Southern Illinois University could save at least $10 million a year if it followed a consultant's advice to combine purchasing operations and eliminate redundant bureaucracies at the school's three campuses, school officials recently said. "It's probably going to be a lot more than that," said SIU spokesman Jack Dyer.

The draft report from the Arthur Andersen consulting firm detailed wasteful consulting practices at the school's Carbondale, Edwardsville and Springfield campuses. The study revealed that as many as 20 people review purchasing decisions. Also, individual campuses and even some departments individually purchase items that would cost less in bulk.

The university's commissioning of this report is to be commended. Even more commendable is the expressed determination of university officials to act on the recommendations. The upcoming business plan being drawn up, based on the Andersen study, will likely result in more centralized administration and a smaller payroll, according to university officials.

The SIU study experience illustrates the nature of large public bureaucracies everywhere. Their very nature tends toward growing bureaucracies, regardless of need, with inefficiencies and duplications that would be weeded out in any private business. Perhaps many more of our schools and other public entities should undergo the kind of review Arthur Andersen has given to our friends and neighbors at SIU.