By Casey Northcutt
Carbondale, IL – Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard announced yesterday the university could face layoffs and a hiring freeze during the next fiscal year. SIU Spokesman Rod Sievers says future state appropriations will determine if cuts will be made. This is the seventh year in a row in which Illinois has experienced declining or stagnant revenues for higher education. Sievers says SIU could possibly survive the year without job cuts, but if cutbacks continue, the school could be forced to consider layoffs and tuition increases.