WIU: Members of university professionals union weigh in on budget layout - Lainie Steelman, McDonough Voice

Western Illinois University President Jack Thomas and the university's budget director, Matt Bierman spoke about the FY16 budget during the Faculty Assembly on Thursday. Following the assembly, several members of the university's largest union, the WIU chapter of University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100, shared their thoughts on Thomas' address and the university's cloudy financial future amid a state budget impasse. "The state's not going to do us any favors and come in and give us any more money, so any future money is going to have to be enrollment growth," Thompson said. "That said, it seems to be puzzle that a lot of Illinois institutions are not able to solve. Part of it's just driven by demographics. There's been a lot of out migration from Illinois (due to the weak economy)." http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/article/20150822/NEWS/150829856/-1/sports