The president of the University of Illinois says he hopes faculty and staff members will be able to get a raise next year.
Bob Easter made his comments Thursday ahead of the start of the school year, which kicks off Monday.
The Champaign News-Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/152WQuj ) Easter spoke during a meeting with faculty from the school's three campuses. He says it's his ``goal to have a salary program next year.''
Many U of I employees got a 2.75 percent merit-based raise this year.
Still, Easter says the university will likely have ``minimal'' revenue growth because of budget pressures. The school is bracing for challenges because of pension reform and federal funding cuts. Meanwhile, tuition increases are expected to be smaller than they've been in the past.
*WUIS full time employees are university employees.
