University of Illinois Extension Will Close 12 Centers, Cut 46 Administrative Jobs

Faced with a $5.5 million budget cut proposed by Governor Quinn, the University of Illinois Extension says it will close 12 of its regional Extension Centers around the state, and eliminate 46 administrative positions.

The regional centers house Extension Educators, who will now do their work elsewhere. Extension spokesman Gary Beaumont says the goal is to trim expenses, with a minimal impact on the services they provide.

"What we're trying to do is reduce rental costs, and keep more people around", says Beaumont, "especially the people who deliver education programs. So that's why the Centers have been targeted. And our goal is to move our educators to county offices."

Extension Centers in Carbondale, Effingham, Macomb, Mount Vernon and the Chicago suburb of Matteson will close on or about June 30th. Centers in Champaign, Springfield, East Peoria, the Quad Cities, Rockford, Edwardsville and the Chicago suburb of Countryside will close as soon as possible, depending on their leases

Beaumont says the 46 administrative positions being cut will result in fewer than 46 people leaving, because many of those positions have been vacant. In addition, Beaumont says some of the administrators have applied to leave on their own, under the U of I's Voluntary Separation program.

But the closures and job cuts are only the first phase of reductions planned by the U of I Extension. Beaumont says plans are being made to consolidate county offices down to just 30. And he says there will eventually be cuts made in the number of Extension educators and civil service secretarial positions.