Community leaders in the Quad Cities are worried about Western Illinois University and its future plans for the campus in Moline.
Mayor Stephanie Acri says she's learned from meetings with university leaders of their ambitious plans to raise enrollment, but she thinks those plans are focused on the main campus in Macomb.
"When I look at the strategy I see some components of some kind of feeder courses for finishing at Macomb and then some adult courses, but that's not our vision, that's not our vision for that campus."
When the Quad Cities campus expanded into new buildings on the Moline riverfront, she was led to expect an enrollment goal of 3,000, but that hasn't happened.
"I've looked online and I've struggled to understand when we're credited with online students what that means. Are they Quad Cities students, are they Quad Cities professors - what does that mean ? I know that the local student enrollment is down significantly."
For Moline to grow and prosper, Mayor Acri says it needs "a university that has a diverse academic program and a diverse student body."
She has another meeting with WIU President Guiyou Huang on March 2nd.
