URBANA – A "cultural change" in how the University of Illinois manages its resources has the Urbana campus' financial picture looking brighter than it has in recent years.

There has been a 23 percent reduction in deficits for the campus, said Michael Andrechak, associate provost for budgets and resource planning.

Cost-saving and some increased revenue will probably save the campus from the mass layoffs schools in other states are facing, he said.

Andrechak gave a presentation to the Urbana faculty/student Senate Executive Committee on Monday that detailed savings and held out some hope for a better statewide picture.

Though the state is still about $400 million behind in reimbursements to the university, Andrechak said, "an eleventh-hour" tax increase puts Springfield on better footing.

Still, after the meeting, he said that while the tax increase gives the state more flexibility, "we still see budget cuts as a possibility."

But he said the campus has made strides in cutting costs while still serving students and trying to keep some of its top employees, partly by "constraining hiring to critical needs."

There are 100 faculty searches this semester, and the university is looking to find ways to stem faculty flight, Andrechak said.

The campus has found $8 million in energy conservation savings, which should "grow dramatically," counting toward a total of $17 million in new campus cost-trimming measures.

The campus has also consolidated support functions, such as human resources.

Information technology restructuring could save $20 million to $25 million over the next five years, Andrechak added. Unified communications – using one source for phone and e-mail functions – is likely to save the campus $3 million.

Andrechak said the campus has taken a hard look at units that are not self-sustaining, after years of giving "one last chance" to them.

"We can't deficit-spend into excellence," he said.

The campus is also consolidating academic programs, such as combining three College of Education departments into one. It is in the process of eliminating entire units through Stewarding Excellence, with Andrechak putting Police Training Institute savings at $900,000, and Institute of Aviation savings at $500,000 to $750,000.

Revenue is likely to rise by increasing the number of international and out-of-state students. Summer school and online classes are increasing, Andrechak said.

Meanwhile, the campus will have to work on a $4.5 million increase in financial aid while keeping tuition down, he said.

Joyce Tolliver, who chairs the Senate Executive Committee, made a forceful case for the campus keeping its head up as it searches for a chancellor in the wake of the admissions scandal.

She said the campus community had done its part to rid itself of the scandal attached to it, and that the underlying structures of the campus are sound.

She said, speaking for herself, that the campus needs to get the message out in the chancellor search that it is a top-flight institution.

Interim Provost Richard Wheeler agreed, ticking off a list of Urbana campus achievements, among them being the largest recipient of National Science Foundation grants.

He said the campus is working to keep its best employees, and that fears of "mass exodus" have "not materialized."