Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Lindsey Oyler/Alestle Answering a question from the crowd Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift takes a microphone at the front of the stage. SIU President Poshard presented slides on the university's cash flow problem and how it would effect SIUE in the future.

If the state continues to fail to make payments to the university, SIU's budget for payroll will be more than $7 million in the hole by Dec 18.

In a town hall meeting in the Meridian Ballroom Wednesday, SIU President Glenn Poshard said he has asked the state to provide $32 million dollars so faculty and staff will not miss a paycheck.

Previous stories on this topic:
Failed payments limit Student Government spending
Illinois owes SIU $115 million

"I've asked them to just dispense us the money so we can make payroll," Poshard said. "We're not asking for everything, just enough to make the payroll portion of our budget, that will get us through December."

Poshard said the state responded saying they would do whatever they could to help us, which elicited laughter from the full Meridian Ballroom.

The state of Illinois has not made a payment to the University since July 1, which has caused SIU's problems with payroll. The total amount of missed payments total $115 million for the SIU system, and $30 million of that is directed to SIUE.

The payroll deficits would start Dec. 4, when the shortfall would be $700,000. This comes on the heels of a projected 7 percent decrease in state appropriations to the SIU system.

If the state does not provide the funds, Poshard said making payroll is a priority and funds could be used from a different department.

"If we can find some more efficiencies that we can squeeze out of the system, in other words cut Peter to pay Paul because payroll is a priority right now, we'll do that," Poshard said.

Continued...

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