List of faculty, staff positions eliminated at WIU obtained through FOIA request

MACOMB, Ill. — A list of the faculty and staff positions eliminated earlier this month at Western Illinois University has been obtained by Muddy River News through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Western Illinois University officials announced on Aug. 9 that 57 faculty and 32 staff positions would be eliminated. Thirty-five other faculty contracts were not renewed effective July 1.

Other measures taken were: 

• Hiring suspension and spending freeze implemented June 3 
• More than 100 vacant positions eliminated from future budgets, including two vice president positions
• Department consolidation and restructuring 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

WIU will continue to serve students on the Quad Cities campus, but building operations will be streamlined. As the university implements the Quad Cities Strategic Initiatives Plan, adjustments will be made to program offerings. As a result, 16 faculty and staff positions will be relocated to the Macomb campus next year.

Forty Unit A faculty positions and 17 Unit B faculty positions were eliminated, while 35 Unit B faculty contracts were not renewed effective July 1. Unit B employees aren’t tenured and aren’t eligible for tenure. Their contracts are renewed on an annual basis.

Following Board of Trustee regulations and contractual agreements, Unit A faculty will have the academic year to continue to teach. Unit B faculty will remain on contract through the fall semester. Civil service employees were provided 90 days’ notice. Board of Trustee regulations and contractual agreements were followed in the notice given to academic support professional and administrative employees.

Below are the positions held by Unit B faculty members whose contracts did not get renewed.

Below are the positions held by faculty members who received layoff notices.