Interim SIUC Chancellor Brad Colwell says the university's doors are open- and will remain that way. He says he's having to battle rumors of closure after a fake news story started circulating on social media.
Colwell says despite the state's budget crisis, SIU is open - and will remain open - for the foreseeable future, and he's still hopeful a deal can be reached.
"Hope has to kind of spring eternal, because at some point, there will be a budget. There has to be a budget. Each time we get a little closer, though. Now I'm seeing areas of compromise that have not been introduced before."
Meanwhile Colwell says SIUC is working with students protected under the so-called "Dreamers" act.
Student leaders and other had asked administrators to protect the undocumented students from potential changes in the incoming Trump administration. But Colwell says the request was one they just couldn't agree to.
"We couldn't become a sanctuary campus because it implies we'd be willing to violate federal law. If we did that, we'd be putting other things at risk - including financial aid, federal grants, and other things that would impact the university."
He says even though SIU will not be a sanctuary school, there are protections for those undocumented students which are being followed.
