Illinois State president Larry Dietz says he's been told the university could see a 20-percent cut to state funding next year. (WJBC file photo)
By Joe Ragusa
NORMAL – The president of Illinois State University says any potential cut to state funding for the university won't be that severe.
Larry Dietz said he's already been told to anticipate cuts, even for the current fiscal year. Cuts this year could range from five-to-ten-percent, while cuts in fiscal year 2016 could be as much as 20-percent.
But Dietz said the university doesn't expect the actual cuts to be that severe, and even if they are, drastic changes within the university aren't expected.
"We're not anticipating at this point that we would have to have any reductions in staffing right now, but that's never off the table," Dietz said.
Dietz said state funding only accounts for about 18-percent of the university's overall budget, or $74 million, and protecting faculty and staff from any potential layoffs is his top priority. Dietz said there will probably be some deferred on-campus maintenance if the cuts are bad enough.
A first draft of the budget for fiscal year 2016 isn't due until next month. Gov. Bruce Rauner is scheduled to give his first budget address Feb. 18.
Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].
