Glassman Said Budget is Good News for EIU

Eastern Illinois University President David Glassman is urging "optimism and positivism at the highest levels" following approval of a stopgap state budget for the first half of the fiscal year that began today.

Glassman, in a letter to the campus community, said the budget approved Thursday includes bridge funding for public universities to assist in operational expenses through December 31.

The approved appropriation for Eastern is $26.2 million. Glassman said Eastern will also receive the remaining amount of MAP funding ($3.5 million) that the university advanced to its students in Spring 2016. The indication is that the funds allocated to higher education are tied to available sources and that Eastern should receive the funds in the near future.

Glassman added a note of caution, writing that "this is only the first step toward a complete and full state budget for Fiscal Year 2017. As such, we must continue to be extremely prudent and cautious in our expenditures to ensure they are equal to, or less than, our revenues in the upcoming academic year. We no longer have reserves to protect us against shortfalls."