There may be more employees of Western Illinois University on the chopping block.
Several television and radio stations report that during a Faculty Senate meeting Thursday, interim university president Kristi Mindrup said that there are still $10 million in cuts needing to be made, out of an estimated $22 million deficit. And the next to be cut are believed to be “contingent and tenure/tenure track faculty and academic support professionals.”
That’s in addition to the contracts of 36 employees not being renewed last month.
The union representing university employees, the Western Illinois University chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois, says further cuts will “reduce academic programs and devalue the high standards we are so proud of here at WIU.”
They also blame the Board of Trustees for approving “irresponsible, unbalanced budgets in previous years,” said Merrill Cole, chapter president.
Low enrollment has plagued parts of the university in previous years, and the union claims it’s only going to get worse.
A special emergency Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for August 6.
