Chicago State faces uncertainty as state budget stalemate looms

CHICAGO (WLS) -- As Illinois' state budget crisis drags on, Chicago State University faces an uncertain future which may include drastic changes if the school doesn't receive its state funding.

"I am really nervous about our future, next semester, next year," said CSU student Paris Griffin, who is president of the school's Student Government.

She is leading the push on her South Side campus for Springfield to agree on a budget.

"Different many student leaders have come together to put pressure, brainstorm on different ways we can put pressure on the governor so he realizes how important our university is to us and how detrimental it is for us not to have a budget," Griffin said.

State funding makes up about 30 percent of university's budget.

"We have been looking to get a budget for the past seven months and right now we have been operating off our reserve funds and those funds are basically done," said Matoya Marsh, director of CSU's Student Activities & Leadership and an alum.

The state's 11 other public universities have also been operating without state funds.

CSU students have been trying to spread the word on and off campus about what is at stake with the stalemate in Springfield.

"Everybody isn't aware of what is going on so our biggest issue is spreading the message and making everybody aware," said student Anthony Mead, Jr.

Gov. Bruce Rauner's office referred ABC7 to a letter they sent to lawmakers Wednesday encouraging them to ask the state's public universities what reforms they are willing to adopt to cut out waste.