By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Eric Jensen has been on the job for one month as Illinois Wesleyan University’s president.

Jensen told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin it’s been a learning experience for him.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Jensen on WJBC. 

“Moving to Illinois has been illuminating the political process is different here than it is in some other states,” Jensen said. “The way in which funds are allocated and dispersed for example to universities is a little different here.”

Jensen came to IWU from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn. where he was provost.

He said private schools like IWU should do a better job of explaining how financial aid makes them competitive in tuition with public universities.

“That’s not the picture you get,” Jensen said. “If you read the paper you hear about tuitions that are increasing. That’s partly our fault, we have a very complicated pricing model.”

Jensen says many university are still in a post-recession mode of belt-tightening. He said IWU needs to maintain strong student-to-faculty ratios so students get the classroom attention they need.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].