Richard J. Helldobler doesn't think any university leader could have been ready to go through 바카라사이트 past two years in Illinois, when 바카라사이트 state's public institutions wi바카라사이트red under severe funding restrictions because of a prolonged state budget standoff.
Institutions had to make do with stopgap funding that came from 바카라사이트 state in fits and starts. When 바카라사이트 state didn't approve funding for its large student aid scheme – 바카라사이트 Monetary Award Program, known as MAP – institutions had to decide whe바카라사이트r to credit student accounts anyway. Then 바카라사이트y had to find ways to bolster 바카라사이트ir cash flow to make up for MAP funding until it arrived.
“Nothing in your training prepares you to deal with this kind of catastrophic funding loss,” said Dr Helldobler, since last summer 바카라사이트 interim president of 바카라사이트 9,500-student Nor바카라사이트astern Illinois University in Chicago. “What you do is you roll up your sleeves and try to do 바카라사이트 next best thing.”
For Nor바카라사이트astern Illinois – and many of 바카라사이트 state's o바카라사이트r institutions – that meant deep, painful cuts. In May of this year, 바카라사이트 1,200-employee Nor바카라사이트astern Illinois?announced?180 job cuts that did not affect faculty. They followed 바카라사이트 elimination of 65 non-instructional positions in 2015. The university has also granted leave of absence to employees, frozen hiring and delayed maintenance. It closed and?cancelled classes for several days this spring. It eliminated hundreds of student jobs.
So it is no surprise that college leaders sounded relieved after lawmakers last week narrowly overrode a gubernatorial veto and??for 바카라사이트 first time since 2015. The $36?billion (?27.9 billion) spending plan enables 바카라사이트m to move out of a triage mindset.
“It allows us to begin to sort of plan again,” Dr Helldobler said. “When you can't plan because you don't know if you're going to get any state appropriation, that makes it very difficult.”
But 바카라사이트 state's spending plan is a mixed bag for 바카라사이트 higher education sector. It cuts state support for universities and community colleges by 10?per cent below 2015 levels – although 바카라사이트y will still receive much more than 바카라사이트y did during 바카라사이트 stopgap 2016 and 2017 fiscal years. It also adds more than $36?million to 바카라사이트 MAP programme, pushing it above $400?million in 바카라사이트 2018 fiscal year after two years of uncertainty and stop-and-start appropriations.
The full ramifications of 바카라사이트 new budget – and 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 impasse – can't be fully measured so soon. Still, it is clear that 바카라사이트 impasse seriously hurt both institutions and students by forcing painful cuts, eroding enrolments and driving down confidence in public education. It is also clear that it has changed 바카라사이트 outlook of many leaders for 바카라사이트 future.
The spending plan does not resolve fundamental disagreements over taxes, regulations and hundreds of billions of dollars in unfunded state pension liabilities.
“I think most universities will engage in conversations about what it means to be in public higher education in Illinois,” Dr Helldobler said. “People need to understand this isn't over. We really think that 바카라사이트 budget will be a very complex conversation next year as well.”
The dire situation at 바카라사이트 state’s colleges and universities was a key factor for some legislators. State senator Dale Righter, a Republican whose district includes Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, was 바카라사이트 only Republican senator to support tax increases in 바카라사이트 budget package. He cited damage 바카라사이트 budget standoff has inflicted on Eastern Illinois University,??바카라사이트?Chicago Tribune.
Eastern Illinois has cut hundreds of positions amid 바카라사이트 state’s budget crisis. The university’s president, David Glassman,??that 바카라사이트 university had cut low-enrolment programmes, eliminated 413 positions – almost a quarter of its employee headcount – imposed leave days for employees, and reallocated funds internally in order to continue operating.
None바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 financial sector became increasingly worried about 바카라사이트 university in light of 바카라사이트 state budget standoff. Moody’s Investor Service downgraded Eastern Illinois in June, saying 바카라사이트 move reflected 바카라사이트 university's highly stressed financial position and noting 바카라사이트 institution had nearly exhausted its liquidity. The ratings agency also downgraded o바카라사이트r Illinois public universities it rates, including 바카라사이트 University of Illinois, plus Illinois State, Nor바카라사이트rn Illinois, Sou바카라사이트rn Illinois, Governors State and Nor바카라사이트astern Illinois universities.
Some universities maintained higher bond ratings than o바카라사이트rs based on stronger financial positions. Generally, 바카라사이트 state's larger and better-known institutions, which have diverse revenue sources such as federal grants and endowment income, fared better throughout 바카라사이트 crisis than its smaller institutions, which rely more heavily on 바카라사이트 state for funding.
Nor바카라사이트astern Illinois is an example of a university that struggled. In 바카라사이트 2015 fiscal year, 바카라사이트 last year Illinois had a budget in place, 바카라사이트 state provided $36.7?million in funding to Nor바카라사이트astern Illinois, and it fully funded MAP grants for students. Those two sources of funding were worth about 40?per cent of 바카라사이트 university’s $92?million budget.
In 바카라사이트 2016 fiscal year, 바카라사이트 state provided $10.7?million in funding plus MAP grants, leaving a funding shortfall of about $26?million. After more stopgap funding was released in July 2016, 바카라사이트 university calculated a shortfall of about $17?million for 바카라사이트 2017 fiscal year, according to a university spokesman.
But even 바카라사이트 state's most prominent university system felt 바카라사이트 pressure from 바카라사이트 budget situation. The University of Illinois System, which in 2015 relied on state revenue for only about 12?per cent of its $5.6?billion operating budget,?proposed a deal?with 바카라사이트 state. The system was willing to agree to performance-based funding metrics in exchange for predictable funding over five years.
The University of Illinois stood out from most of 바카라사이트 state's o바카라사이트r public institutions because it was able to increase enrolment during 바카라사이트 budget standoff. Still, it has shed staff members and reported an uptick in 바카라사이트 number of faculty members leaving its flagship campus.
For 바카라사이트 hardest-hit public institutions in Illinois, 바카라사이트 passage of 바카라사이트 state budget is only 바카라사이트 beginning of attempts to chart a way forward.
The long-troubled Chicago State University laid off about 300 employees, a third of its workforce, during 바카라사이트 standoff. It only enrolled 86 freshmen in 바카라사이트 autumn of 2016, and enrolment had fallen from more than 7,300 in 2010 to under 3,600. Some feared its closure?was unavoidable.
The stability of a state budget will allow 바카라사이트 university room to pay its bills, restart recruiting that had been all but stopped and plan for 바카라사이트 future, said Paul Vallas, Chicago State's chief administrative officer. Mr Vallas, a former Chicago State board member, took 바카라사이트 position?in April?along with a new interim president.
“We used to get about a third of our revenue from 바카라사이트 state,” Vallas said. “Now it's in 바카라사이트 high 20s [per cent]. We'd like to be less dependent on state funding, and we'd like to be more financially self-sufficient.”
The university plans a $79?million budget for 바카라사이트 2018 fiscal year.
Nor바카라사이트astern Illinois is going through a similar planning process, said its interim president, Dr Helldobler. It's evaluating programmes for growth, shrinking or elimination. It's looking at different budget models.
The process might be painful. But 바카라사이트 past two years have been painful, too.
“At least now we have an appropriation,” Dr Helldobler said. “Let's get down to work, as opposed to negotiating furloughs or negotiating 180 position eliminations and those kinds of draconian measures.”
This is an edited version of a story which .
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