ISU President delivers first presidential address; details financial hardships during COVID-19

Illinois State University President Dr. Terri Goss Kinzy. (Photo courtesy: Blake Haas/File)

By Blake Haas

NORMAL – On her 82nd day in office, Illinois State University’s first female President is touting vaccination rates among the school’s students, faculty, and staff but detailed financial hardships during the pandemic.

In her first address as President, Dr. Terri Goss Kinzy said the University is funded at 43% lower than the statewide average, as the University received $69.6 million in state funding in 2020-21.

Compared to the rest of the state, Dr. Kinzy said the University received an average of $3,820 per student compared to the statewide average of $6,689 per student.

“However generous that aid is, it will only cover about 65% of our anticipated COVID expenses, lost revenues, and refunds. Which means we still as of this time, have a loss of $25 million.”

Dr. Kinzy said the University had received around $52 million in appropriation, despite the budget shortfalls.

“So what’s next? During the last legislative session, the Illinois General Assembly passed, and the Governor recently signed the Commission on Equitable Public University Funding Act, creating the commission on equitable on university funding to recommend specific data-driven criteria and approaches to adequately equitably and stably fund public universities in this state. And most importantly, to evaluate existing funding methods.

My personal goal is to represent Illinois State on this commission and be integral to moving Illinois State University toward a stable and equitable funding formula.”

During the pandemic, the University received $16 million from the CARES Act, $25 million from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II) as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), and $44 million in the third round of funding from the HERF fund.

The President did tout some good news as 93% of faculty and staff, 83% of University Housing Students, and 76% of all enrolled students are fully vaccinated.

“As a biomedical scientist, who for decades has studied the messenger RNA that forms the basis of two of three of the COVID-19 vaccines in this country, I want to take yet another opportunity to encourage members of the Illinois State University community and those around us to strongly consider vaccination if they have not done so already.”

In the past week, 36 students tested positive for COVID-19. Since the start of the school year, 206 students have tested positive for COVID-19.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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