10 months and still no budget

The lack of clarity on available funds has state institutions skittish. ISU is unsure how much funding they will receive for 2015 and 2016, leaving U-High’s administration unsure how much funding will come from ISU.

“About one eighth of the Laboratory schools budget consists of direct funds for clinical experience programs,” superintendent Jeff Hill said. “I haven’t been told if that’s going to be adjusted in any way, so we are just waiting to see. The situation we are in right now is, we got our funding this year (from the state’s general state aid) and the rest of the University did not.”

According to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s 2015 budget “the plan proposed a budget to cut state funding by 31.5% for higher education.” Over the past 12 months, there has been a fierce budget battle between Gov. Rauner and House Speaker Michael Madigan.

It remains unclear how higher education will be affected by last year’s and this year’s budget. Governor Rauner has stated in the past that he plans to cut administrative budgets for universities to make them more efficient. Proclaiming in the 2016 State of the State address that his goal was to, “Empower our universities and community colleges to reduce their administrative costs.”

“Next year we are looking to pretty much to be in a holding pattern,” Hill said while discussing how to prepare for the uncertain future. “I don’t see any significant cuts coming, but we are also projecting. Last year we reduced some funding in teaching assistance and student support.”

A New York Times report found that administrative costs have grown faster than actual teaching costs. “Administrative staff at universities has risen 60% in 16 years and outpaced the growth of tenured teaching positions by 10 times,” the report stated.

Part of the state’s budget crisis revolves around the large amount of unfunded pensions. To help curb the cost of pensions in the future, the state has introduced new requirements.

“They are now holding the new young teachers to a whole new level,” assistant principal Steve Evans said. “You have to teach until you are old. The profession just isn’t as attractive anymore. But right now, the lab schools are pretty secure and safe (regarding funding).”

While both parties, represented by Speaker Madigan (D) and Governor Rauner (R), publicly stated that they are ready for compromise and a bipartisan solution, no one seems to be ready to take the first step.

According to a spokeswoman for Gov. Rauner’s office, “New revenue cannot be discussed until we address the underlying issues that contributed to Illinois’ fiscal crisis are solved.”