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NIU in the Veto Session

By Susan Stephens

DeKalb, IL – Northern Illinois University has a few priorities to protect during the state legislature's fall veto session. Those include grants for low-income students and borrowing to cover state pension payments. N.I.U. Vice President Kathy Buettner says she doesn't expect much from the veto session but has high hopes for January. Buettner says there are several sessions scheduled before the new General Assembly is sworn in: that's when she hopes lawmakers will come together with the Governor to look deeply and seriously at the state's finances, then come up with a path to lead the state forward.

Another important issue for universities that will probably be put off until spring is renewal of a borrowing bill. It would allow universities to borrow money to cover expenses while waiting for the state to catch up on late payments. Buettner says N.I.U. didn't have to use that option last year, but it's an important tool to have if the state falls far behind on payments to schools again next year.

Buettner says reports are due soon from several state task forces important to N.I.U. They include higher education funding and an evaluation of unfunded mandates. She says those could be hot issues at the Capitol in the spring.