On the heels of a resolution passed by the alumni council calling on Western Illinois University president Dr. Jack Thomas to resign by June 30 – or be kicked out by trustees – some school employees say he is performing well in the face of tough economic and geographic realities.
“It’s not any one person’s fault, but the leader gets blamed,” said Dr. Rick Hardy, a political science professor and dean of WIU’s Centennial Honors College. “I think our leadership should get credit for keeping this institution open and thriving.”
Most of the alumni council’s 15 members have a different view. By a vote of 15-2 in a special session June 6, the council adopted a resolution insisting that Thomas step down by the end of this month and that the university’s board of trustees terminate his contract should he not do so.
The document, signed by council president John Sanders and made public Monday, demanded other measures, including ramping up efforts to increase enrollment, cutting least-popular academic programs and establishing “tangible metrics” to gauge the effectiveness of changes.
The recommended changes are urgent, according to the resolution, because WIU “has been severely impacted in recent years by declining enrollment, funding shortfalls, arduous negotiations with collective bargaining units and the departure of several senior leaders.”
It further contended that “action has been far too slow and indecisive in addressing ongoing issues” and that “no clear plan of action or evidence of a shared vision” across the university community’s stakeholders “has been presented or appears to be imminent, suggesting a lack of direction and floundering leadership.”
Darcie Shinberger, WIU’s assistant vice president of advancement and public services, said Thomas was unavailable for comment Wednesday, adding that the university does not comment on personnel matters.
