In a year with no state budget and no prospect of a budget for next year, Illinois State University is taking its best guess at planning for the future.
Vice President Greg Alt said ISU is asking Deans and Department Chairs to plan for about a 22 and a quarter percent decrease in state support, based on Governor Rauner's budget proposal.
"That'll translate to a revenue reduction of $16.5 million in cuts," said Alt. "From that, departments would reduce their budgets, that would be in the four percent range of what they would have."
The starting place for that planning exercise is the appropriation two years ago, with some subtracted for a mid year cut. Alt said that amount is about what the University is planning to spend during the current fiscal year.
Alt also said the University is developing plans for only a modest tuition increase to be approved by Trustees later this spring or summer.
Another scenario ISU has worked out would involve a 31% reduction in state money. He said even that plan involves no layoffs, just deferred maintenance.
ISU has left 94 positions vacant. Alt said the vacancies are reducing expenses by about four million dollars a year.
