Board of trustees ready for meeting

Andy Lehman
Assistant News Editor

Gov. George Ryan's proposed $12.6 million increase in general revenue funds for the 2001 operating budget will be one topic of discussion at the SIU board of trustees meeting Thursday.

"The governor's budget provides a very strong level of funding for SIU," interim SIU President Frank E. Horton said. "We look forward to making our case to the Legislature in the next step of the budget process."

Ryan's proposed budget includes a 5-percent salary increase for faculty and staff, a library cost increase, funds for improvements to SIU buildings and infrastructure, and a $1.6 million initiative to improve the SIU School of Medicine.

SIUE and the School of Dental Medicine fared well in Ryan's proposal. If the budget is passed by the Illinois Legislature, SIUE will receive an increase in salaries, funds for operation and maintenance of the engineering building, funds to enhance the dental school in Alton and $50,000 to begin a bachelor's degree program in manufacturing engineering.

There will also be a discussion of the effects of Y2K on the SIU campuses.

"There were only minor glitches," Horton said. "It was a big scare for nothing."

Other issues include a report from the Architecture and Design Committee, committee updates and a report on the search for a new SIU president.

"We are taking applications until the day of appointment," Horton said. "This way we can find the best candidate for the position."

The SIU board of trustees meeting will be at SIU Carbondale.