The author, as do I, ascribes almost all of SIUC's growth during the 1950s and 1960s to Delyte Morris' focus on growing the univeristy through outreach beyond southern Illinois. He developed relationships with and expanded SIUC's reach into half a dozen different countries during his tenure as well as bringing numbers of GIs to study here under the GI Bill. After he was forced out, his relationships and single minded focus left with him. The univeristy, through inertia, continued to grow but more slowly until the 1990s when growth peaked and then started to slowly decline.
No chancellor or president has held the office sufficiently long or with as much dedication as Morris did and the lack of resurgent growth shows. Chancellors continuallyproclaim that this year the univeristy is "turning a corner" towards growth but it never turns far enough. Could SIUC grow again? Sure, but it will need a chancellor with a longer range focus than those over the past 30 years have offered.
SIUC's current decline has little to do with the great man theory (and some of Delyte's Empire building schemes have too many links with the disasters of US Foreign policy) but more to do with the historical climate. America was more affluent in his era. Now, it is in decline. Also student demographics are much lower than in his era. Illinois will be in Zero growth in 20027. Also, the growth in bloated higher administration, the constant scandals such as Poshard plagiarizing his dissertation,( and getting away with it), rising tuition costs, faculty/staff salaries affected by inflation, a future recession (and possible World War?), dumbing down of certain courses, are all relevant reasons why SIUC's final days are imminent. All these factors are more relevant than your great man theory.
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