Public universities seek promised state funds

By Admin on February 9, 2010

Presidents of the state’s public universities this morning urged the state to pony up promised funding and commit to a reliable payment schedule for 2010.

“We are all surprised that things could get as perilous as they are,” said University of Illinois President Stan Ikenberry at a morning news conference.  “We owe it to the people of Illinois and the future of Illinois to seek a prompt resolution.”
He said the financial hole is so deep, the state will not be able to “cut or tax its way out of the hole. It will require both.”

The State of Illinois is $735 million behind on payments to the
universities as of last week, according to a letter signed by
presidents and other top administrators from the University of
Illinois, Illinois State University, Southern Illinois University,
Northern Illinois University, Chicago State University and other 4-year
institutions.
 
“Everyone has been treated equally badly,” said NIU President John Peters at the news conference.

The leaders said they had already taken many measures to cut costs and
postpone payments to vendors. The U. of I. has instituted a hiring
freeze, and faculty and administrators are required to take unpaid
furlough days this semester.

“We have drawn down our available resources, and we are now counting on
tuition dollars to keep our doors open for students beginning the new
spring semester. Still, no amount of cutting and sacrifice can make up
for the absence of hundreds of millions of dollars in State
Appropriation payments,” said the letter, which was sent to Gov. Pat
Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes.

The backlog in state bills has hit $5.1 billion, an all-time high, as
the state struggles to make payments to contractors and vendors that
supply state government with basic products and services.

Throughout Illinois, social service agencies have voiced similar
complaints because state payments are months behind, causing a scaling
back in assistance for people with physical and mental disabilities as
well as cuts in treatment for alcoholism and drug use. Some
organizations have laid off staff.

–Jodi S. Cohen and Ray Long

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