DeKALB – The first University Council meeting of the year discussed NIU’s budget deficit along with various capital projects on Wednesday.

BUDGET DEFICIT
NIU Executive Vice President and Provost Laurie Elish-Piper began with an updated timeline to reduce NIU’s $32 million budget deficit during the meeting.

“The multi-year pandemic slowed our ability to address the desire to have a balanced budget by fiscal year 2025, so we pushed it back one year to fiscal ‘26,” Elish-Piper said.

Elish-Piper also addressed the goals to cut the deficit in half, given to NIU by the Board of Trustees.

“The first is to cut the deficit in half to $15 million by the end of this current fiscal year, and the second is to achieve a balanced budget by fiscal year ‘26,” she said.

Several proposed changes to fiscal spending are to take place in order to help reduce the deficit, such as a reduction to travel expenses and engagement in only essential and efficient spending.

“We are reducing travel expenditures by about 20% and tightening some controls,” Elish-Piper said. “For example, instead of having five people go to the same conference, we’re looking at ways to reduce the number of people who go to attend the same conference or event.”

CAPITAL PROJECTS
Associate Vice President of Facilities Management and Campus Services John Heckmann gave an update on the Capital Project and Space Planning Committee, which is focusing on capital projects for structural repair or maintenance of certain parts of campus.

“Two main capital projects are in play right now, both in that early design stage. The newly named Baustert Bahwell Health Technology Center because we got a $40 million donation from the family,” Heckmann said.

Heckmann explained how the money will be allocated.

“$10 million is directly going to the project itself, the other $30 million are going to be used for the programs that are going to be in that building,” Heckmann said.

Heckmann said around $77 million, in addition to the extra $10 million, will help build a facility where the Lincoln Residential Hall Complex currently sits.

The Center for Community Sustainability, led by the Capital Development Board, will begin construction later this year.

“It’s in a pre-construction stage,” Heckmann said. “Maybe if everything plays out right, that construction might be able to start this fall.”

In addition to these large projects, several state renewal projects are still ongoing, such as the boiler replacement on campus set for completion around early 2026 and the Jack Arends Visual Arts Building repairs which have been postponed until summer of 2025.

Faculty Senate President Benjamin Creed said there will be an action item related to tuition and student fees discussed at a Feb. 20 Board of Trustees committee meeting.

Board of Trustees notice’s and agenda’s can be found on the NIU website.

The next University Council meeting will be on Feb. 26.