Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1988 [PAGE 327]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1987]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

317

year will remain at the present level, with the expectation that further reductions will be m a d e by the governor within the next few days. T h e president noted that the State's revenue problems remained unsolved at the time of adjournment of the General Assembly. T h e University's appropriation for 1987-88 effectively has been cut by $35 million below the governor's original budget request for the University as presented to the legislature. Further reductions by the governor could reduce die budget by a n additional $15-$25 million. T h e implications are as follows: there will be no general salary increases, a tragic situation resulting in a weaker competitive status for the University; the improvement of recent years will be swept away. T h e University will confront inevitable cost increases of approximately $6 million. There will be no funds for new programs or program improvement. T h e situation will touch virtually every aspect of the University's operations. T h e president said that every effort will be made to minimize the damage. There will be an attempt to shield academic programs and protect their quality and to design a broad strategy that will be both equitable and effective. T h e deans of die colleges have been alerted that they will face reductions, perhaps of 2-4 percent. Programs of renovation and maintenance will be interrupted or deferred. It is a virtual certainty that a recommendation will be m a d e to the Board of Trustees for a significant increase in tuition, possibly effective in the second semester of next year. There is no intent, however, to place an inequitable burden on students; rather, perhaps two-thirds of the needed monies will come from sources other than tuition. Introduction of Senate Observers President Ikenberry recognized and introduced observers from the campus senates and from the University Senates Conference. 1 OLD AND NEW BUSINESS Trustee Gravenhorst reported briefly on her service with die advisory committee to the West Suburban Regional Academic Consortium, as did Mr. Howard who attended (for Trustee Smith) the recent Illinois Board of Higher Education meeting. Trustee Forsyth reported for the State Universities Retirement System Board of Trustees that James A. Gentry, professor of finance at the University of Illinois at U r b a n a (and member of the Board of Trustees of SURS) had been elected president of the board.

* University Senates Conference: A. E. Zaki, professor of histology, Chicago campus; UrbanaChampaign Senate Council: Kenneth £. Andersen, professor and associate dean in the^College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Chicago campus Senate: Stanley K. Shapiro, professor of biological sciences.