The university spending freeze could also freeze tenure.
The department of aviation and flight could suffer setbacks if the spending freeze lasts for an elongated period of time, said David NewMyer, chairman of the Department of Aviation and Flight.
SIU President Glenn Poshard sent a message out to faculty and staff Nov. 10 announcing a freeze on most non-salary expenditures in an effort to try and make payroll in December.
NewMyer said right now spending was limited only to the essentials.
“Our spending is frozen, we’re having to do the very, very essential things only,” NewMyer said. “Right now, that is only processing old bills and processing my travel vouchers slowly.”
NewMyer said the school was not authorizing any new travel, which means the aviation department would be unable to present research at conferences. He said if the freeze lasts for a long time, the inability to present research and get published could hurt professors who are trying to get tenure.
“Professors need to publish or perish,” NewMyer said. “If they don’t publish, they don’t get promoted, they don’t get tenured and then they are out of the university. A lot of departments with young faculty will not be able to travel, and that will be hard for tenure.”
Despite the economy, Jeff Jaynes, assistant instructor in the aviation program, said the department has had no problem getting students interested in the program.
“I know that I haven’t necessarily seen a freeze in students coming in,” Jaynes said. “They still want to fly, it’s just been more difficult for students to afford flight training.”
Jaynes said the declining economy did not stop students from finding out about the aviation program and said he does not think a university spending freeze will prevent new students from finding out about the program.
NewMyer said he still has to spend, even if the university will not pay for it.
“We’re still going to be spending. If you’re going to teach a class, you have to operate equipment. Can’t stop spending there — we fly airplanes every day. When you fly, things might break,” NewMyer said.
He said about two-thirds of the program is paid for through student flight fees, which covers fuel and expendable income. NewMyer said the other third of the funding for the flight program comes from the state and said state funding was part of a deeper problem.
“The state hasn’t had new money for universities since 2002,” NewMyer said. “The board has been doing all it can to support us, but the state isn’t supporting the board. The state hasn’t been forthcoming with the money to look to the future.”
NewMyer said the freeze would hurt, but the larger pain comes from the lack of state funds.
“The current freeze is problematic, but the long term problem is the state budget,” NewMyer said. “The state of Illinois is hurting us.”
Aviation department hits the breaks on spending
Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Updated: Thursday, November 19, 2009
 "Photo: Isaac Smith ~ Daily Egyptian")
Isaac Smith ~ Daily Egyptian
Derek Rehbock, a senior studying aviation technologies, and Jeremy King, a mechanic at the SIUC school of aviation, work on the regular overhaul of one of the SIUC fleet planes. Jeffrey Jaynes, a graduate student working for the school of aviation teaching flight classes, said he is worried about the recent SIU Budget cuts. He said however, that because their students have been paying fees that cover much of the program, the school of aviation is better equipped to deal with a smaller budget.
