Peters reports to campus on state budget

NIU President John Peters informed the university community on the new state budget through an all-campus e-mail, sent July 27:

Dear Colleagues,

After a record-setting 58 days of overtime budget negotiations in Springfield, I’m pleased to report that NIU’s FY05 operating budget has been spared any further cuts, and we have received assurances that no further rescissions will be ordered this fiscal year.

Following three straight years of budget cuts and a loss to NIU of nearly $40 million in state funding, news of a “flat” budget (locked in at the same level as last year’s budget) gives us reason to hope that we have reached a turning point in the financial crisis dogging all of Illinois’ public universities.

Beyond that, I believe we achieved a substantial victory this year by convincing public officials that their support for “education” must include higher education. A coalition of university presidents and chancellors, along with faculty, staff, students and alumni worked very hard this session to drive that message home, and we are grateful for their unflagging support.

With an FY05 budget built on FY04 funding levels, our sense of relief must be tempered by the knowledge that we are still operating in a period of unprecedented student demand and seriously limited resources. With that in mind, I have asked NIU senior university leadership to submit new budget plans based on such key priorities as salary competitiveness and academic program quality. Following consultation with our Board of Trustees, I hope to announce more information about the FY05 internal operating budget in about two weeks, and ask for your continued patience as those plans unfold.

Finally, I want to thank our local legislators - Senator Brad Burzynski and Representative Bob Pritchard - for their unwavering support of NIU and all of public higher education. Their efforts, combined with those of their colleagues in the General Assembly, including the legislative leaders, resulted in strong guarantees against further cuts this year. I would also like to thank members of our board, as well as staff in external affairs, finance and facilities, human resources and the provost’s office, for their superb efforts during a very difficult budget negotiation process.

I hope you are having a restful and productive summer, and that you share my enthusiasm for the promise held forth by a new fall semester. Each new entering class renews our sense of purpose, and underscores our commitment to NIU as the university of choice in our region. Thank you for all you do, in good times and bad, to make it so.

John G. Peters
President

8-9-04