The University of Illinois is getting by with no new state funding, as the budget impasse continues in Springfield. U of I President Timothy Killeen says they can continue this way for a few more weeks --- but after that, there could be trouble.
After a month and a half with no state budget, Killeen says the University of Illinois is coping, by relying on tuition revenue, and delayed state funding from last year’s budget, and re-directing some money from the administrative budget over to students in the classroom.
“So you won’t see us falter next week, or the week after or the week beyond,” Killeen said. “But if this gets into, I would say, October and November, December time frame, then we’re looking at very serious negative impacts on the university.”
While a state budget should be approved eventually, Killeen doesn’t know yet how much the U of I will receive.
To eliminate the uncertainty, Killeen proposes what he calls a compact with the state ---- the U of I will agree to perform to the state’s objectives and goals, if the state makes a multi-year funding commitment that will allow the university to plan ahead.
