As smaller, priviate liberal arts universities across the country grapple with existential threats, the new president of Illinois Wesleyan University is optimistic about the 174-year-old institution's future.
"I wouldn't have taken a job that was in peril," Sheahon Zenger, IWU's 21st president, said in an interview for WGLT's Sound Ideas. "There are certain indicators that you can tell from far away about who is in trouble and who is not — and part of my job is to make sure Illinois Wesleyan stays out of that category."
Zenger assumed IWU's presidency on July 1, succeeding Georgia Nugent who left the after five years. It's a sort of homecoming, as Zenger was Illinois State University's athletics director from 2005-2011.
"One of the reasons I wanted the job is to be back in Bloomington-Normal: Five incredible high schools, an incredible economic base — I'm grateful for that and we feed off that, as does Illinois State," Zenger said. "We're lucky to be here because it has a good base."
That base of students to draw from informed a recent decision IWU made to offer direct admission to eligible students from several Bloomington-Normal high schools. A pilot program was launched last year, but expanded to five area high schools this year. Zenger called it a way to compete "in our own backyard."
"All things are related to demographic cliff," said Zenger, referring to a long-predicted, forthcoming drop in college-age students. "But I think Illinois Wesleyan is not as challenged as some in that area... We're doing this more as community outreach and sending a message to our friends and family and neighbors that we want you, if you see fit to stay home."
It's possible that direct admission could be offered to other schools in the county, though Zenger said IWU would start with incremental steps before expanding in that manner, if at all.
It's also possible IWU could expand its athletics roster: Zenger said the university is eyeing an unspecified women's sport and could be positioned to make an announcement within a few months.
"If it becomes as dynamic as I think it is, then we would like to be a leader in that sport — really just offering what it is that young people want when they come to college," he said. "That's what we're here to provide."
And as IWU has added some additional majors this year that are more professions-based — supply chain management and communication among them — Zenger said he believes that's the future of liberal arts institutions.
"The demand from the prospective students is for a professional education. So, we in the realm of liberal arts education have to... pivot a little bit," he said. "Somewhere in the last few decades, we leaders in higher education, that's how we got students to come to school: 'Come here and get a job.' I get it — economically, that works. I would argue, 'Come become educated, and then you'll find the right job.' And that's a little bit pie in the sky, but if you're going to be in my job, you have to have a little bit of that idealistic vision of what it should be."
IWU also has added academic certificates in dance and intercultural competence. The dance certificate is in addition to the theater dance minor the university currently offers.
Zenger said IWU is looking to boost enrollment within its schools of music, dance and fine arts; an interim dean of Fine and Performing Arts, J. Klein, has been tasked with overseeing that effort for two years.
"Interim is kind of a squishy term, but it's an opportunity for these three entities to have a defined leader that can help with student recruitment, fundraising and other initiatives they have," Zenger said. "J., being around the corner, down the hall, has direct access to the provost and others in a quicker manner than maybe what you'd have if you had multiple chairs. You have a consolidation of like minds and purposes and visions, and whether that be with donors or with student prospective students, it's an easier get."
Zenger said he's currently in the process of meeting with all departments on campus and alumni, but declined to share the specifics of what he's learned from speaking to faculty, staff and alumni in those settings.
Zenger also said a decision on how IWU will spend a $5 million grant from the state is forthcoming, likely after IWU's next board of trustees meeting this month.
