Without a fully authorized budget in Illinois the economic ripple effect is hitting hard at Western Illinois University.
The cuts they feared are now coming to Western Illinois University.
WIU's budget director Matt Bierman says significant cuts will be made, "We`re put in this situation because of the state and because of enrollment. So the state's involvement in this process right now has to do with no budget and the uncertainty of that and trying to figure that out. The enrollment piece has been happening for us over several years."
Starting with a reduction in staff, Western has offered a retirement incentive to get senior staff to retire sooner. So far more than 50 employees have taken advantage of it and at least 50 more will be laid off.
"We`ve taken a look at it and said there's some areas where we have more staff than we need based upon enrollment and so we`re pulling back on that," said Bierman.
In the last nine years, WIU has lost more than 1,800 students, now the university plans to lower the tuition rate to reverse that trend.
"We will hopefully argue that we are the choice for the middle class we still are affordable. We hear that college is too expensive," said Bierman.
Administrators say they hope more than $7 million in cuts will be good enough for now.
"How do we deliver education? What are we going to look like in the future and that's the question I think we have to go to next," said Bierman.
For the staff retiring some of the positions will have to be replaced but will be offered at a lower salary. WIU is also looking at possibly cutting programs with low enrollment. The cuts will take effect next fiscal year starting on July 1st.