SIU will fund MAP grants at both campuses for fall 2016, but other cuts will continue to be made across the board because of ongoing budget issues.

Interim chancellor Brad Cowell said in a statement Tuesday the university has recieved 41 percent of an anticipated $203.17 million in state funding during a two-year period, and has had to plan for $21 million in permanent savings.

SIU President Randy Dunn said last week’s stopgap budget combined with state funding appropriated in April will be enough to catch the university up with grants the university fronted to students last year. 

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“Funding of MAP grants is a covenant relationship between the state of Illinois and eligible students,” SIU President Randy Dunn said in a press release. “Our university has a legacy of access, and we do not want to see eligible students denied the opportunity to pursue their academic and career goals.”

Two civil service employees and five continuing non-tenure-track faculty members have received layoff notices, Colwell said. An additional 10 non-tenure-track faculty members will not have their appointments renewed for the next academic year, about 12 will have reductions from their appointments last year and 155 positions remain unfilled.

“There continues to be some uncertainty regarding state-funded grants, meaning there could be additional impacts,” he said.

Some programs were able to consolidate sections and reconfigure teaching assignments to avoid canceling classes, Colwell said.

The stopgap budget also included $54 million in operational costs for SIUC. Other university reductions include $385,000 for library materials, $300,000 for undergraduate research, $500,000 for research centers and $1.1 million in deferred maintenance. 

State accounts have also been reduced across multiple areas:

• Chancellor’s Office: $638,168, or 10.15 percent of final fiscal year 2015 budget
• Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs: $13 million, 9.23 percent
• Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance: $3.37 million, 10 percent
• Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs: $240,043, 10.64 percent
• Vice Chancellor for Research: $580,737, 11.59 percent
• Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Relations: $349,649, 13.11 percent
• Intercollegiate Athletics: $195,515, 12.6 percent
• School of Law: $305,000, 10 percent
• Economic Development: $64,437, 12.87 percent
• Campus-wide allocations (includes such items as debt service, liability insurance and reserves): $2.2 million, 15.93 percent

Colwell said a joint task force comprised of the Faculty Senate and Graduate Council are finalizing a report on program prioritization, and informal discussions about long-term solutions such as program consolidation are taking place.

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Brey Mong Delane can be reached at [email protected] or 618-536-3397