A state decision to eliminate staff and faculty raises does not necessarily mean NIU faculty will be receiving the same salary next year, an NIU official said.

The Illinois Board of Higher Education approved a $1.7 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 1992 last week that includes no room for salary increases at the state’s 12 public universities.

A January proposal approved a $167.7 million spending increase and 7 percent salary increases. But it was revised when Gov. Jim Edgar announced Illinois was facing a budget deficit and could not increase this year’s $1.7 billion allocation.

J. Carroll Moody, president of the NIU Faculty Senate and executive secretary of the University Council, said Friday that NIU might choose to allocate funds for a salary increase.

“Just because the IBHE eliminated funds doesn’t mean individual universities might not choose to allocate their funds to a salary increase,” Moody said.

NIU and other institutions have been investigating ways for a salary increase and are relying on the 20 percent tax surcharge to be extended. “Otherwise, there may not be ways to find the extra funds,” he said.

If there is an increase in salaries, it would be “modest” according to Moody. “I’d be surprised if it was more than 2 percent, but it would be impossible until we see actions in the governmental legislature,” Moody said.

Some of the money from the freezes NIU made earlier in the year was used in anticipation of next year’s budget, which will probably be no greater than the base budget used this year, Moody said.