As much as we all want NIU to be successful, there are some disappointing things happening.

Joe King, NIU associate director of institutional communications, sent an e-mail out that the spring 2017 enrollment rates show a 5.5 percent decrease from spring 2016.
This semester's total enrollment is 17,497 -- a decrease from 18,519.

http://northernstar.info/campus/enrollme...6ddad.html

Even more disturbing is word that NIU athletics terminated positions held by three people who have the most institutional knowledge in the athletic department.
-- Marketing & Communications Special Projects head Brad Hoey -- the guy that who pretty much created and taught everyone who does videos.
-- Convocation Center Associate Director Eric Schultz -- who had to clean up the mess left by the the original Convo Director who robbed from NIU and skipped town.
-- Assistant AD for Facilities and Event Operations Sue Hansfield.

Is it time to terminate Doug Baker?

(02-08-2017 11:26 PM)NiuFootballfan Wrote:  Is it time to terminate Doug Baker?

I never did trust Baker. You can see the athletic department eroding from the outside, its a sad thing.

On a positive note there is talk of a grand bargain to allow passage of an Illinois state budget in the not too distant future. If that were to happen maybe the stadium project could finally get started, which would be most welcome. Crazy talk I know, but we can hope.

Really sorry to hear about Brad and Eric, consider both of them friends! Both have been with NIU a very long time!!!!

(02-08-2017 11:26 PM)NiuFootballfan Wrote:  Is it time to terminate Doug Baker?

I was just thinking this yesterday when I read the article. In his 4 year tenure I truly cannot see one good thing, at least looking from the outside and living in the area. Enrollment is putrid, but his saving grace is so is it at EIU, SiU, and WIU. I wish we were like ISU (god that makes me sick to say) and on the receiving end of the others...and since I just said that I am now want Baker gone. The whole situation is just sad to me.

Oh yeah, and of course with 8,000 less students in the area, DeKalb has struggled as well...think about it, that's a lot of apartments to fill and landlords have to take less desirable people if they want them filled...ugh...but that's another debate in itself

With Illinois being such a train wreck of a state, is this really on Baker? Would someone else do better? IDK....

(02-09-2017 08:20 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  With Illinois being such a train wreck of a state, is this really on Baker? Would someone else do better? IDK....

So explain to me why ISU is at 100% capacity and incoming test scores are at an all time high? Somebody has figured it out.

(02-09-2017 09:09 AM)NIU75 Wrote:  

(02-09-2017 08:20 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  With Illinois being such a train wreck of a state, is this really on Baker? Would someone else do better? IDK....

So explain to me why ISU is at 100% capacity and incoming test scores are at an all time high? Somebody has figured it out.

The towns around isu have had a lot of capital infused. New restaurants and hotels etc...
What has dekalb done in comparison?

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

This is very concerning and sad to see. NIU is slowly falling apart. We are going to become the next Chicago State...

Brad Hoey has been around since maybe 1995?

(02-09-2017 09:44 AM)HuskiesCHI27 Wrote:  This is very concerning and sad to see. NIU is slowly falling apart. We are going to become the next Chicago State...

pump the brakes there big guy. there is a lot that has to happen before we are even in EIU or WIU's position, let alone Chi State.

Dr. Baker has recommended a reduction in funding for Athletics and several athletic programs. This explains these staff adjustments as well as a few others not listed in this thread. This is all part of the Program Prioritization project.

(02-09-2017 11:05 AM)HuskieProf Wrote:  Dr. Baker has recommended a reduction in funding for Athletics and several athletic programs. This explains these staff adjustments as well as a few others not listed in this thread. This is all part of the Program Prioritization project.

The "PPP?"

NIU certainly has a thing for getting rid of long term loyal employees lately.

The ugly side of corporate America. If revenue is down, they can't afford to keep some people.

Brad is Mr. NIU. Just awful. Extremely disappointed to hear this.

(02-08-2017 11:46 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(02-08-2017 11:26 PM)NiuFootballfan Wrote:  Is it time to terminate Doug Baker?

I never did trust Baker. You can see the athletic department eroding from the outside, its a sad thing.

The enrollment stats that have been cited are devastating and give me grave concern for NIU's future.

However, I do not feel that I am in a position to judge Dr. Baker's effectiveness. He inherited a difficult and unfortunate situation. Illinois finances are a hot mess a situation that makes me happy that I no longer reside in the state.

How well did Baker do at Idaho?

DeKalb as a town has grown by almost 10,000 more people since 1990 while NIU is down about 8,000. Really sad that the University hasn't figured out how to counter a "bad reputation". ISU has done a great job becoming the school of choice for all those who don't get into ILLinois.