University of Illinois President Tim Killeen says he expects state leaders to adopt a full-year’s budget, once funding from a new stopgap measure runs out.
Killeen says he hopes for a ‘return to normalcy’ from legislators after the November election, without having to rely on more short-term funding plans.
He and other university leaders have addressed lawmakers in recent months on staying afloat during the budget impasse… and the role of higher education in Illinois. Killeen says that will continue this summer:
“We’ll be visiting with our legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle and making that case. But it’s time to really normalize, and rectify the funding basis for public higher education so that we can live up to the promise – Illinois families in particular,” he said.
Tuesday on the public radio talk show, ‘The 21st’…Killeen discussed ways the U of I cut costs over the past fiscal year.
He says that included streamlining administrative functions...holding off on pay raises, and tapping into funds that would have been used for IT upgrades.
Killeen says the impasse also did its share of reputational damage, affecting how faculty at the U of I feel about their jobs.
He says if a stopgap funding measure ends up just pushing the can down the road… it begs the question of what’s next.
