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Seven Republican senators who represent
cities with state universities will travel to four campuses in the
coming months to discuss the impact of the cuts.
"Gov. Blagojevich has targeted the
state universities for $112 million in cuts for this fiscal year and
next. When added to the cuts and extra fiscal responsibilities they
have had to assume since fiscal year 2002, our universities are
receiving $245 million -- or 16 percent -- less," Watson said.
"University administrators have given us their ideas about what
these cuts will mean to their programs, and now we want to talk with
the people who will be most affected -- faculty and students."
Watson has asked the following state
senators to meet with students and faculty to discuss the impact of
the cuts: Bill Brady, R-Bloomington; Dan Rutherford, R-Pontiac; Rick
Winkel, R-Champaign; Brad Burzynski, R-Sycamore; Dave Luechtefeld,
R-Okawville; Larry Bomke, R-Springfield; and Dale Righter,
R-Mattoon..
Meetings are planned at:
* Illinois State University in
Bloomington, April 15, 9 a.m., at Bone Student Center. Expected to
attend are faculty and student representatives of Illinois State
University and Western Illinois University.
* Northern Illinois University in
DeKalb. Time and location to be announced. Expected to attend are
faculty and student representatives of Northern Illinois University,
Governor's State University, Northeastern Illinois University and
Chicago State University.
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* Southern Illinois University in
Carbondale. Time and location to be announced. Expected to
attend are faculty and student representatives of SIU's Carbondale
and Edwardsville campuses.
* University of Illinois in Champaign.
Time and location to be announced. Expected to attend are faculty
and student representatives of University of Illinois and Eastern
Illinois University.
The lawmakers have already met with
university presidents or their designees to discuss the impact of
the governor's call for cuts within the universities' fiscal 2003
and 2004 budgets.
Attending
the meeting in Watson's Capitol office March 25 were Western
Illinois University President Al Goldfarb, Southern Illinois
University President James E. Walker, University of Illinois
President James J. Stukel, Illinois State University Vice President
for Finance Steve Bragg, Eastern Illinois University Interim
President Louis Hencken, Governor's State University President
Stuart Fagan, Northeastern Illinois University President Salme Harju
Steinberg, Northern Illinois University President John Peters, and
Chicago State University Associate Vice President for Budget and
Risk Management Dean Justmann.
[News release] |
