Speeches and statements
UI President Statement on FY07 Higher Education BudgetPresident B. Joseph White University of Illinois President B. Joseph White issued the following statement in response to the Fiscal Year 2007 budget recommendation by Gov. Rod Blagojevich: "I support the Governor's higher education agenda as spelled out in the fiscal year 2007 budget and commend him for providing additional operating funds that support our core education mission. "After four years of cuts or no growth in operating funds for public universities in Illinois, this additional revenue will allow us to provide more of the access and excellence in instruction and public engagement that Illinois citizens expect from their flagship public university and our three campuses. "Throughout the fiscal crisis of the last half-decade the U. of I. has preserved quality through difficult cost reductions and internal reallocations. We intend to continue to make the wisest use of every dollar entrusted to us by the state, tuition payers, donors and our research partners. "Well-maintained facilities and infrastructure, in addition to academic excellence, are a priority at the University of Illinois. We must find the resources from the state as well as our students and private donors, to address a serious and growing backlog of deferred maintenance and facilities needs. For this reason, I support the Governor's effort to find secure capital funds to invest in the state's public universities." --- The University of Illinois educates 70,000 students on campuses in Chicago, Springfield and Urbana-Champaign and has an operating budget for fiscal year 2006 of nearly $3.6 billion. The governor's FY07 budget recommendation includes a 1.5% increase, or additional $10.4 million, in the University's direct general revenue fund appropriation. The University's operating funds appropriation would increase to $710.5 million from $700.1 million. ### |
