SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — As they prepare to deal with a cut in state funds University of Illinois leaders plan to lobby lawmakers in Springfield.
The university says in a news release that soon-to-retire President Robert Easter, incoming President Timothy L. Killeen and others plan to talk with legislators Thursday, during the annual Day at the Capitol. They will talk about state funding as well as what university officials call “burdensome” and costly state procurement regulations and capital projects.
Gov. Bruce Rauner has proposed a 33 percent cut in already dwindling state funding for public universities. The University of Illinois now gets only about 12 percent of its $5.64 billion annual operating budget from the state. But the university also relies on the state for funds used to cover employee pensions, building needs and other expenses.
