[4] Unfortunately, SURs has a troubled, often self-serving history including being caught making illegal political contributions, spending money on country clubs, etc.

[citation needed] SURS serves a diverse group of members with occupations ranging from professors and teachers to clerical, building service workers, and groundskeepers.

Receipt of a SURS annuity may reduce, or eliminate entirely, his or her Social Security benefit at retirement under the Windfall Elimination Provision or the Government Pension Offset[5] Participation in the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) is mandatory for all eligible University employees.

SURS contributions are deducted from your pay on a pre-tax basis, and income taxes will be due when you make withdrawals at retirement.

[6] Prior to 1989, 15-155 provided the employer contribution should be "sufficient to meet the requirements of this Article in accordance with actuarial determinations."

The State contribution, as a percentage of the applicable employee payroll, shall be increased in equal annual increments over the 7 year period until the funding requirement specified above is met.

A Class action suit was brought against the State for failure to live up to the provisions of the funding program established in public act 86-273.

You will be entitled to a retirement annuity from each system, and you survivor(s) will qualify for a survivors annuity, if: SURS has been developing its investment program since the early 1980s, when Illinois, like many other states, changed its laws to allow the state pension funds to adopt modern investment practices.

At the same time, the new laws established a high standard of fiduciary responsibility, namely adopting the prudent expert rule.

During this same period, funding by the State of Illinois fell far short of both the actuarial and statutory requirements, missing an opportunity for SURS to significantly reduce, if not eliminate, its unfunded liability.