89 more workers at Western Illinois University will be losing their jobs in the latest round of layoffs at the university.
On Friday, the administration said in order to ensure WIU’s financial sustainability, it’s eliminating 57 faculty positions and 32 staff positions. That includes 40 tenure and tenure-track faculty (Unit A), along with 17 non-tenure track faculty (Unit B).
Unit A faculty will continue to have jobs for the next year, Unit B faculty will remain employed through the fall semester, and civil service workers received 90 days notice.
In addition, 25 people who were told their positions will no longer exist could be moved to other open positions.
Layoff notices came days after board meeting
The university’s Board of Trustees authorized layoffs during a special meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
During the meeting, Vice Chairperson Polly Radosh noted that during Western’s financial struggles from 2016 to 2019, short-term budget gains from layoffs were offset by long-term losses in enrollment.
She said the state budget impasse was a huge factor in enrollment loss for all of Illinois’ universities, but WIU was in the upper quartile of loss among state universities
Radosh asked Interim Provost Mark Mossman about the possibility of further enrollment loss due to this week’s layoffs.
Mossman said that since 2017, Western has kind of had “a chronic illness” in which it has a budget crisis every year, and so far it has not been solved.
He said those lingering problems also damage enrollment.
“What we are trying to do now is solve it. We are trying to fix this problem, not kicking the can down the road for another administration in two or three years to deal with. We have to solve it now,” Mossman said.
“I think that when we come out on the other side of it, we will certainly have some issues, but we are also hopefully building toward a vibrant, engaged university where we have the resources that match the student population that we have and we can grow.”
Projecting confidence during times of trouble
Interim President Kristi Mindrup said Western should project confidence, even during tough times, and convey to students that they will enjoy a quality experience.
“This university can still be great. As we aim toward looking at the reality of our enrollment, understanding that we can be great at any number,” she said.
Trustee Derek Wise said this is not the end of Western. He said the university still has great people with more to follow.
“What better example to show folks how we went through a tough time of resilience through dedication, through commitment, through sacrifice, to now become and remain the great institution that Western Illinois University is.”
Some savings won’t come until later
During the meeting, Radosh asked Mossman about the layoffs of tenure track faculty.
Radosh: Impending Unit A layoffs won’t do anything to address cash flow because by contract these contracts are extended out for a year. Why do you think it’s necessary to make the cuts?
Mossman: Because if we don’t do anything we’ll have cash flow issues next year. We have to fix the budget. We have to have the right size and the right shape of institution.
The administration said those laid off are from a range of departments.
This is the second round of cuts in the current fiscal year, which began on July 1. That’s when 35 non-tenure track faculty members lost their jobs.
Other actions
Western is also streamlining operations at its Quad Cities campus, and 16 faculty and staff positions there will be relocated to Macomb next year.
In release, the administration said it has also taken other actions as part of its “cost-containment strategy”:
- A hiring suspension and spending freeze implemented on June 3
- Over 100 vacant positions eliminated from future budgets, including two vice president positions
- Department consolidation and restructuring in order to improve operational efficiencies
- Departmental operating budgets reductions
- Discontinuation of non-essential contractual agreements
- Increased efficiency through continued reductions in building operations
- Strategic reduction and realignment of student aid
Union response
In a release, the University Professionals of Illinois, which represents faculty members, said “the Macomb and Moline communities will suffer the most by this reckless, shortsighted action.”
Merrill Cole, president of the WIU Chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI Local 4100), said, "Layoffs are not a plan. They are a desperate attempt by this administration to appear as if they are taking bold action. Students, faculty and staff, and community members know better.”
He said the union will fight to save jobs, and that past layoffs at WIU have made matters worse.
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