Circling the drain. - Anonymous employee Upper Iowa University Employee Review

$8.2 million operating loss last year. Debt downgrade to junk status with negative outlook. Militaristic, authoritarian leadership. Ruling through fear and firing or driving off anyone who might question the direction of the university. Board leadership that went from being asleep at the wheel as the university burned through millions in reserves through construction cost over-runs, non-existent budgeting, and ridiculous tuition discounting to micromanaging and ultimately shutting out all stakeholders from the ultimate decision in the presidential search process. Many new members of executive team appointed by presidential fiat. Zero attempt at shared governance. Removed due process rights of faculty members. Staff and faculty morale is awful. Student morale at Fayette is not much better due to a 10% bump in tuition and fees. Next year's budget balanced by assuming that 10% tuition and fee increase would combine with an almost 10% increase in Fayette enrollments.