Interim Chancellor Robert Easter recently sent out an email to all students, faculty, and staff about the financial situation of the University of Illinois. In it, he points out that we have received only seven percent of our annual appropriation from the State. C’mon Illinois – get your act together!

Dear Students:

As we approach the spring semester I write to inform you of the current
financial situation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

As is the case with all public universities in the state we currently face
a cash crisis. In the current fiscal year that commenced on July 1, 2009,
we have only received 7 percent of our annual appropriation from the
state. As I write this letter the state of Illinois owes the University
more than $436 million of its appropriation. That number increases every
month.

As a response, we have instituted a number of measures on campus to ensure
that we have the necessary resources to get through the semester with an
eye to confronting a similar fiscal shortfall in the next fiscal year. Our
faculty and administrative staff will begin mandatory furloughs in
February. (A furlough is a leave of absence without pay.) We have also
been cutting costs at all levels of the university and we are looking at
ways we can consolidate services to garner even more savings. Finally, we
continue to draw on cash reserves, but these are finite and we can no
longer continue to go down this path.

Please understand that we are doing everything we can to protect our
students – our number one priority – from the impact of these cost-cutting
measures. We believe that each fiscal decision we make must not compromise
the education of this state’s greatest assets, its daughters and sons.

Please share this letter with your parents and family members. Great
public universities such as ours must be preserved and supported to ensure
that Illinois and the nation stay competitive in a global economy.

Thank you for your support,

Robert A. Easter
Chancellor and Provost (Interim)

In a massmail today, McKinley health director Dr. Palinkas told students who will be graduating and have flu-like symptoms to not shake others’ hands…

Because of ongoing concerns about the possibility of spreading the flu
virus, students receiving degrees and their families should not shake
hands at Commencement if they have symptoms of an upper respiratory
infection such as fever and cough.

McKinley Health Center will provide hand sanitizer on the platform at the
Assembly Hall ceremonies so that graduates can, if they wish, use it
before and/or after receiving their degrees. Members of the official
platform party also are encouraged to use the hand sanitizer provided.

Everyone is encouraged to observe the other guidelines to reduce the risk
of infection, such as covering coughs and sneezes; avoiding touching eyes,
mouth and nose; and washing hands frequently.

Robert D. Palinkas, M.D.

Hm… Really? I thought this was past us?

Dear Campus Community:

As we approach the 138th Commencement in Illinois’ history this seems an excellent opportunity to reflect on where this great university is at this moment.

First, let us pause momentarily from the ongoing Sturm und Drang of the global and domestic recession and celebrate Commencement. Consider this instead: On May 17, thousands of young women and men that we have inspired, provoked, and taught, will receive their college diplomas. We are confident that they will go on to accomplish great things and have  productive, successful lives that will contribute to solving the great challenges of our times.

We are a public, research university and, as such, students get to experience the special nature of that noble mission here at Illinois. This is what we do so well. This is why we work so hard. And this remains our greatest gift to society.

Commencement is Illinois unplugged! The occasion is this institution at its roots, without the usual politics and posturing. This is a time when we can say without adornment that we have fulfilled that great promise of the Morrill Act of 1862 to educate this state’s bright and motivated young people and that we have ignited their curiosity and passions, and channeled their boundless idealism for the betterment of the world.

I believe this moment is always worth celebrating as if it were the very first Commencement in our long and rich history. Commencement also allows us an opportunity to recommit once again to an even better future for Illinois.

There are so many wonderful snapshots when I look back on this academic year and sift through the countless meetings and speeches, the casual talks with faculty, staff, and students, the investitures and lectures. Or the pleasure of just walking across the Quad as students rush between classes. Those moments confirm to me how vibrant this university is and how engaged its people are in the issues that concern our nation.

One snapshot in particular was the morning I sat at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts with two of my grandchildren listening to Aaron Copeland’s “Lincoln Portrait.” I thought back to my earliest memory of that piece – listening to it on the Mall in DC and hearing Adlai Stevenson recite the wonderful words that included the phrase “the occasion is piled
high with difficulty.”

It struck me that those words are being used with increased frequency and decibels lately as we as a nation struggle with the recession, two wars, and, lately, even the swine flu.

But I would also add that the occasion – this singular moment in time at Illinois – is rife with opportunity.

The reason that Illinois is such a great institution with limitless opportunity, and will remain as such long past our short tenure here, is its people (all of you reading this especially) and our broad, diverse offerings – our palette of arts and culture, science and technology – Krannert to NCSA, if you will. Commencement is a time to remind ourselves of our greatness.

Commencement should also make all of us proud to be stewards of Illinois. As such we must continue to be mindful that in all that we undertake excellence must be our ordinary and only standard, whether in teaching, in research, or in service.  That is one of our most precious core values, a value, by the way, controlled more by motivation than by resources.

Last fall when the recession hit its downward stride I said that my only fear was that in responding to the crisis that we would turn away from our bold ambitions and retreat into the hard shell of average; that the exigencies of the near term would keep us from engaging and formulating the unpredictable and serendipitous – the cornerstones of this university.

In fact, the opposite happened. You continue to amaze. You continue to follow the creative path of extraordinary. You chose to move forward toward a future less bound by the present and the past, while, at the same time, adhering to the bold values which have defined this great university.

Our reward comes on May 17 at Assembly Hall when the first graduates of the Class of 2009 receive their diplomas. This day, too, will be rife with opportunity.

Thank you for another great year and thank you for all you do for Illinois.

With gratitude,

Richard Herman
Chancellor

A massmail from the Chancellor this afternoon:

Dear Campus Community:

The continuing assaults on the Native American public art displays along
Nevada Avenue are not only unlawful and malicious. They are also an
assault on the values and fabric of Illinois. In other words, our
university has also been vandalized.

This is unacceptable and I condemn these recent acts in the strongest
language.

I am confident we will catch the culprits responsible but there is other
work that also demands our full attention.

We need to begin thinking of these crimes differently. First, let us not
view this as happening to someone else. What threatens one member of our
community threatens all of us. We are all diminished in the wake of such
an act. Indeed, Illinois is diminished and that should concern our
community.

Secondly, let us remember what this university stands for. Illinois has
always stood for the respect and dignity of all people and thought. We are
the home of the widest interpretation of free speech and expression. We
are the home of spirited debate along the confines of respect and
civility. But we do not tolerate acts of intimidation, violence or hate.

Let me be clear. This is our very lifeblood. This is our DNA as a great
public university. When our foundation as an inclusive and welcoming
campus is threatened we need to unite as a community and collectively
stand as one voice in condemnation. We have done so in the past and we
will do so at this crucial moment.

Let us reaffirm our commitment to making Illinois a safe, tolerant, and
inclusive environment for everyone.

Richard Herman
Chancellor

I know you are tired of hearing about the so-called Swine Influenza, but for your safety, I thought I’d share a letter from McKinley:

Public health officials on campus and throughout the world are investigating outbreaks of swine influenza – commonly known as swine flu.

The outbreak is ongoing and additional cases are expected.

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu in humans and may include fever of greater than 100 degrees F, sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, chills, headache and body aches, and fatigue.

To prevent the spread of swine flu, avoid contact with ill persons; when you cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve (if you don’t have a tissue), and throw the tissue in a trash can; after coughing or sneezing, wash your hands with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand gel; if you think you are ill with flu, avoid close contact with others as much as possible, and stay at home or in your hotel room. Seek medical care if you are severely ill (such as having trouble breathing).

For more information, visit the McKinley Health Center Web site: http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu

Stay healthy out there!

A Town Hall Meeting to discuss the future of student email and calendar services will take place on Monday, February 23rd.

The topic in questions is whether the University should continue offering the CITES E-Mail service, or strictly offer an e-mail forwarding service since so many students are using external clients, such as Gmail, to organize their mail. The forwarding service has been instituted in a number of other universities, as reported by The Quad last year.

The meeting is scheduled for 6-8pm in 213 Gregory Hall. The meeting will start with an overview of some research done last year on this topic, the results of which can be found at: https://wiki.cites.uiuc.edu/wiki/display/studentemail/

Check it out, be informed, and be involved!

In a MASSMAIL today, Chancellor Richard Herman thanked all those who participated in the January 22nd Town Hall Meeting and ensured the university that they are doing everything they can to protect jobs and keep Illinois a highly ranked academic institution.

I write to thank everyone who participated in our town hall meeting.  It is important that we continue to work together to address the critical challenges we are facing because of the state’s uncertain financial
situation.

A summary of the town hall meeting, a description of ongoing initiatives, an FAQ, and a virtual ideas box to receive your suggestions have been posted at the following url: http://provost.illinois.edu/stewardingourresources/index.html.  Through this means we will continue to receive input from those of you who have additional comments and recommendations.

Whether you attended the session at Foellinger Auditorium or participated via the online or broadcast facilities, I commend you for taking the time to learn and share ideas about how we can remain a great and valuable institution.  We are a premier institution today and together we will remain so in the years to come.

Many of you made suggestions about how we might navigate the choppy economic waters we sail in, while remaining true to our cornerstone values and principles:  quality programs and assurance that we provide our students with an educational experience that will prepare them to be leaders.

A clear, resounding and recurring message was delivered during the town hall meeting – protect jobs.  While it would be reckless for me to make such promises without knowing the impact of the state’s financial situation on the university, what I can assure you is that the highest possible priority will be protecting people and their jobs.

Provost Katehi and I continue to work with the campus leadership team to chart our course.  As we learn more about the state’s financial situation, we will share that information.  We will draw upon all of the ideas that have been and will be tendered so that we can make the best informed decisions.  We look forward to hearing from you.  Many thanks for your continued participation at this critical time in Illinois’ history.

Check out the website, it’s pretty interesting; and since this involves us all, it’s important that you are informed.

In a MASSMAIL to all university students, faculty and staff, President Joseph B. White outlined the current financial situation at the University of Illinois.

Since I wrote to you in late October about our financial outlook, the global financial crisis has become a worldwide recession.  At least 43 states — Illinois included — face revenue shortfalls in the current fiscal year with consequences for their public universities.

Last week I briefed the Board of Trustees on our financial outlook.  I also spoke with leaders of 15 organizations that represent different groups of University employees to brief them and pledge cooperation in working together through difficult financial times.

In this message, I want to brief you.  First, let me remind you of what I said in my October message: that the University of Illinois, in our 142 year history, has been through good times and hard times, periods of war and stretches of peace, campus tranquility and campus turmoil.  Through it all, those who preceded us endured and built a great institution.  We intend to do the same in the circumstances we face.

The situation in Illinois is this: the revenue shortfall for fiscal 2008-09 is conservatively estimated to be $2.1 billion, and the state has a $4 billion to $5 billion backlog in unpaid bills; the leadership situation in the state leaves us without clear direction on how much state-supported budgets may have to be reduced; and we must plan for fiscal 2010 in which economic conditions will continue to be difficult.

In light of this situation, the University’s leaders — chancellors and provosts, vice presidents, and deans and directors — have prepared contingency plans to handle a significant rescission of our fiscal 2009 appropriation should it come from the state in the next several months.

The planning has been guided by three principles: protect academic quality; serve well students and others who depend on us; and minimize adverse effects on our people.

Our plan is to handle a rescission by continuing the freeze on all except essential hiring that has been in place for the last three months and substantially reducing purchases, travel and other expenses.  We will do our best to avoid significant budget-driven layoffs.  However, in light of the financial circumstances some units of the University may face, I cannot provide complete assurance, especially if the rescission is large.

With regard to fiscal 2010 that begins July 1, 2009, there is substantial uncertainty about what our situation will be.  If the recession deepens, if state revenues decline more, and if there is not help for the states and higher education from the Obama administration, fiscal 2010 could be a very difficult year.  Should this be the case, there will be great pressure on all our costs at the University, of which 75 percent are faculty and staff.  I cannot rule out the kinds of actions that we see occurring in some other states now, including voluntary and mandatory furlough days.  I hope these will not be needed but we will keep you posted as the picture develops.

Each campus has scheduled a town hall meeting to discuss the budget outlook.  I urge you to participate in these meetings to gain a better understanding of the challenges we face.

This week, like many of you, I watched with great pride and admiration the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States.  He called on us to look ahead, work together and make the changes required for a better future.  This is exactly what we need to do at the University of Illinois as we get through difficult times that will give way to that better future.

Thank you for your excellent work and for your membership in the University community.  I look forward to continuing to work together.

Follow The Quad’s continuous coverage of the University’s current economic concerns:

Tightening the Pocketbook
2009 UI Budget Outlook
Assembly Hall Remodel on Hold
Removing Majors in Hard Economic Times

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.