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The responses below from the University Administration refute the inaccurate
statements within the recently circulated faculty petition. Before moving forward
with your process, we request that you review the veracity of these claims, which
predicated the drafting and signing of this petition. We question the legitimacy of
this document due to its erroneous claims. As the University is in the midst of
federal mediation with the University Professionals of Illinois Chapter 4100, we are
concerned that this is a tactic to affect negotiations.
While there has been a decrease in enrollment since 2011, there is no causal
effect that illustrates the decrease in enrollment as a result of the
administration of President Thomas. Other institutions have experienced
declines, and in reality, in fall 2016, Western saw a level new student
enrollment while other institutions saw double digit declines.
There are mitigating factors that have resulted in a decrease in enrollment:
1
2. Whereas this decrease is three times that of other Illinois
public universities during the period;
WIU has not experienced a decrease three times that of other state universities.
The University has experienced decreasing numbers consistent with
comparable institutions.
Tenured faculty were not laid off. However, two faculty members were allowed
to complete the tenure process after the notification of layoff to aid in the search
for future employment opportunities.
Layoffs do create unrest. However, the layoffs are not the cause of the most
significant damage to the University's reputation. Public defamation and
misinformation regarding layoffs contribute to, and further increases, the
damage to the institution's reputation. The University’s administrative team
has worked diligently to create and highlight positive initiatives.
2
4. Whereas the administration has eliminated academic
departments whose effect was to marginalize and remove
women and minorities;
As part of the required program review per Illinois Board of Higher Education
(IBHE) policy, decreased enrollment in specific majors and the limited number
of students majoring in/graduating from these majors led to the elimination of
certain departments.
Students share their experiences with their peers. A negative experience with a
faculty or staff member may be shared among students, which, in turn, causes
negative publicity about the institution and has a deleterious impact on
retention and recruitment.
All efforts to recruit, retain, support, and connect with students are explored. In
a professional environment where we are stewards of predominantly young
adults and their success, we need to be able to discuss unhealthy patterns of
behavior. Title IX requires that we “are legally required to respond and remedy
hostile educational environments,” and we take this commitment
seriously. (https://www.knowyourix.org/college-resources/title-ix/). As is his
legal responsibility, the vice president for student services (VPSS) raised the
issue of hostility towards students as a problem that we need to address as a
campus community by reporting what some students indicate when
withdrawing from the University. Stating that this public comment created
negative publicity and media attention is overstated as the only reference
appears at the end of a lengthy story about the overall Board of Trustees
meeting.
3
Nowhere in his commentary does the Vice President ascribe blame only at
faculty.
The quote from the McDonough County Voice story, available here
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/news/20171006/bot-approves-budget-eyes-
declining-state-funding-and-enrollment, is:
“Through this process, we have learned that retention hinges on how students
are treated when they are here at this university, whether by faculty or staff. We
are a student-centered institution, but I as well as many people on my staff and
people on the enrollment management team continue to hear from students that
students who have to leave the university may leave for various reasons such as
the academic profile or (a financial) inability to stay here. But students who
choose to leave the university in many cases leave because of the way in which
they are treated. Each member of the faculty and staff must do their part to treat
students with dignity and respect.”
4
7. Whereas the administration has tried to blame negotiated faculty
salaries for its failures to address enrollment issues; now,
therefore, be it