Republican Bruce Rauner’s win over Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn in the gubernatorial race could mean funding changes for NIU.

Rauner, who got about 51 percent of the vote Tuesday, won over Quinn, who has yet to concede. Rauner’s budget plan includes controlled spending and investing in “priorities that really matter,” according to his website, brucerauner.com.

During his campaign, Rauner said he plans to roll back a temporary income tax hike starting in January; the tax hike could mean drops in state funding for NIU, as a budget proposed by Quinn in the spring gave NIU about $93 million with the tax and about $81 million without it. But, the governor-elect’s supporters said Rauner will fund universities with other resources.

College Republicans President Brandon Phillips said Rauner’s win can be credited to his focus on economics and a need for change.

“Mr. Rauner ran on a largely economic, pro-growth campaign and kept the social issues out of it. It gave Quinn absolutely nothing to run on. Absolutely nothing. That’s what happened,” Phillips said.

Benjamin Donovan, College Democrats president and Student Association director of Governmental Affairs, said he’s heard some parts of Rauner’s budget don’t add up and there is a possibility NIU will face funding cuts.

“… Obviously we don’t know anything until Mr. Rauner actually proposes his budget,” Donovan said.

Phillips said more money could go to NIU in the long run if there is more corporate tax money coming in from lower tax rates.

Matthew Streb, Political Science Department chair, said Illinois will still have a Democrat-controlled Legislature, so it will be tough for Rauner to do exactly what he plans.

“We don’t have a sense of what Governor-elect Rauner is going to do that relates to higher education,” Streb said. “He was somewhat vague on his proposals on higher education on his campaign trail, so I think we’re going to have to wait and see.”