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WIU Outlines Spending Plan for Next Year

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Western Illinois University has a preliminary spending plan in place for next year.

Budget Director Matt Bierman says Western’s expenses are growing. Next year’s spending plan is up $2.3 million to $243.9 million.  

The plan includes 2% raises for most university employees, including President Jack Thomas.

Bierman said higher tuition rates for incoming freshman this fall will cover some of the increased costs. He said the university also plans to trim expenses through attrition and offering entry level salaries to new hires.

“Right now our spending plan is we are going to spend more than we’ll probably going to take in as it relates to a budget stand point but we are fairly conservative with all of our numbers so we will just have to see," Bierman said. "In the end it may be pretty much even. But right now it’s not looking like that. It looks like our expenses will be a little bit greater than our revenue.”

The spending plan is based on the same level of funding from the state as the current fiscal year at $52.7 million. But that’s not guaranteed.

A proposal passed by lawmakers to cut funding by about $125,800 is awaiting action by Governor Pat Quinn.  

Bierman says Western is on track to spend about half a million dollars less than expected in the current fiscal year which wraps up at the end of the month. 

Emily Boyer is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.