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Macomb, IL – Rich Egger's guest is Western Illinois University President Al Goldfarb, who retires June 30 after nine years in office.
Goldfarb came to WIU after a long career at Illinois State University. Goldfarb will move back to Bloomington-Normal in retirement and plans to take the next year off. He hopes to then return to the classroom - perhaps in Macomb.
During Goldfarb's presidency, WIU implemented its First Year Experience program. He said the program is still being assessed.
"Many programs, academic programs in particular, I like to suggest it takes a long period of time for one to make a strong assessment," Goldfarb said.
Also during Goldfarb's administration, Western added new degree programs such as nursing, engineering, and forensic chemistry. In addition, the school began its first doctoral program.
Goldfarb guided the university through some tough financial times brought on by the state's declining support for higher education. But he hopes his presidency is remembered for the way people were treated.
"Hopefully people will recognize that my desire was to treat everyone with great respect and try to engage everyone on campus so that they felt that they were strong members of the Western Illinois University community," Goldfarb said.