SIUE union urges trustees not to reappoint chancellor, cites spending and retaliation concerns

Amy Bodenstead, representing AFSCME Local 2887 Council 31, told the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees during public comment that Chancellor James T. Minor should not be reappointed.

Bodenstead said the chancellor “has consistently ignored the expertise and input of SIUE employees” and accused him of decisions that waste university funds and harm morale. “He has demonstrated no real interest in our students, their welfare, or the long term health of this university,” Bodenstead said.

The union speaker cited several specific complaints: a branding effort based on what she described as a survey of about 100 students that led to repainting a water tower and replacing signage; disposal of logo merchandise rather than discounting it; what she described as roughly $500,000 in water-tower repainting costs and other rebranding expenses; and a proposed “about a million dollars” purchase of cushioned outdoor seating for the quad. Bodenstead also said wrapping placed on fire-rated doors and metal banner frames attached to building exteriors raised safety concerns and that quad lighting installations were reportedly called out by the fire marshal as not meeting code.

Bodenstead alleged the university architect was demoted after raising safety concerns and said staff who report problems face retaliation or removal. She described hiring freezes in many departments while higher-paying, nonposted positions were created, and said temporary agency hires were used instead of filling building service positions. She also told trustees the university’s accounting system is “decades old” and that administrators have not produced an itemized budget for transparency.

The AFSCME representative closed by urging trustees not to rehire Chancellor Minor, saying reappointment would “send a devastating message to employees, students, and their families.” The speaker said the union had emailed a statement to the board and wished to ensure it was heard before the meeting concluded.

The remarks came during the board’s public-comment period; the transcript does not record a response from the board or any formal action on the chancellor’s appointment during the meeting.

Clarifying details from the public comment include the union’s estimates (about $500,000 for the water tower repainting and other rebranding costs, and a cited proposal of roughly $1 million for outdoor seating), the union’s claim that a survey of about 100 students was used to justify rebranding, and multiple allegations of unsafe building modifications and retaliation reported by staff.

The board’s agenda later included other items — campus presentations and the FY26 operating budget discussion — but no recorded vote on the chancellor’s employment appeared in the provided transcript excerpt.