MACOMB, Ill. — College students are starting to settle in at Western Illinois University. But amid the new school year buzz is the recent decision to lay off nearly 90 faculty and staff members.
On Aug. 6, WIU's Board of Trustees voted to reduce the university's workforce, citing that expenses have exceeded revenue too many years in a row and that all options have been exhausted. Campus officials later said this would impact 89 employees in total — 57 faculty members and 32 staff positions. It comes after 35 faculty contracts were not renewed at the end of June.
WIU Interim President Kristi Mindrup addressed the layoffs during her university address on Friday morning.
"This past summer was one of the most difficult recent shifts and changes our institution has experienced in its 125-year history," she said. "Many individuals affected by the recent layoffs have dedicated their energy, talents and career to WIU, our students and our university's culture. It's heartbreaking."
One of those dedicated individuals is Hunter Dunlap, a systems librarian who has spent 27 years at the university.
"We are just devastated right now that the administration has chosen to fire all of our librarians," Dunlap said.
Eight of WIU's professional librarians were included in the layoffs. One other was not renewed in June.
"I don't know how our graduate-level programs will be able to function without professional-level librarians here," Dunlap added. "It's difficult to find the things you need, and it really helps to have a caring professional that's there to help you."
In addition to the layoffs, the Board of Trustees will also be adjusting programs offered at WIU's Quad Cities campus. That includes no longer using the building housing the library. Starting Monday, the stacks will be closed to the public and library resources will move to Riverfront Hall.
"All of the books will still be in that library on the other side of campus, so if someone comes to this new service station, they'll have to run someone over to the actual library to get the book and come all the way across campus to bring it back...that's not an ideal situation," Dunlap said.
Dunlap also worries about how students will fare without a full library staff to help them.
"We care about our students, we want them to succeed, and we just hope that the university will change its course and bring us back because we want to do the job we love," he said.
After the professional librarians leave on May 14, WIU said its libraries will be staffed with five library associates, civil service staff and the dean of libraries. Dunlap said he's concerned about the workload those employees will have.