University of Illinois

Speeches and statements

Remarks to Senate Higher Education Appropriations Committee

President B. Joseph White
University of Illinois
March 25, 2009

Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you.

I will be brief to ensure we focus on matters of interest to you.

First and foremost, thanks to each of you for your support of the University of Illinois. Thank you, also, to individual Senators for your help on many matters.

You, representing the people of Illinois, are the single largest stakeholder in the University, providing $1 of every $4 in our budget. I believe there is abundant evidence that the state’s investment in the University over the last 142 years has been wise and productive. Today, the University of Illinois is the state’s most valuable asset to create a prosperous future for our citizens and state.

This is truer today than ever, because we meet at a time of serious economic distress and personal hardship for millions in America and in Illinois.

Trustees of the University and I are mindful of this difficult situation in two specific ways.

First, this is not a good time to impose a stiff tuition increase on students and their families. We intend to do our very best to minimize any increase. Even modest increased support from the state, as recommended by the Governor, would help us greatly in this regard.

Second, we face many problems as a nation and state and the answer to most of them is more and better education for our people. The University of Illinois is a big part of this answer In our state, with three campuses and 70,000 students. And our Global Campus is working in partnership with junior colleges to develop quality, affordable, accessible higher education for our citizens wherever there is a high speed Internet connection.

The University of Illinois is for all the citizens of the state. We educate over 10,000 African-American and Latino students. The Urbana campus is #1 among Big Ten universities in underrepresented minority student enrollment; if UIC were in the Big Ten, UIC would be #1 and Urbana would be #2.

I am thrilled that President Obama has set a goal to restore America to the #1 position in the world for our people, in America and Illinois, to receive a college education. We led the world for decades. Now we have slipped to #10. Regaining leadership in this regard is not just a matter of pride; it is essential if we are to have a prosperous future.

I deeply believe that the University of Illinois, through education, a $600 million externally funded research enterprise, and a large health science education and clinical care operation, is a cornerstone of future prosperity for our state and its citizens.

We would be grateful for even a small increase in operating support during these very difficult budget times. Equally important, we desperately need a construction program – a capital bill – to address our highest priority needs after half a dozen years of capital starvation. Lincoln Hall, the Petascale Computing Facility, and Electrical and Computer Engineering in Urbana; Dentistry and Pharmacy in Chicago; the College of Medicine in Rockford, and least glamorous but probably most important, repair and renovation funds to protect the state’s massive investment in the University – these are our capital priorities.

Looking ahead, we have begun forging a plan to renovate and expand the University’s hospital in Chicago, where we provide university-quality healthcare.

Again, thank you for your support of the University of Illinois. I welcome your comments and questions.