By Adam Studzinski
NORMAL – Illinois State University has bumped up its tuition as part of an effort to fill a $60 million budget gap.
The schools’ Board of Trustees approved a 3 percent tuition and fees increase for incoming undergraduate students during its meeting Friday morning.
President Larry Dietz explained the budget gap is due to lack of state funding.
“3 percent is a modest increase. It really is only a tad above inflationary costs,” said Dietz. “We had to do that to try to make ends meet.”
Dietz noted the increase will not affect roughly 70 percent of ISU students. He added this is not the only step the university has taken to fill the budget gap.
“We’re being very conservative about hirings. As a matter of fact, we’re not doing very many of those at all at this point. We’re not doing layoffs and furloughs, but there’s over 90 positions that have not been filled,” said Dietz. “We’re not addressing deferred maintenance issues. We’re not buying very much equipment at this point.”
Board Chairman Rocky Donahue said the stop gap funding the state approved last month sent Illinois State $20.9 million. He added “the madness has to stop” and if no more appropriations are approved that will be the equal to the funding the state sent the school in 1970.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at adam.studzinski@cumulus.com.
