Dr. Jack Thomas, the beleaguered president of Western Illinois University, has resigned, speaking about the school’s successes and not addressing detractors who have campaigned to get him out of the rural Illinois school.
His resignation, effective June 30, came four days after the university’s alumni council publicized its 15-2 vote that requested he leave voluntarily – or that the board of trustees remove him if he didn’t quit.
But Thomas, speaking to Diverse during a break Friday afternoon from a trustees meeting, said his decision had absolutely nothing to do with the alumni council action.
“I don’t let threats like that cause me to do things,” he said. “I’m doing this on my own. The board did not ask me to. I just feel it’s time, time for new leadership.”
The alumni council’s resolution reflected angst among some within the university and beyond about funding shortfalls, declining enrollment, difficult negotiations with unions on campus and the departure of some senior leaders. It blamed Thomas for what it perceived as failure to address the issues.
But it didn’t reflect historical context, current trends and external factors that have negatively impacted the school’s enrollment and finances: state financial distress and a decade of disinvestment, including two years of a budget impasse; strong competition from online education and community colleges; decades-long population decline in the Macomb region and resulting legislative reapportionment; and a significant decrease in the number of traditional college-age students.
In spite of long-time enrollment decline and other difficulties, there are multiple indicators that student success at the regional state school improved during Thomas’ eight years as president, which followed three and one-half years as provost.
