Interim Chancellor Aims For Stability Amid Investigations, Budget Uncertainty

The University of Illinois is facing another season of challenges, with scandals and budget troubles continuing to plague the school's flagship campus in Urbana.

Last month, top leaders at the Urbana campus resigned suddenly after revelations that then-chancellor Phyllis Wise used private email to keep university matters from public scrutiny. Three athletic programs have been under investigation, and the football coach was fired a week before the season began.

All this comes as the state of Illinois is set to begin its fourth month without a budget, with no resolution in sight, meaning the University of Illinois isn't getting the money it needs.

Illinois Public Media's Hannah Meisel spoke with interim Urbana campus chancellor Barbara Wilson about the obstacles the University is facing, and how she sees a path forward.

Wilson says she has several goals for her time as interim chancellor that include moving the new college of medicine forward, managing and dealing with any budget cuts once a new state budget is in place and restoring trust and fostering community on campus.  

She says that one of the biggest challenges the university is facing is the lack of the state budget which prevents the university from finalizing their own budget.