Delaying all non-essential hiring until January to form a cushion to guard against possible drops in state funding should not pose any major logjams in services, NIU officials believe.

The delay, announced last week, stems from legislators worrying about finding money during a time of budget cuts and erratic economical forecasts. However, NIU officials say they will bend the delay and hire somebody before letting an office or service crumble.

“There is concern at the state level about the level of state revenues, and when they (the legislators) get concerned, we get concerned,” said Anne Kaplan, executive assistant to NIU President John La Tourette. The move is not uncommon and was imposed at least once in the past five years, she said.

Contributing to NIU’s concerns are the hard-fought statewide elections in which the surcharge earmarked for municipalities and education was a hot topic, Kaplan said.

Although the delay’s effects cannot be predicted, the blow will be lessened because it comes during semester break when students are not in the classrooms, she said.

The break also will help save money, said George Nenonen, NIU employment supervisor.

NIU employees not working collect holiday pay, Nenonen said. By delaying hiring until after break, NIU will save money because it won’t have to pay new people while they don’t work, he said.

Nenonen could not estimate how many vacant positions are affected because some NIU divisions leave positions open so they can hire in batches and fill many positions at once.

Kaplan and Nenonen were quick to point out the delay will not completely close offices or services.

Kaplan expects the delay might cause some inconveniences in some areas, “but I wouldn’t expect it to be major.”

If a position urgently needs to be filled, a request can be made, Nenonen said.

Although Kaplan wasn’t sure where problems might pop up, she assures students, faculty and staff won’t be left in the cold.

The effects might show “just in the speed in which work gets done,” Kaplan said. “Obviously, we’re not going to leave offices without staff.”

Personnel searches already in place, such as the one fo a housing director, won’t be affected because NIU isn’t ready to make anyone an offer, Kaplan said.

Nenonen and Kaplan said the delay is not a freeze and said all university budgets are fine.

“I do want to emphasize we’ve done this many times in the past,” Nenonen said.