SIU Chancellor Ted Sanders addressed an Illinois House committee on the state of the University Tuesday in what SIU officials say is an effort to allow legislators to gather information on various issues concerning the University and particularly the financing of higher education.

Sanders told legislators, who were all members of the Joint House Appropriations-Education Committee, of an agreement the University has had with the state of Illinois since the school’s founding 125 years ago.

The University promised to educate the citizens, especially the youth, to serve the state in appropriate areas where other state agencies could not and to carry out viable research that would lead to intellectual and economic development, Sanders said.

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In the education part of the agreement, Sanders highlighted areas where the University has fulfilled this promise including the number of degrees awarded to students while maintaining affordable education and the high number of doctorate degrees awarded to minorities.

SIU, including campuses at Carbondale and Edwardsville, according to Sanders has a mission to educate more than students in the state of Illinois.

SIUC, for example, offers degree programs on military bases in 41 different states and at various locations within Illinois, Sanders said. We are one of the largest international student enrollments in the country.

In the service part of the compact with the state, Sanders cited the University operating two public television and three public radio stations in Carbondale, Edwardsville and Olney. He also cited the Head Start programs the University manages in St. Clair, Williamson and Jackson counties which are outreach programs to the regional communities.

Another of the promises Sanders told legislators was carrying out research which would lead to development intellectually and economically.

Sanders said the funding went to areas such as coal research, agricultural research, the cooperative fisheries research laboratory and SIUE’s University Park.

Sanders said even with the reallocation of funds, the University still requires state assistance.

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Although we’ve been able to meet many current needs through significant reallocation, there exists four areas where we need your (the legislators’) help and support of the state, Sanders said. Specifically these areas include deferred maintenance, information technology infrastructure, unfunded mandates and faculty salaries.

At the close of the address Sanders told legislators the University will continue the compact held with the state.

One hundred and twenty-five years ago, SIU made a compact with the citizens of Illinois to educate, to serve and to expand intellectual frontiers, he said. We promised also to be a responsible steward of the resources you, the state provided to us. Illinois can be proud that the University has delivered on its promises and can rest assured that it shall do so in the future.

Following Sanders’ address, comments were given by SIUE President Nancy Belck, SIUC President John C. Guyon, Tamera Green, a SIUC graduate student in social work; Daniel Giedeman, a student in the SIUE Theater Department; Mark Terry, a SIUC graduate student in management and other campus and Carbondale community leaders.

Terry told the legislators that the rising cost of higher education was one of the main concerns held by SIUC students.

We students urge the University to keep education affordable, Terry said.

Terry also cited the importance of providing information technology infrastructure and the importance of maintaining the Amtrak route for students’ transportation to their home communities.

Jeff Doherty, Carbondale city manager, said SIUC was more than a University.

It is more than an institution of higher education, Doherty said. It is the number one economic entity (in Carbondale).

Rep. David Wirsing, R-Sycamore and chairman of the hearing, said the event should be the beginning of communication between SIUC and the state.

Let this be the opening door of ongoing communication, Wirsing said. We felt this was an opportunity to learn some things we didn’t know.

Sanders said the hearing went well and he was confident the hearing would lead to more funding by the state.

They were asking about not just the needs but if we have any ideas of how to generate funds, Sanders said. I don’t think they’d ask those questions unless they’re looking for ways to solve the problem.

Eight legislators attended the Tuesday hearing. They were Wirsing, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro; Rep. Larry Woolard, D-Carterville; Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville; Rep. David Phelps, D-Eldorado; Rep. John Jones, R-Mt. Vernon; Rep. Tom Holbrook, of Belleville and Rep. Terry Deering, D-DuBois.

The SIU hearing was the sixth of seven hearings conducted by the committee at universities and colleges across Illinois.

The legislators were also given a tour of the University, including tours at the new Life Science III Building, the Small Business Incubator and the Student Recreation Center.