a need surfaced for further expansion. Today, the Macomb campus consists of 53 buildings over 1,050 acres (424.9 ha). Sherman Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Western's presence in the Quad Cities spans more than 40 years. In Fall 1960, the university offered its first undergraduate course in the Quad Cities.
In 2016 and 2017, WIU saw a major downsizing and exodus of faculty and staff as a consequence of state budget cuts and declining undergraduate enrollment.
== Academics ==
Western Illinois University is composed of four academic colleges:
Arts & Sciences
Business & Technology
Education & Human Services
Fine Arts & Communication
In addition Western Illinois also offers an Honors College and the School of Extended Studies, which includes nontraditional programs. In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked the university #39 (tie) out of 167 Regional Universities Midwest and, as a Midwest Regional University, #17 in Best Colleges for Veterans (tie), #51 in Best Value Schools, #38 …
