SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Leaders of Illinois’ public universities are thankful for the money the stop-gap funding bill passed by the state’s General Assembly will provide.

But they emphasize that the $600 million is only a fraction of what they need to operate and would not wipe away the consequences of the 10-month state budget standoff.

Matt Bierman is budget director at Western Illinois University. He said the $20 million that the Macomb school would get if Gov. Bruce Rauner signs the bill will ease doubts about being able to open for the fall semester, but that 110 planned layoffs will probably go ahead.

University of Illinois President Timothy Killeen said cuts in staff and programs are still likely. A spokeswoman at the Urbana-Champaign campus confirmed that plans for civil-service worker layoffs will not change

 

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