SPRINGFIELD — Public universities across Illinois are adjusting to a mid-semester change in state support after the Pritzker administration announced a two-percent funding withhold.
While institutions like Eastern and Western Illinois Universities report financial challenges, a debate is underway in the General Assembly over a new formula that would change how the state distributes money to its flagship and regional campuses.
Financial issues at Eastern Illinois University have led to a nearly two-million-dollar deficit. This has resulted in department mergers and some faculty members not having their contracts renewed.
Isaac Slavin, a member of EIU’s Budget Transparency Committee, said the shortfall has led to a closer look at how the school spends its money.
Slavin said that when there is a budget gap, high-cost areas like athletics receive more attention. He questioned whether the university is meeting its mission of providing education while facing these costs.
“We don’t know exactly what those savings are going to be,” Slavin said. “When we asked about overload for faculty or adjuncts to take the place of the people who were gone, we just kind of get a nod and say, ‘yeah, it should be good.’”
The impact is also being felt by students.
EIU Student Government President Claire Weber said the funding gap is affecting the student experience through the loss of faculty members.
“I think a lot of our student body is quite frustrated at the adequacy gap,” Weber said. “Most of the effects that I’ve seen from these layoffs and hiring freezes on students has been losing faculty they really care about, or an academic impact.”
Western Illinois University is also seeing less support as the state holds back millions in funding.
Zach Messersmith, the university’s Director of Governmental Relations, said the school wants a new “adequacy-based” funding formula.
The proposed bill would calculate how much money each university needs based on factors like student enrollment and academic support. Under this plan, state funding would be decided by a mathematical formula instead of by how much each school lobbies lawmakers.
Messersmith said the proposal includes a “hold harmless” rule to make sure no university gets less money than it does now.
While regional universities support the plan, the University of Illinois System is against it. Chief Financial Officer Paul Ellinger said the specific changes would not be good for the flagship system.
“The specific formula that is being proposed does not have good outcomes for the University of Illinois, broadly,” Ellinger said. “The University of Illinois would not benefit from the current formula and the current actions regarding the adequacy gap.”
The perspective from the University of Illinois differs from other schools in part because of where it stands today. Data from the state’s commission shows the U of I System’s flagship campus is closer to its “adequacy target” than any other public university in the state.
Meanwhile, Tim Killeen, president of the University of Illinois System, recently described the governor’s proposed budget as a “vital reinvestment” that has allowed the system to keep tuition increases below the rate of inflation
The equitable university funding bill is currently being reviewed by lawmakers in the House Higher Education and Rules committees.