University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen addressed the Urbana-Champaign Senate Executive Committee on Monday. Kileen reported record-high enrollment counts while warning of mounting financial and infrastructure challenges. His remarks preceded discussions on stalled library projects, potential federal research disruptions and faculty debate over Shahid Khan’s honorary degree rejection.
Enrollment surges, but so do costs
Killeen announced a record-high total enrollment of 97,772 students across the three UI System’s universities. This marks a 3.2% increase from last year. Applications also saw increases, said Killeen, with 15% and 24% growth for the Urbana-Champaign and Springfield campuses, respectively.
“We’ve grown by more than 17,000 students in the last decade,” Killeen said. “If you think about that, that’s like adding a large or mid-sized university. There are very few universities that are close to 17,000 students.”
Killeen also said that 80% of all UI System’s undergraduates are from Illinois, which directly impacts the state. Graduation rates, job retention rates and salaries are the highest among Big Ten universities, with debt being the lowest.
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According to Killeen, the graduation rate for self-identified Black students has increased by 51% in the last decade. The graduation rate of self-identified Latinos saw a 117% increase — more than doubling — during the same time period.
Despite rising enrollment and improved student outcomes, the system faces aging infrastructure and a growing list of maintenance issues.
“We estimate, systemwide, several billion dollars in deferred maintenance — a lot of older buildings, a lot of dorms that need air-conditioning, it goes on-and-on,” Killeen said.
He explained the UI System’s financial struggles may stem from an “erosion” of state support for public higher education. Killeen speculated that when the Pell Grant system was initiated during the 1970s, states left the prioritization of higher education to the federal government.
“(The UI System) used to be 60% supported by the state,” Killeen said. “Now, it’s less than 30%.”
Without increased state investment, the burden of maintaining facilities and supporting student resources would fall more heavily on tuition revenue and external funding sources.
“We’ve asked for 12% (state support),” Killeen said. “We’re not going to get 12% … Even with the modest increase in tuition, it’s still going to be a difficult budget year, no question about that.”
Libraries face uncertain future
Financial challenges are already affecting the University’s library system, and Monday’s discussion focused on redevelopment plans and broader funding concerns.
Ralph Mathisen, professor in LAS and the chair of the University’s Senate Library Committee, raised concerns about the Undergraduate Library’s redevelopment, which has stalled due to funding uncertainties. Despite being a key student resource, progress on the project remains undetermined.
“The UGL is still sitting like a blight on the southern campus, with everybody wondering when the work will begin and we can get on with our lives,” Mathisen said.
Mathisen said library funding challenges extend beyond the University. He noted the recent layoffs of library staff at Western Illinois University and Columbia College Chicago. He said the SEC is preparing to vote on whether to support a statement from the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois, an initiative backed by UI, which seeks to address these concerns.
Killeen acknowledged Mathisen’s concerns, reaffirming that libraries are a core part of the University’s academic mission. He recognized that libraries require consistent investment to maintain their role in research and education.
On the status of the UGL, Killeen said, “The scene is set for work to begin.”
Federal funding freeze sparks concern
Beyond state budget challenges, SEC members raised concerns over federal research funding. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump issued an executive order halting federal grants and loans, including grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, which provide critical funding for research conducted at the University.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the freeze, but legal battles are ongoing. If they reinstate the freeze, it could lead to stop-work orders. This would force federally funded research projects to shut down and leave faculty, graduate students and lab operations in limbo.
Angela Lyons, professor in ACES and vice chair of the SEC, asked Kileen how the University plans to navigate potential funding disruptions and what steps it is taking to safeguard ongoing research projects.
Another SEC member, Professor Emerita Gay Miller, emphasized that many of the University’s major research projects rely on federal dollars, and any prolonged funding halt could have lasting consequences for faculty and students.
“I’m very worried about the freezing of NIH funding and maybe other research funding,” Miller said. “What would be the impact to (the University) if federal research across the board weren’t funded? Are you looking at that level of depth in your analysis?”
Killeen said that the administration was already assessing the potential impact on grant-funded projects and considering alternative funding strategies.
“We have teams, including consultants, reviewing all of the executive orders and figuring out exactly … how this is likely to manifest itself,” Killeen said. “I can assure you that we’re doing our best to keep track of it all and to evaluate possibilities … I think we’re going to learn a lot more in the next months.”
SEC debates honorary degree process
The committee shifted the discussion to one of the most contentious topics of the meeting — the University’s process for awarding honorary degrees.
The discussion stemmed from the University Senate’s recent rejection to award Shahid Khan an honorary degree. The decision sparked debate among faculty and administration. Khan is a billionaire University alumnus and owner of Flex-N-Gate, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham FC.
Chancellor Robert Jones described Khan as an “exemplary candidate” for the honor. However, some faculty members raised concerns about labor violations at his company. They questioned whether his financial contributions to the University had influenced the nomination.
A 2012 News-Gazette article reported Flex-N-Gate was fined $57,000 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for serious violations at its Urbana plant. The violations included exposing workers to hazardous chemicals without adequate training, monitoring and protective equipment for employees. OSHA’s investigation also found that Flex-N-Gate had not properly trained workers in languages they could understand.
SEC members debated whether the rejection showed deeper flaws in the honorary degree selection process. Some questioned whether deliberation should be confidential, while others suggested abolishing honorary degrees.
Professor Emeritus George Friedman, presiding officer of the University Senate, raised concerns about the Open Meetings Act, an Illinois law that requires public bodies to allow open attendance for meetings. Friedman argued discussions about honorary degrees should be private.
“It seems to be that it would be a heck of a lot better if we could consider honorary degree proposals under an exclusion from the Open Meetings Act,” Friedman said. “To do that, we’ve got to get the law changed, and I would like to see us begin the work to get that law changed.”
Maya Crystal, senior in LAS, said that Khan was rejected previously for the honor in 2013, with the senate citing labor violations, and asked why the candidate was considered again.
Charles Roseman, professor in LAS and chair of the Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure, proposed eliminating honorary degrees entirely. Roseman argued that the process detracts from the University’s academic mission.
“I have very serious reservations about giving degrees that aren’t merited by substantial work … I think it diminishes the degrees we give out to students who have put quite a bit of their soul and tears into earning it,” Roseman said. “It also seems to be an invitation for trouble, and recent events seem to have proven correct on that.”
While no resolution was reached, SEC members acknowledged the complexity of the issue and the need for further discussion. The committee plans to revisit the honorary degree process this semester, along with other university governance matters.
“There’s a lot of good ideas here,” said Jon Hale, professor in Education and chair of the SEC. “Right now, it’s just an opportunity to check in on the process. For now, I hope we can move forward. There are plenty of other things we need to focus on.”
