Pat Quinn or Bruce Rauner will play a significant role in shaping the future of the University, depending on who is elected today. 

We believe it’s important for all voters to be aware of the influence the governor can have on the future of higher education in the state of Illinois. In voting for the next governor, they are choosing a leader who will make decisions that will have a significant impact on the University. 

It is the role of the governor of Illinois to appoint the nine members of the University’s Board of Trustees, six of whom will be up for reappointment during the future governor’s next term. 

The trustees vote on and ultimately decide every important issue regarding the University. The board must approve all faculty positions at the University, and the board decided not to appoint Steven Salaita — something that an overwhelming number of University members, and even non-University members, showed great care and concern for. 

The trustees must approve the annual budget and the price of tuition and fees. They approve building renovations. They will approve the next president of our University. 

The governor can’t completely tip the scales, as the University is required to have a five-to-four ratio of each political party on its board. But the governor’s decisions on who to appoint can change its balance.

Democratic trustee Chris Kennedy has been the chair of the Board of Trustees since 2009, when he was appointed by Quinn after the clout scandal. Kennedy helped guide the University through the aftermath of the scandal, when former President B. Joseph White stepped down from his position and many other University leaders resigned. And three years later, Kennedy’s leadership added a layer of stability when more controversy led to the resignation of White’s successor, Michael Hogan.

Kennedy’s term is up in 2015, and the next governor will decide whether he will be reappointed.

The next governor will also have the responsibility of fixing the state of Illinois. For years, the state’s funding of the University has dwindled. For years, the state tried to change the pension system for the University’s employees (before the Illinois Supreme Court ruled against the reform). And for years, the state has been late on its payments to the University. 

If the governor can turn the state around, it may become a reliable partner that faculty members can place some trust in. It may help the University attract and retain faculty members concerned with future retirement and pension benefits.

If the state’s problems continue, the University will continue to have difficulty attracting the best faculty members in the country. And that could ultimately deter the best students in the country from attending the University.  

The Editorial Board isn’t endorsing a particular candidate. We do, however, believe it’s important for the public to know and understand the governor’s role in the future of public higher education so they can make an educated vote.

The future of the University is in your hands — do something with it.