President

Recognized as one of the "Best in the Midwest Colleges" by the Princeton Review and one of only 20 public universities ranked a "Tier 1 Midwestern Masters Institution" by U.S. News and World Report, Western Illinois University (WIU) serves approximately 13,000 students in the heart of the Midwest through its traditional residential, four-year campus in Macomb and its upper-division urban commuter location in Moline, Illinois. In addition to the U.S. News and Princeton Review acknowledgments, Western was selected as one of only two Illinois public universities for the Center for Student Opportunity's (CSO) "College Access and Opportunity Guide" for its retention of first-generation and low-income students. Western also received a "Best Practice" recognition from the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity as one of only 13 institutions nationally for the retention of first-generation and low-income students.

Western's campuses are dedicated to providing a high quality, accessible and affordable education. The WIU-Macomb and Quad Cities campuses are comprised of accomplished faculty, state-of-the-art technology and facilities, and a wide range of academic and extracurricular opportunities. The four core values at the heart of the University are academic excellence, educational opportunity, personal growth, and social responsibility.WIU's GradTrac and Cost Guarantee programs ensure that students can achieve their degrees within four years while paying a fixed rate for tuition, fees, plus room and board. WIU remains the only university in Illinois to guarantee the cost for tuition, fees and room and board over a four-year period at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

WIU is a comprehensive university offering 66 undergraduate and 37 graduate degree programs. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1, the University's 762 full-time faculty members teach 93 percent of all undergraduate and graduate courses, in addition to eight preprofessional degree programs and 18 certificate programs.

Western offers a broad-based athletics program, sponsoring 20 intercollegiate sports. Football competes in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision through the Missouri Valley Football Conference; all other sports compete at the Division I level through The Summit League. WIU is the cultural center of the region, with 12 major theatrical and dance productions and more than 12 studio shows presented annually in Western's three theatres. The Bureau of Cultural Affairs and the University Union Board present outstanding concerts, lectures, dramatic presentations, films, and dance attractions. The Gwendolyn Brooks and Casa Latina cultural centers offer programs and activities focusing on the African American and Hispanic cultures, respectively, while the Women's Center promotes gender equity through education, support and advocacy. Western's Unity organization provides support of educational, social, and political goals for the bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender population and their heterosexual allies.

Western's Leslie F. Malpass Library ranks among the finest at comprehensive universities in the United States and features two state-of-the-art electronic classrooms, a wireless computer network, and other ongoing technical improvements. The Malpass Library and its four branches house more than 1 million volumes; and the Library subscribes to more than 100 online databases offering access to more than 30,000 unique journal titles in full text.

WIU-Macomb, IL (Student Population: 10,785): A traditional, residential four-year campus with select graduate programs, WIU-Macomb is located in the heart of west central Illinois in historic Macomb (population 20,000). A tradition of partnership between WIU and the City of Macomb has made Macomb the educational, cultural, and athletic center of the region. Macomb is an Amtrak city with twice-daily service to Chicago. Macomb is located approximately 75 miles from the Quad Cities International Airport (Moline, IL) and 70 miles from the Greater Peoria Regional Airport (Peoria, IL). In addition to having three 18-hole golf courses, Macomb’s recreational offerings include two area lakes with boating, camping and hiking; as well as special annual events such as a Hot Air Balloon Rally, the Al Sears Jazz Festival, Dickens on the Square, and Heritage Days.

WIU-Quad Cities (Student Population: 1,360): The only public university in the Quad Cities area, WIU-QC offers upper-division degree completion programs and select graduate programs at its urban commuter location in Moline, IL (population 44,000) set on a wooded 10-acre site. Thanks to a gift from John Deere and Company and a growing partnership with the City of Moline, plans are underway for the WIU Riverfront Campus in Moline. The Quad Cities (population 376,000) rests on the banks of the Mississippi River and is comprised of Moline and Rock Island in western Illinois and Davenport and Bettendorf in eastern Iowa. This metropolitan area is a family-friendly center for music, the arts, museums, festivals, professional sports, riverboat casinos, shopping, biking, and hiking trails. The Quad Cities is home to the Quad Cities International Airport, and special events and entertainment venues include the Figge Art Museum, the iWireless Center, the John Deere Golf Classic, the Bix, and the John Deere Commons.

Western Illinois University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to diversity. WIU has a non-discrimination policy that includes sex, race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Western Illinois University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.