Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1976 [PAGE 623]

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612

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[May 19

with the average salaries of Big Ten universities is not, in my view, the kind of parity our people deserve. I can find no logic to support our being at less than third place among these institutions and compelling logic to argue that we should be in first place in salaries as we are in so many other areas of academic quality. Had tuition over the past three years increased at about $35 per year (an increase of about 7 percent per year), we would at least have maintained salaries at a Big Ten average level, would not now have tuition levels as high as several in the Big Ten, and would not be faced with legislative arguments which now, ironically, are claiming that we are unwilling to ask students to share increases with the General Revenue Fund. It is clear to me from discussions with legislators, with gubernatorial candidates, and with legislative and executive branch staff personnel and from a review of data relating to comparable institutions, that our tuition level must go up in 1977-78. In fact, conditions dictate consideration of tuition increases for midfiscal 1977 as we continue to gather data concerning the salary status of our people. I believe that most students and most parents understand that it is better to pay slightly more for quality than to pay the same rate and receive declining quality. Recent Illinois State Scholarship Commission (ISSC) data reveal that families in Illinois with incomes up to $23,000 per year can receive financial aid up to one-half of tuition and fees. No Big Ten state offers university students the kind of financial aid offered in Illinois, and Illinois has reconfirmed its support of ISSC programs through recent legislative and gubernatorial action to approve supplemental appropriations to ISSC for this year to meet obligations in full. To summarize — predictions that FY 1977 would be a difficult year for higher education in Illinois are proving to be correct although the action of the Senate Appropriations Committee last week may indicate that the year will not be as disastrous as was feared. As we continue to seek our fair share of Illinois tax revenue, we must face the virtual inevitability of tuition increases for 1977-78 and even the possibility of increases in mid 1976-77. We obviously must continue to strive to do an always better job in describing and demonstrating the quality of our faculty and staff and the contributions they make through hard and dedicated work to the quality and to the strength of Illinois. In the discussion of this report, President Neal indicated that, although the Trustees might differ at some points on sources of income to meet University needs, there was n o question of Board unanimity in support of maintaining the quality of the University. He identified the deferred expansion in medical programs, the delayed evening programs for Chicago Circle, and the inadequacy of faculty salaries as examples of unmet needs requiring serious legislative and public attention. He stated that the Board would act responsibly when the alternatives were clearly known, pointing out, however, that in the case of tuition income, the Board could not act unilaterally; any action it might take would require the involvement of both the legislative and executive branches of the State government. H e expressed the hope that there would be increased general understanding of the depth of the University's needs and of the significance of its maintaining high quality in its services and staff. NEW BUSINESS Mr. Neal recognized and introduced Mr. Keith Volgman, the newly elected student trustee from U r b a n a , who was attending the meeting as an observer.