As part of a strategic effort to provide enhanced academic and experiential opportunities for students, Western Illinois University is transitioning to a two-college system, effective July 1.
According to a news release sent June 2, the new structure will create the College of Business, Health, and Community Programs (CBHCP) and the College of Humanities, Arts, Sciences, and Education (CHASE).
These newly formed colleges will be focused on student success, career readiness and collaboration across programs. Western currently has four colleges: Arts and Sciences, Education and Human Services, Business and Technology and Fine Arts and Communication.
“Western Illinois University’s new academic structure advances access and opportunity by strengthening collaboration across programs, curriculum and interdisciplinary partnerships,” WIU President Kristi Mindrup said. “Through these connected academic experiences, students will be well prepared for in-demand careers, equipped to adapt in an ever-changing world and empowered to contribute to the quality of life of their communities. Congratulations to the teams who worked collaboratively and thoughtfully to shape this next evolution of WIU.”
Mark Mossman, provost and academic vice president, added this change is designed to enhance administrative efficiency, streamline communications and create more opportunities for interdisciplinary work among our faculty, while still respecting and building on the long-standing traditions, identities and strengths of Western’s programs.
“The new structure is part of a larger ongoing rebuild and reflects broad input from faculty, staff, students and administrators,” he said. “It represents a critical step toward aligning WIU’s academic operations with the needs of our region.”
Cost Savings
In addition to these academic and student- centered benefits, Looney shared the restructuring is expected to generate administrative salary and position savings estimated between $800,000 and $1.3 million. These savings are primarily achieved through the consolidation of leadership and administrative functions and are not the result of employee layoffs. There will no longer be department chairs for each academic program, with those programs falling under a school, which will be led by a director (see below for the list of directors).
“The University views these changes as a necessary and strategic step toward maintaining a strong academic experience, while ensuring responsible stewardship of resources,” she noted.
College & School Leadership
Tara Feld will serve as the inaugural CBHCP dean, bringing more than two decades of experience at WIU to the position. Her leadership priorities include strengthening applied learning opportunities, aligning academic programs with workforce and community needs and fostering a collaborative culture that supports faculty, staff and students during institutional transition.
“The creation of CBHCP provides an opportunity to think strategically about how we align academic programs, student experiences and regional workforce needs,” Feld said. “As we move forward, my priority is to build a collaborative and sustainable foundation that supports academic quality, accreditation expectations, applied learning and long-term student success.”
Kyle Mayborn, who also brings more than two decades of experience at WIU, will serve as the interim CHASE dean. Mayborn most recently served as the interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). He came to Western in 2000 as an assistant professor of Geology.
“In CHASE, the Humanities, Arts, Sciences and Education enrich one another,” Mayborn said. “Creative practice opens new ways of seeing, and scientific inquiry offers new ways of understanding. The Humanities add essential depth, helping students connect knowledge to human experience. Education brings these strengths into practice, preparing future educators to translate insight, creativity and discovery into meaningful learning for others. Together, these fields create an academic community where ideas grow stronger through collaboration.”
According to University Spokesperson Alisha Looney, WIU has recently conducted searches for associate deans. Previously, in addition to the dean position, each college had at least one assistant dean and/or an associate dean. The University plans to announce the remaining leadership structure collectively in the near future to provide a comprehensive overview of how the colleges will operate moving forward.
The newly-formed program structure, and their directors, all of whom are currently on faculty at WIU, include: College of Humanities, Arts, Sciences, and Education (CHASE) School of Education - Jim LaPrad (currently director) School of Humanities - Timothy Roberts (current chair of history) School of Natural Sciences - Sam Thompson (current chair of earth, atmospheric sciences & GIS) School of Social Sciences - Greg Baldi (current chair of political science) School of Visual and Performing Arts Tammy Killian (current associate dean of theatre & dance) College of Business, Health, and Community Programs (CBHCP) School of Accounting and Business - Stephen Gray (current director) School of Agriculture - Keela Trennepohl (current director) School of Applied Clinical, Education, and Professional Programs - Amanda Silberer (chair, speech pathology & audiology) School of Computing, Data, and Mathematical Sciences - Victoria Baramidze (current chair of mathematics) School of Communication, Media, and Experience Industries - Jeremy Robinett (current associate professor of recreation, park, tourism, and hospitality) School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration - Jamie Johnson (current director) School of Nursing, Public Health, and Human Performance - Dr. Patty Eathington (current director) WIU Top Academic Programs
Western’s top programs by enrollment (as of Fall 2025) included law enforcement and justice administration (LEJA) elementary education, general studies, psychology, nursing, agriculture and biology for undergraduate degree programs. LEJA and elementary education previously were housed under the former College of Education and Human Services; agriculture was in the former College of Business and Technology; and psychology, general studies, nursing, psychology and biology fell under the former College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Fine Arts and Communication housed the fine arts programs and communication degree programs.
These undergraduate programs, which are now considered schools and will be managed by a director, will be housed under the following colleges: Law Enforcement and Justice Administration - CBHCP Elementary Education - CHASE General Studies - TBD Psychology - CHASE Nursing - CBHCP Agriculture - CBHCP Biology - CHASE A Plan in Formation
As reported by The Community News Brief (CNB) last year, discussions began internally about the academic reorganization, and a committee was formed to hammer out the details, and come up with a plan. The idea came to light when the CNB received a copy of the memo sent by Western Illinois University President Kristi Mindrup WIU employees outlining a new administrative structure, including the elimination of a vice president position and other cost-saving measures to further streamline the institution’s operations.
“WIU is implementing a strategic administrative realignment that will maximize resources and talent, enhance functional operation, creative synergy across divisions, and reduce administrative cost,” Mindrup stated in the memo. “These changes align resources with institutional priorities, enhance retention efforts, ensure students thrive on and off campus, and contribute to financial sustainability. As WIU adapts to a changing environment, our administrative structure must also evolve … WIU will move forward with an additional reduction to senior leadership, marking the reduction of a third vice president line in recent years.”
Mindrup added that the Division of Academic Affairs was undergoing a reorganization planning period.
“We have the opportunity to strategically reshape Western, which includes a more interdisciplinary approach that brings departments together for the greater good, and to put more resources where we need them, such as student retention and support,” Mindrup told The Community News Brief in a story that ran March 3. “We are a different institution than we were 10, or even five, years ago. We must emphasize our strengths, such as teacher education, agriculture, law enforcement and health care to serve not only our students, but that meet regional and economic development needs. I’m excited about the changes that will really emphasize greater collaboration across academic programs.”
A Look Back
In 1967, academic programs in physical education were joined by health and recreation to form the School (later College) of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.
In 1994, under Western’s ninth president, Donald S. Spencer, the number of academic colleges was reduced from six to four. The reorganization included dissolving the College of Applied Sciences and the College of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER). The College of Education and Human Services resulted from this reorganization.
In 2007, under the direction of then-President Al Goldfarb, the University reorganized its technology department, as well as restructured the WIU-Quad Cities campus, moving the department and Moline campus under the direction of a vice president for Quad Cities, Planning and Technology. In 2010, the College of Business and Technology (CBT) merged six departments housed in Stipes Hall into four departments.
In 2018, former President Jack Thomas announced a proposed academic realignment, including new schools and centers for excellence, some of which did not pan out in the long-run.
