The NIU campus in Rockford has been put on hold once again, postponing the $500,000 for the expected $6.7 million dollar project.

Funds for the Rockford project were in a battle between Gov. James Thompson and the General Assembly for the past year when Thompson agreed to release the money but only after the Illinois Board of Higher Education reviewed the project.

The IBHE gave a questionnaire for NIU to fill out which was returned in mid-June. NIU’s answers included a price of about $6.7 million and various sites being considered. Thompson did not release the money.

The money could be released by June 30 in the next fiscal year, but this has left one state senator “frustrated.” Sen. Joyce Holmberg, (D-Rockford), said “Even people opposed to the campus said the funds absolutely should have been released.”

“I think everyone was of one mind,” Holmberg said.

NIU Provost Kendall Baker said, “We are increasing efforts to find ways to meet educational needs.” And NIU will continue to do anything it can to get the funds released for the next fiscal year, he said.

The Rockford campus would be an educational facility which would be a vehicle for us to respond to the educational needs in the area, Baker said.

Although another NIU project, the Dupage County multi-university, has been dubbed “doomed” by state Senator Patrick Welch,(D-Peru), Baker still has hopes for the Rockford campus.

He said in the next few years, funds might be available from other sources that are unavailable at the present.