EIU Media Relations

President Perry Addresses Economic State of the University

Members of the Campus Community:

Our mission, and our public trust, is to deliver academic excellence as a university of opportunity for the citizens of Illinois. EIU serves its students with distinction and supports its faculty and staff in that service. The spring semester is beginning, with our enrollment at the expected levels and with the university prepared to offer the high quality of educational experience for which we are known. We do this in the face of long-delayed state payments of general revenue appropriations.

The state continues to fall behind in its delivery of appropriations to us and the other state universities. At the midpoint of the fiscal year, EIU has received approximately $6 million dollars of our appropriation of just over $50 million. We have budgeted conservatively this year, have continued to seek cost savings, and have sought to expend funds conservatively. These measures have enabled us to use tuition revenue and what general revenue appropriations we have received to meet our personnel and other fiscal obligations to date.

In order to meet our obligations through the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2010) in the uncertain fiscal environment created by delayed delivery of our legislated state appropriations, we must take the following actions, consistent with my previous communications on budget (these actions apply to all funds except for grant funds):

· Except for searches already initiated, all hiring is frozen. Exceptions must be approved by the president.

· All operational spending is being reduced or postponed.

· All equipment purchases are frozen. Exceptions must be approved by the respective vice president.

· Operational cost savings will continue to be implemented.

· Non-safety-related maintenance is being reduced or postponed.

· Travel reimbursement is being reduced or postponed.

I will be meeting with the Council on University Planning and Budget and the executive committees of the Faculty Senate, the Staff Senate, the Student Senate, and the Civil Service Council regarding these actions. Please note that neither furloughs nor layoffs are being implemented at this time. Our goal is to take every action we can short of furlough or layoff to meet our mission of educational excellence and protect the livelihoods of our faculty and staff.

In addition, I will continue to work with appropriate state agencies, our elected representatives, and other university presidents to press the case for timely delivery of our state appropriations for this fiscal year.

EIU's faculty and staff have always delivered excellence regardless of the fiscal circumstances. We will continue to do so. Thank you for all you do for EIU.

Bill Perry, President