U Of I Delays Raises Until State Budget Impasse Is Settled

Raises for faculty and staff at the University of Illinois are on hold, while the administration waits to learn how much funding it’s receiving from the state.

U of I President Timothy Killeen says in a mass e-mail sent out Tuesday that he’s putting off decisions on new salary levels for the upcoming academic year, until officials in Springfield come to agreement on a state budget.  Killeen writes that he hopes “this period of uncertainty will pass soon”, and that salary levels will be revisited, once the state budget impasse in resolved.

The University of Illinois "continues to press the case for robust state support for public higher education at each and every opportunity", Killeen wrote in his e-mail to university colleagues.

Back in February, Governor Bruce Rauner proposed a 31 percent cut in state funding for higher education.  Budget legislation passed by the General Assembly in May would cut the funding by about 6-point-5 percent.

Text of Killeen's e-mail:

July 28, 2015

Dear Colleagues,

We are mid-way through the summer and nearly a month into fiscal 2016, and each week that passes without a state budget from Springfield clouds the near-term future and leaves us unable to finalize the University’s fiscal 2016 operating budget.

Normally by this point we would be completing budgets and plans for the new fiscal and academic year, a checklist that includes the annual salary program for faculty and staff. It is imprudent to determine a 2015-16 salary program without knowing the University’s state appropriation, and we do not know how long the Statehouse budget impasse will last. Nevertheless, we must proceed with the 2015-16 academic personnel appointments, to be presented to the Board of Trustees in September.

Therefore, we are temporarily deferring consideration of a 2015-16 salary program until after the state budget is settled and we know exactly what has been promised as our appropriation. Reappointments will be made at the current salaries. The salary program deferral applies to all personnel regardless of the funding line for the appointment. Once the state budget situation is resolved and the U of I deals with any adjustment in our spending plan that may be required, we will revisit the subject of salaries for 2015-16.

We hope that this period of uncertainty will pass soon. The University continues to respond to all inquiries from the Governor's office and the legislature, and continues to press the case for robust state support for public higher education at each and every opportunity.

Your patience and service to the University of Illinois is deeply appreciated.

Sincerely,

Tim Killeen
President