NORMAL—The Board of Regents stressed the need for a stronger state-wide commitment to higher education Thursday before adopting a resolution in support of the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s fiscal year 1989 budget recommendations.

“We do have a strong system of higher education in Illinois because it is living off the capital investment of past generations. However, higher education needs a major infusion of capital. We need to again make that investment,” IBHE Executive Director Richard Wagner said.

The Regents’ resolution also joins the IBHE in its determination to urge the state legislature to pass an increase in the state income tax rate.

“We are currently dealing with a state revenue base that is not adequate to provide funding for higher education,” Wagner said. Wagner said the IBHE and the Regents have two major responsibilities. “We need to address our professional responsibilities as educators, and we need to address our civic responsibilities within the political system,” he said.

The IBHE approved a budget of $1.8 billion for FY89, which is a 16.7 or $243 million increase over last year. However, it will not be funded without a tax increase, Wagner said.

Regents’ Chancellor Roderick Groves cited several reasons why additional tax revenues are necessary for funding higher education including the need to maintain quality of programs and services, and the need for salary increases for faculty and staff members.

“Quite frankly, we are at the limits of what we can do in terms of programming, services and the number of students. We cannot go on providing the same level of services. We simply are at the end of our rope,” Groves said.

NIU President John LaTourette, Illinois State University President Lloyd Watkins, and Sangamon State University President Durward Long each expressed their support for the Regents’ resolution and agreed a stronger committment to higher education is needed in Illinois.

“I think the support for higher education could be described as disgraceful. The state has the capabilty of providing the support. We need to restore the state’s commitment to education,” LaTourette said.

The universities are continually being asked to do more with less money, he said. “When we are at the bottom, in a sense, of higher education support; the question is how long can we continue,” he said.

Watkins said, “Probably the state of Illinois has a better higher education system than the state deserves because of the commitment to it. One thing that is at risk is whether the commitment can be restored.”

As part of the resolution, the Regents also supported the idea that a meeting is needed between state legislators and board members of all the higher education systems in Illinois to discuss the funding problems and tax increase.