Illinois State University President Larry Dietz says there will be no layoffs or furloughs on campus at least through the end of the school year. Dietz tells GLT that as Eastern Illinois University announced 200 layoffs and that the campus in Charleston will furlough all of its Administrative and Professional staff through the end of the semester.
Dietz says not at ISU. "We have empathy for our colleagues on the other campuses that are having to take pretty drastic measures. Our strong enrollment, our low debt, good credit ratings, puts us in a little different position."
The University of Illinois has asked academic departments to draw up plans for more cuts next academic year. Dietz says he hopes lawmakers will offer ISU and other universities enough information to plan.
Dietz says planning for various scenarios could continue, but ISU has no idea what the General Assembly will do. He says ISU will take what it is given and be happy for it. He says he does not think lawmakers and the Governor will let another budget year go by without a spending plan.
ISU gets 18% of its total budget from the state. That's 78 million dollars. The campus in Normal has received none of that since the budget year began in July.
