President Wiseman’s annual State of the University Address was given at the end of March. The address was divided into four sections: MAP funding, the Gilbert, Arizona initiative, structural changes and presidential succession. For the sake of narrative clarity they have been presented here in that order. However, at given points questions from the faculty during the Q&A session after the address on specific matters have been instituted where necessary.
MAP Grants
Wiseman spoke about how she has written letters to state legislators and updated faculty and students to situations as budget deliberations were happening. She stated that she was “very hopeful” that MAP funds would be approved for 2016, though there was no degree of certainty on which she could assess that this would happen.
It was at this point that Wiseman spoke about the meetings the office of Financial Aid have set up with students about covering their MAP grants. Still students are encouraged to register. At the current moment, MAP grants have still yet to be approved by the state legislature and students have been informed via email of a final MAP rally taking place on April 20.
Gilbert Campus
While MAP grants may have been at the top of the list, they were not the item that seemed to be on faculty’s mind after the address wrapped up. Wiseman also made mention of that the Gilbert campus may not necessarily be financially viable. These factors were attributed to not only the hesitation of the Gilbert government, but also the current situation of the Chicago campus.
A task force comprised of several faculty members as well as a feasibility commission has been formed to investigate the problems facing this campus and whether or not to continue this venture. During the Q & A session that followed, faculty members seemed to have a key interest in how the current situation in Gilbert has been created over time and what its place will be in the future.
“One of the elements of that over the four years that we’ve come to learn about Gilbert…have been previous statements about our degree of risk with respect to Gilbert. On other occasions – other state of the university addresses, other town hall meetings – you have articulated that our state of risk was only $250 thousand and that we had no skin in the game. Four years later, can you speak to what, on the surface, would appear to be a disconnect between those previous statements and our current circumstances?” Dr. Gina Rossetti, associate professor of English, asked.
Wiseman stated that, somewhere along the way, the deal changed. “I think all I can say at this point is that contracts are drafted. Agreements are made. But, that doesn’t mean that things always happen according to that fashion,” Wiseman said.
Dr. Peter Kirstein, professor of history, prompted a question on the issue as well. “What will be, specifically, your recommendation to the Board of Trustees with regard to the Gilbert Initiative? What are you going to suggest?…Are you going to stick it out there? Are you going try to renegotiate the contract or are you going to adhere to the various recommendations that we get out of Gilbert, which the faculty…and staff have basically subsidized?” Kirstein asked.
Wiseman insisted that the decision to install the Gilbert campus was not necessarily her decision and one that rested with the Board of Trustees. “To tell you the truth, they didn’t ask for my recommendation when they made the decision to enter Gilbert. They talked. They asked the questions….My responsibility is to respond to their questions and I will do that. I will respond to their questions about the Gilbert feasibility study. Heck, they’ve already heard my assessment,” Wiseman said, though giving no specific detail about her consensus on the feasibility study.
Provoked by another question asking specifics in regards to thoughts about the feasibility study, Wiseman insisted that it is “excellent.” However, the line of questioning in regards to the Gilbert campus did not end there.
“Just for a point of clarification…earlier you said at the time of getting information and at the time of opening the Gilbert campus, of course the final decision…would be made by the Board of Trustees…Did you recommend it or not? Yes or no?” Dr. Neil Younkin, associate professor at the Graham School of Management, asked Wiseman.
“I don’t remember, frankly, whether I recommended it. I think we all probably made recommendations made on data that we had at the time,” Wiseman said. “‘We all did,’ did you specifically recommend that Gilbert campus be opened or not? I think a major decision like that you should be able to recall. Yes or no, please,” Younkin said.
At this point someone in the crowd blurted out: “This isn’t a trial.” “No. It’s a simple question. There should be responsibility for a decision,” Younkin said. “Yeah, I don’t recall anyone asking me for my recommendation, Neil,” Wiseman said. After a pause she continued: “I don’t think the board ever came to me and said, ‘Chris Wiseman, what do you recommend?’”
Structural Changes
From the years between 2010 and 2015, the university has lost 11,000 registered credit hours. Given this drastic drop in registered credit hours, key vice presidents were given a memo to enact changes in the university’s daily operations.
“The result is, since that time [these memos were sent out], each division has produced a set of responses that are expected in combination to net additional savings of approximately $2 million from our operating budget,” Wiseman said.
These savings will come from consolidating and eliminating positions. These cuts will come in the form of reductions in full-time employment as well as resignations and expected retirements. Several consultant positions will be cut as necessary as well.
It was also announced at this address, that The Xavierite would be moving to an online only edition. The physical assets of the university are also being reduced as Wiseman sites many universities as “going digital.”
A piece of land on Pulaski Avenue owned by the university has been sold off, a contract has been signed for $260 thousand for the Alumni House, the auxiliary house has also been contracted for sale at $129.9 thousand.
The Pulaski Center is also going to be marketed for sale at $925 thousand. Orland Park campus and its surrounding properties are also being put on the market for $12.5 million. “There are at least two parties who have expressed interest in those properties,” Wiseman said.
At the time of the address, one of these parties was actually in the negotiations phase of buying.
President Succession
Once Wiseman’s contract expires on June 30, 2017 she will retire. Wiseman sited that that recent events – a brain surgery and the death of Provost Paul DeVito – as well as wanting to spend time with her grandchildren as the reason for this retirement.
The University’s Board of Trustees is currently reviewing possible replacements.
Brian Laughran
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