Illinois budget crisis touches all stakeholders of state universities

A stark reality faces the University. Illinois is woefully behind on paying the universities nested within this state, almost $750 million to the different University of Illinois campuses alone. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the money will come any time soon.

Therefore, the University has decided on some drastic measures just to stay operational. Part of the cuts involved may actually be people. As in nearly all budget crises, layoffs are part of it.

Other budget cuts include mandatory furlough days for most staff, administrators and faculty. Well, it is either that, or they can take a direct pay cut. The result for the bottom line will be effectively the same, it will just be less noticeable if they continue working and suffer silently. Like the graduate students I picketed with last semester, the faculty will probably not take these mandatory furloughs sitting down.

These furlough days will put a name and a face to the people these mandatory salary reductions are affecting. It is not just someone who sits behind a desk that we see only on the wall of the Union. These are actual teachers and administrative staff that we interact with on a daily basis — and depend on. These cuts are affecting them, too.



Other ways to cut costs are affecting the next level in the University. Department to department, cuts in funding graduate students have been made. These cuts involve everything from not continuing to fund existing graduate students to not accepting potential future students into graduate programs. Basically, the graduate school is folding in upon itself in search of some relief from this budget crisis as well. Unlike professors, graduate students are not permanent employees of the University and their funding is more easily cut.

The last level, undergraduates, will also suffer the consequences of this spiral of cutting costs. Student fees are about to increase. General fees, including health fees, will suffer almost a 3 percent increase. Housing costs will also increase by almost 5 percent. For those of you living in the residence halls, this means that your living costs will increase. More of what you get from your parents or earn through your job will now have to go to fees and housing. Hopefully, these cost cuts for the campus and cost increases for the undergraduates will save the University. We are already running on fumes; these measures should allow a few more drops of gas to be dumped into the tank.

However, I am wondering what is in store for the future. Even with these measures being taken, the University cannot survive like this forever. At some point, Illinois will have to pay up. When, exactly, will be is an issue all unto itself. Obviously, the state wants to put off that painful process as long as possible. But, while it is suffering from the delay syndrome, universities around the state are suffering from lack of funding and attempts to cut whenever possible.

University of Illinois isn’t alone in its budget crisis. My undergraduate university, Southern Illinois University- Carbondale, is also suffering reductions. Illinois is a state with a great number of universities, which have always been known for great academic achievements and the production of quality students. Unfortunately, the state is also known for corrupt politicians and a bad budget. In this case, the universities and students again fall prey to the corrupt politics and bad budgetary choices of our state. Will we continue to be known for our great education system? Only if we can hold on to the undergraduates, graduates and professors that make the University what it is. If we lose them to competing universities because of budgetary problems, the situation here could indeed turn bleak.

I sincerely hope that the universities can withstand the pressures. I would hate for my education to suffer because of lack of foresight by some unconcerned politicians.

Colleen Lindsay is a graduate student.