 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.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:29 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.
Comment by Board of Regents Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:38 pm
===need to be torn down===
I’ve had quite enough of that lately, thanks.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:40 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.
Comment by Board of Regents Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:41 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.”
Comment by BofR 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.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:43 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.
Comment by BofR Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:46 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.
Comment by BofR Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:48 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.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:49 pm
Wayne Watson (CSU) and Randy Dunn (SIU) are glaring examples of the ineptit political hacks that our current system sticks us with.
Comment by BofR Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:51 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.
Comment by BofR Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:54 pm
Schools can have successful Div 3 athletics teams that students and alumni support. Again…look at the best liberal arts colleges.
Comment by BofR Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:55 pm
===Doug Flutie … Boston College private school===
Virginia Commonwealth.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:57 pm
Oh and Notre Dame … private school, HUGE endowment.
We’re talking about PUBLIC EDUCATION.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:57 pm
Doug Flutie, played college ball at Boston.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Flutie
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:58 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?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 2:59 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
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:01 pm
Nah, it’s your turn Virginia Commonwealth.
You show me numbers.
Comment by BofR Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:01 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===
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:05 pm
Your turn, bud.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:06 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.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:16 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…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:23 pm
Would you like to talk Missouri Valley, or “The Valley” basketball and their tv deals with ESPN, CBS…
… it includes SIU…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:31 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
Comment by Enough Already Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:33 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.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 3:36 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.
Comment by Enough Already Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 4:04 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…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 4:12 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.
Comment by Wait a sec Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 4:30 pm