Allerton, or Robert Allerton Park, is a park and conference center owned by the University of Illinois in Monticello, IL – about at 20 minute drive from campus. The grounds were used as a country house by Robert Allerton, the heir to a Chicago banking and stockyard fortune, before he moved to Hawaii in 1949 when the grounds and buildings were given to the University of Illinois.

It is a great area, used by many University groups – students, faculty, and stuff – for conferences, leadership retreats, and other important events. A well-known part of Allerton to students is the Ropes Course, used to teach teamwork and leadership.

Unfortunately, Allerton recently announced that due to University budget tightening, some of their programs must be discontinued.

Citing tight finances, Allerton Park has placed several programs on hiatus, including day camps and music concerts.

Summer day camps for children will not be offered, but the 4-H Memorial Camp programs will continue.
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The Music in Nature Concerts, which were held outdoors in the park during the summer, will not be held this year. However, the University of Illinois School of Music’s Allerton Music Barn Festival in early September is still on.

“Given the university budget and the state budget situation, we’re trying to be as careful as possible. We want to be as careful with our resources as we can,” said Jim Gortner, the park’s associate director.

News-Gazette: Lack of money forces Allerton Park to cut programs
University of Illinois: Robert Allerton Park

The recent economic fluctuation has finally taken its tole on the University of Illinois. In a MASSMAIL this morning, Chancellor Richard Herman has invited all students, faculty and staff to a town hall meeting in Foellinger auditorium on Thursday, January 22nd. The topic of the meeting is the university’s plans for meeting the new budget.

I invite you to join me at a town hall meeting on Thursday, January 22, where we will discuss the campus and university budget.  The event, open to the campus community, will take  place from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Foellinger Auditorium.  Among the topics Provost Linda Katehi, others and I will discuss will be the state of the current budget and plans for meeting budget challenges.  Audience members will have an opportunity to comment, ask questions, and make suggestions.

There is also an included link that brings you to the UI system budget outlook webpage. Some of the information there is pretty interesting, you should check it out here.

Be informed, and go to the meeting.