State universities in Illinois will have to limit the usage of outside firms in hiring searches, according to the new law signed by Governor Pat Quinn last week.

The universities have to make do with the existing internal resources rather than turning towards private hiring search firms which would charge hundreds of thousands of dollars.

To ensure the efficiency at the state's universities and to save the taxpayers' money, this move is said to be necessary and inevitable.

"We want the best and brightest from across America to oversee our universities but recruiting should not come at the expense of the education of our students," said the Governor.

This new law will allow state universities to hire external search firms only when hiring university presidents or when a current president and board of trustees prove the need for hiring guidance. This new law is said to improve hiring practices and compel the universities to rely on their leadership to conduct searches.

The law requires state universities, including the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University and Western Illinois University, to implement policies for conducting hiring searches.

The new law will be effective from January 1, 2013 and universities will have six months from the date to employ these new search policies.