During Western Illinois University’s annual University Assembly that kicks off the school year, Interim President Kristi Mindrup emphasized that this is a time of significant change at Western.
“For many institutions, including WIU, this change we experienced together this summer can be best characterized as loss,” Mindrup said during her remarks at the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) Recital Hall.
35 non-tenure track faculty members lost their jobs in early July, and another 89 employees received layoff notices last week. The latest round of layoffs included tenured and tenure-track faculty, non-tenure track faculty, and civil service employees.
The administration has said the layoffs are part of an effort to bring about financial sustainability at WIU after years of deficit spending.
At the assembly, Mindrup said many of those let go had dedicated their energy, talents, and career to Western and its students.
“It is heartbreaking,” she said about the layoffs, and she thanked the workers for their service.
But Mindrup said that this fall at WIU marks the beginning of another chapter filled with possibilities.
“As we kick off this fall semester, let us focus on the vital role we play in fostering an environment where change is met with optimism and resilience,” she said.
“Let us embrace this spirit of a new beginning with hope and determination. Our collective efforts will shape the future of the university and, more importantly, the futures of the students we are privileged to serve.”
A renewed focus on student retention
Mindrup said the administration will enhance student retention efforts this school year.
Interim Provost Mark Mossman echoed that point during his remarks, saying WIU will increase its focus on retention, success, and ultimately degree completion for students.
“Together, we will do this through a commitment to decreasing equity gaps found in our first-and-second-year student retention rates, and through an increase in the change of major rates for students in their first, second, and third year,” Mossman said.
“We will create more opportunities for intervention and support in the first days, weeks, and years of a student’s career at Western. Simultaneously, our goal is to reduce the high-risk nature of selecting and completing a major here at Western for our students.”
Enrollment looking higher than expected
For now, it looks like those retention efforts will involve a larger group of students than what had been projected.
Mindrup told reporters after the speech that enrollment appears stronger than earlier estimates of 5,500 to 6,000.
“As of today, we’re hovering above 6,000,” she said, adding they’re still working to recruit more students for the fall.
The enrollment figure won’t be official until ten days into the semester.
When asked what she had heard from students and their parents about the recent layoffs, Mindrup replied, “I met probably dozens of parents and students yesterday. Their focus was on move-in.”
She said students and families didn’t express concerns about the layoffs.
“They’re excited about the upcoming academic year. They’re excited to meet new friends or rejoin their friends,” Mindrup said. “Just that overall feel of the excitement of the start of the academic year.”
She said the larger-than-expected enrollment – if it holds -- will help with stabilizing the university’s budget.
Mindrup also said the budget will be balanced by the time the WIU Board of Trustees holds its next quarterly meeting in late September in Macomb. In a follow up Friday afternoon, the administration said it expects the budget to be balanced by Fiscal Year 2026, which begins July 1, 2025.
She said in the meantime, the administration will continue seeking revenue through multiple sources, including grants and donations.
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