Springfield—The University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its regular meeting today approved a $3.9 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2008 (July 1, 2007-June 30, 2008), a 6.1 percent increase over Fiscal Year 2007.

The State of Illinois provides $726.0 million in operating funds and $441.3 million for employee health and pension plans (“payments on behalf”) in FY 2008. Operating funds increase $13.1 million or 1.8 percent, and payments on behalf $52.7 million, a 13.6 percent increase. State funds make up about 30 percent of the University’s budget.

Total student tuition at the University’s three campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield, plus the University’s online Global Campus, is budgeted at $599.2 million.

Competitive faculty research grants and agricultural programs contribute about $614.0 million or 15.8 percent to the ’08 budget. Gift and endowment income is $151.4 million, an increase of 10.3 percent over FY 2007.

Medical service plans and income at UIC’s hospital total $547.6 million, an increase of $57.5 million.

On the spending side of the budget ledger, the largest outlay is $2.4 billion for salaries and benefits for the University’s faculty and staff. Contractual services are budgeted for $743.7 million.

Permanent improvements on the campus’ physical plants total $51.4 million, a $38.4 million increase over FY 2007. Another increase in FY ’08 is in the purchase of commodities, which include energy components, of $242.9 million, a $14.5 million (6 percent) increase over FY ’07.

The top items on spending as a percentage of the $3.9 billion budget by function are instruction, 21.7 percent; research, 18.7 percent; UIC hospital operations, 12.1 percent; auxiliary and independent operations, 10.3 percent; public service, 9.9 percent; academic support, 8.6 percent.