Budget impasse forces closing of Southern Illinois museum

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) - The museum at Southern Illinois University has become another casualty of Illinois legislators' failure to come up with a state budget.

The Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale reports (http://bit.ly/2rc1ZTy ) that due to the ongoing state budget impasse the museum at SIU-Carbondale will close on July 1.

Interim Chancellor Brad Colwell says the library staff will be reduced to one person who will maintain the collections. She says the university is unable to hire a new director and maintain the staff necessary to "provide the quality museum experience that visitors expect."

Colwell said Thursday that SIU is committed to the future of the 143-year-old museum. She says it will resume operations once a permanent state budget provides enough support to hire the staff necessary to reopen it.

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Information from: Southern Illinoisan, http://www.southernillinoisan.com