In case you haven’t heard, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is feeling the affects of the recession. Two weeks ago, University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman e-mailed university students and staff about the significance of the university’s financial woes. In the e-mail, Herman says, ”[University President Joseph White] charged leadership of each campus with the task of designing contingency plans to cover whatever financial realities we ultimately face in light of the declining state and national economies. I write to you today to assure you that thoughtful planning is under way.”
Meanwhile, the GEO has accused the university of sugarcoating things. There have been rumblings of a significant layoff of employees, possibly from the service industry, and an increased workload and/or decreased pay for graduate assistants.
While this economic crisis is impacting colleges and universities across the nation, the U of I appears to be getting hit especially hard. Where should the university turn to first when determining cuts to make? Professors? Professionals? Service workers? Students? Athletics? Programs?