UI and SIU Presidents Argue Against More Cuts to Higher Education

If their budgets are cut by ten percent ... leaders of two state universities in Illinois say they'll have to lay off staff and raise tuition even higher.

Legislators are beginning to craft next year's Illinois budget ... and reductions in higher education spending is a strong possibility. One Senate plan would cut state appropriations to the state's public universities by ten percent.

University of Illinois interim President Stan Ikenberry told state senators Wednesday that amounts to a 74 million dollar blow.

"It would require draconian cuts in our staff", says Ikenberry. "Let me put it this way, this year, already, we have made roughly eight and a half percent of budget cuts plus we've instituted furloughs and layoffs."

Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard says a reduction in state support to higher education will inhibit the state's long-term economic growth.

"Continuing on the same old path of budget cuts and tuition increases will without questions further reduce accessibility and affordability to low and moderate income families", says Poshard.

Poshard says SIU has had a hard time this year because the state is so behind on making its payments to the school.

He says a borrowing plan approved Wednesday by the Illinois Senate would help SIU.

It would allow Illinois' nine public universities to take out short-term loans that would have to be paid back within a year.

Poshard says SIU has received only 23 percent of the money it's owed from the state. Ikenberry says the U of I has received 18 percent of its appropriation.