Sent: 2012-02-14
From: President Bill Perry
To: Students, Employees
Subject: Fiscal and Legislative Updates
To the Campus Community:
I am writing to give an update on the current year (Fiscal Year 2012) budget and an important issue for the current legislative session.
Regarding this fiscal year, as in the past two fiscal years, the state's fiscal position has led to a delay in disbursement of general revenue funding. Therefore, as in the past two fiscal years, we are proceeding in a fiscally conservative manner. The measures we have implemented in the past two years continue to be implemented now. We are projecting that we will complete the fiscal year as in years past, with us using all available funds to meet our ongoing fiscal responsibilities and then receiving significant amounts of Fiscal Year 2012 general revenue appropriations from the state after the close of the fiscal year. As in the past, the state comptroller's office continues to work with us on our need for receipt of appropriations. In short, this fiscal year should proceed as the past two.
The hard work, devotion, and willingness to work with lean funding on the part of all members of the faculty and staff has made a huge difference in EIU's ability to continue to offer an education second to none. Thank you to everyone for your steadfast dedication to Eastern.
Regarding the current legislative session, the issue of pension reform is high profile, and reform is likely. As you have seen in the press and other media, much discussion is occurring, with statements made by many different organizations and individuals. Pension reform is an issue of utmost importance and seriousness for EIU given our public university status and the impact reform can have on recruitment and retention of faculty and staff, and thus on the education we provide for our students. I believe it important that we offer the opportunity for discussion of pension reform and its impacts on EIU.
Our Council on University Planning and Budget (CUPB) is a broadly representative body that has a critical function in dealing with planning and budget of the university (http://castle.eiu.edu/eiucupb/eiucupb_function.php). I meet with the CUPB at its monthly meetings. Last Friday the CUPB decided that public forums should be arranged for members of the EIU community to discuss pension reform; I strongly agree. The forums will be scheduled by the CUPB, publicly announced to the campus and annuitants, and moderated by members of the CUPB. The CUPB Executive Committee is meeting this Wednesday, February 15, to discuss scheduling.
Within the past week, the Institute of Government and Public Affairs of the University of Illinois published a report (http://igpa.uillinois.edu/node/1575) titled, "Fiscal Sustainability and Retirement Security: A Reform Proposal for the Illinois State Universities Retirement System (SURS)." Without any endorsement of the recommendations of the report, I do believe it provides a rational background for discussion of pension reform. I encourage all who may decide to attend the public forums to read the report and bring other reports to the attention of the CUPB by direct communication to the Chair of CUPB (Professor Roger Beck of History) and to the public forums.
I look forward to the public forums and encourage your participation. Forum input will be used in framing our legislative testimony.
Thank you for all you are doing to advance EIU.
Bill Perry
President
