University News

President Jack Thomas: Cohesion & Unity

March 27, 2018

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Dear University Community,

Western Illinois University is more than a diverse collection of people, programs, departments, and buildings. It is an academic community that is held together by successful people who strive to achieve common goals. Like any great team, its members understand the need to put aside individual agendas, build each other up, and stick together during difficult times.

While there are select individuals who choose to continually disparage this University, most people recognize that our faculty and staff provide world-class education and learning experiences for our students. To continue to build upon this greatness, we need to support one another, our University, and our local communities, and all that we accomplish together.

In February, we held town hall meetings in Macomb and the Quad Cities focusing on the positive things taking place at Western. We had great attendance at these events, and I would like to thank those faculty, staff, students, and community members who participated and who asked thoughtful questions and brought forth creative ideas. We took detailed notes, and are reviewing how to implement the ideas shared, such as highlighting more academic programs on the website, sharing and celebrating the diverse nature of our University, and promoting Western.

We will not deviate from our mission, which is to provide access to an affordable and world-class education through continued support of research, critical thinking, creativity, and faculty and staff development.

Western Illinois University is moving forward, and we need each member of our University community and our local communities to be a part of our forward movement. Our students are the lifeblood of this University. We are here because of our students. We affect their lives for the good and our impact will resonate across generations. It is our people who make this University great, and we cannot lose sight of that.

To paraphrase Theodore Roosevelt, "It is only in this way, by all of us working together in a spirit of fellowship, by each doing his/her part for the betterment of him/herself and of others, that it is possible to solve the tremendous problems with which...we are now confronted."

Together, we will keep this University progressing. We will be even stronger and better together.

Sincerely,

Jack Thomas
President

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing