RISE Task Force

Letter from the President

Greetings!

Thank you for your interest in the RISE task force and Illinois State’s path to Resilience, Innovation, Sustainability, and Excellence.

On behalf of the campus community, I sincerely thank our RISE task force members, led by Martha Horst and Amanda Hendrix, for their dedication to this critical work. The task force is leading our campus engagement effort and liaising with external partners to develop valuable recommendations for navigating our fiscal landscape. Their efforts will shape the University’s legacy for years to come.

This page will contain helpful resources, from my original charge to the task force to the basics of budget concepts at Illinois State. We will also provide context on where we’ve been, how we came to this critical juncture in our history, and regular updates on progress toward our goal.

I encourage you to visit this page often and to stay actively engaged in the coming weeks and months. No one person or task force has all the answers to the questions and issues we face, but working together, we stand an excellent chance of developing robust grassroots solutions that will stand the test of time. To succeed, we must engage the University's entire campus community, stakeholders, and friends.

Therefore, we welcome your thoughts, insights, and questions and invite you to provide feedback using the link below.

Thank you for your continued support as we navigate this complex environment with resolve and confidence.

Sincerely,

Aondover Tarhule, Ph.D.
President

History of the Task Force

Higher education institutions worldwide are facing significant financial challenges. Illinois State is not immune to these challenges. President Tarhule took preemptive action in Fall 2024 announcing the Resilience, Innovation, Sustainability, and Excellence (RISE) initiative and task force.

Timeline

Charge

The members of task force will:

Generate ideas for increased efficiency, cost savings, and optimization.
Develop a proficient understanding of ISU's budget, allocation, and financial decision-making processes.
Become a trusted source of authority on fiscal management, independent of ISU administration.
Interface with Grant Thornton, informing them of University traditions, values, and preferences. Likewise, keep campus constituents informed of Grant Thornton's progress and lines of analysis.
Critically review various budget models and provide recommendations.

Members

RISE Task Force Questions and Ideas

We want to hear your questions related to the work of the task force as well as collect ideas for increasing efficiency, reducing expenses, and generating new revenue for the University.

Submit your question

News and Events

An entry to the Quad after an ice and snow hit campus in early January 2021.

RISE Town Hall forums, February 25 and 26

Illinois State University is hosting the first set of RISE Town Hall open forums on Tuesday, February 25, and Wednesday, February 26, to provide an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the redesign project and the guiding principles governing the redesign.

See more news