UPDATE: On Friday, March 22, the Board of Trustees approved Guiyou Huang's separation agreement, as detailed below.
The BoT also approved the appointment of Kristi Mindrup as interim president.
Mindrup requested a lower salary than WIU's last interim president, citing the university's financial situation. She will be paid $22,500 a month, which is equal to $270,000 a year.
Huang's salary was $320,000 a year and the last interim president was paid $300,000 a year.
At Friday's meeting, trustees praised Mindrup for setting a tone as a leader and engaging in shared sacrifice.
Mindrup is the first woman to serve in the position on an interim or permanent basis.
The Western Illinois University Board of Trustees will be asked on Friday, March 22 to approve a four-page separation agreement with President Guiyou Huang.
The separation agreement gives Huang 10 weeks of pay plus compensation for accrued but unused vacation time. He can continue living in the president’s house for up to 60 days after the effective date of the separation.
In addition, he will agree not to sue the university. Plus, Huang and the university will agree not to make disparaging remarks about one another.
Huang became Western’s president on Jan. 1, 2021.
Under his current contract, which runs through June 30, 2025, his annual salary is $320,000 – or $6,154 a week.
Huang announced at the beginning of this month that he is resigning as Western’s president effective March 31.
The WIU board on Friday will also be asked to appoint Dr. Kristi Mindrup as the university’s interim president.
She’s currently Vice President of WIU’s Quad Cities Campus Operations.
Mindrup will become the first woman to serve as Western’s president on a permanent or interim basis.
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