Statement about Governor's FY02 Budget
by James J. Stukel
President, University of Illinois

We welcome Gov. George Ryan's budget, which maintains a strong commitment to the University of Illinois, the state's other public universities, the student financial aid program and the higher-education pension system.

As the state's leading research university, we are especially pleased that the governor's budget keeps higher education front and center in the state's economic development efforts. These efforts are inextricably tied to our faculty's work in bioengineering, high-end computing, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, medicine and other areas that may yield commercial results that boost Illinois' standing in high technology.

The governor has made clear that support for education-from preschool to graduate school-is a major priority for this state, and we commend him for that.

We are truly grateful for the governor's endorsement of matching funds for the Siebel Center for Computer Science, made possible in large measure by a major gift from an alumnus. The state's match is essential and continues a pattern of the last decade by which the University is remaking parts of its campus through the generosity of alums and friends at half the cost to the state of Illinois. This is a remarkable partnership in action.

The students at our Springfield campus will benefit greatly from the new classroom and office building for which the governor proposed $30 million for construction. This is another important step in the development of that campus. And repairs and renovation at all three of our campuses—Chicago, Springfield and Urbana-Champaign—can be accomplished with the $10.7 million the governor recommended.

The second year of Governor Ryan's VentureTECH program, which builds on the intellectual and research strengths of our Chicago and Urbana campuses, is as exciting as its inaugural year. Following the appropriation of planning funds last year, the governor now proposes full construction funds for the Post-Genomics Institute and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications building, both at Urbana-Champaign, and planning funds for a chemical sciences building at Chicago. When complete, these facilities will help the University of Illinois help the state of Illinois in its drive to compete at the highest level in the new economy.

On behalf of the University of Illinois-its students, faculty, staff, hundreds of thousands of alumni and friends-I want to personally thank Governor Ryan for his strong vision. We hope the Illinois General Assembly follows the governor's lead and helps keep Illinois higher education strong and effective for the people of Illinois.

-UI-