Governor J.B. Pritzker says he wants to work to stabilize higher education - including Southern Illinois University - as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Pritzker appointed five new members to SIU's Board of Trustees on Friday. In an interview earlier this month, the governor was asked about recent calls to split the system.
"I think we need stability in SIU, and I want to make sure that we've got representation. The Board is going to make the decision, ultimately, but I think getting representation from every campus that is in the SIU System, and making sure that it's balanced, is the right way to go. But the decision should be made locally," he said.
Pritzker on Friday named Edgar Curtis, Ed Hightower, Subhash Sharma, John Simmons, and Roger Tedrick to the Board. Hightower, Simmons, and Tedrick have served before. Pritzker acknowledged SIU's struggles - particularly financial - over the last several years and says he wants to work to right that ship.
"We've got to look everywhere for efficiencies and make sure that we're spending taxpayer dollars, and in this case, student dollars and families' dollars in the most efficient fashion. That we're stretching those dollars the best way we can, to provide the best education that we can."
The Board meets this week in Springfield, with an update on the search for a new System President on the agenda.
