University of Illinois Receives $13.3 million Increase From State

URBANA—The University of Illinois will receive a $13.3 million increase in its base state appropriation of $720.5 million in the 2008 fiscal year budget Governor Rod Blagojevich signed Thursday.

The state also will contribute an estimated $441 million to U. of I. faculty and staff pensions and health care, bringing the state’s total appropriation to $1.16 billion, or 30 percent of the University’s $3.9 billion 2008 budget. The University fiscal year 2007 budget was $3.6 billion. This year’s $13.3 million increase from the state represents a 1.9 percent increase over the 2007 fiscal year $707.2 million operating appropriation.

In addition to the $720.5 million appropriation is $1 million for the CHANCE (Complete Help and Assistance Necessary for a College Education) Learning program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The CHANCE Center assists incoming freshmen, transfer and currently enrolled students make the transition to UIC by helping students with their academic preparation, study habits and skills, motivation and coping strategies.

Also included are $350,000 for the Dixon Springs research center at the University’s Urbana campus and $400,000 for the Hispanic Center for Excellence at UIC.

The 2008 operating budget includes an appropriation of $400,000 from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity that will go the UIC College of Medicine at Peoria Cancer Center for operations and infrastructure improvements.

Students at the University of Illinois and other state universities will be able to draw on an additional $26.8 million (7.6 percent increase) in the need-based Monetary Award Program from the General Revenue Fund.

The University of Illinois educates 70,000 students on campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. The University graduates 17,000 students per year and has 579,000 living alumni.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Tom Hardy
312-996-3772
hardyt@uillinois.edu