By Angela Hatton
Carbondale, IL – Southern Illinois University system employees' paychecks for December may be in jeopardy following funding problems. Due to budget shortfalls, the state has failed to make its monthly payments to SIU since July. Those payments totaled 115 million dollars as of November 1. SIU President Glenn Poshard has asked the system's faculty and staff to immediately stop or slow most expenditures unrelated to salaries and only as authorized by the vice chancellors. University spokesman Dave Gross says November payroll will be covered, though December's is in question. Poshard says the university won't miss payments on any local bills but will pay them closer to the due dates. Officials with the Illinois Board of Higher Education say other Illinois universities face similar funding issues.