Enough is enough, said Illinois’ university presidents Tuesday.

A letter urging a swift and reliable schedule of state appropriation payments was sent to Gov. Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes on Tuesday. The presidents and chancellors of all 13 four-year public universities in the state signed the letter.

“In the first weeks of a new decade we face an unprecedented crisis: our public universities have received only a fraction of the state payments needed and promised to keep our operations going this fiscal year,” the letter said.

As of Jan. 25, the state is $735 million behind in payments to universities, resulting in furloughs, hiring and expenditure freezes, and other emergency cost-cutting measures across the state.

The total sum appropriated for fiscal year 2010 is $1.39 billion, $1.07 billion of which has been vouchered to date. Universities have received $335 million.

“Vouchered means we’ve sent something in saying we’ve spent money,” said President Bill Perry.

Eastern has received $17.5 million of its $50.6 million appropriation to date. The university has implemented hiring and equipment purchase freezes among other measures in order to function without state-appropriated funds.

“We’ve gradually tightened that up,” Perry said. “Further down the list are furloughs and layoffs. It’s something we don’t want to do, but it could be a measure we have to take. If you look at the budget, about 80 percent is in personnel.”

The letter said these measures soon may not be enough.

“Without full funding of our appropriations in a timely manner, we will be forced to take even more drastic actions that will diminish the educational opportunities of our students and our service to the people of Illinois,” the letter said. “We have drawn down our available resources, and we are now counting on tuition dollars to keep our doors open for students beginning the new spring semester. Still, no amount of cutting and sacrificing can make up for the absence of hundreds of millions of dollars in state appropriation payments.”

Paul McCann, director of business services and treasurer, said this is not the first time universities have told the comptroller they need the funding.

“All of the state universities are regularly communicating with the comptroller, expressing our need and desire for the additional money, but they are having problems of their own coming up with additional funds,” McCann said. “This all stems from a lack of sales tax being collected in the state.”

Universities are essential to the continuing function of Illinois’ economy, the letter said. Currently, approximately 233,000 students are enrolled in the state’s public universities, and they employ around 43,000 faculty and staff members.

“Educating the citizenry of the state has to be up there from a standpoint of getting people out, getting them jobs that will turn around and pay taxes, buy goods and services of the people in the sate of Illinois, and generate more taxes,” McCann said.

The letter said Illinois’ future hinges on the proper functioning of its universities.

“During periods of economic recession, universities help set the stage for recovery through investment in human capital and discoveries that create new industries and transform existing ones,” the letter said.

Sarah Ruholl can be reached at 581-7942 or [email protected].