By Rebecca Feldhaus
Carbondale, IL – Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard will propose a tuition freeze at the upcoming board of trustees meeting. Poshard says increasing tuition is not the answer to the $127 million cash flow short fall. Governmental Relations Director Dave Gross says the university wants to keep costs down, because Illinois universities have some of the highest tuition rates in the Midwest. Gross says officials hope a freeze will allow more students to access higher education. With personnel making up 80 percent of expenses, the SIU system plans to continue last year's hiring freeze. Gross says everything in on the table for cuts. The board of trustees meets April 8th.