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| Lawmakers Approve MAP Grant Restoration, But No Money to Fund It |
Hundreds of thousands of college students in Illinois stand to lose what they call critical financial aid from the state, should lawmakers not come up with money to fund the Monetary Assistance Program, otherwise known as MAP.
A measure that passed both the Illinois House and Senate Thursday approves spending $205 million to properly fund MAP, but no one can say for sure where the money is going to come from. Some House Democrats suggested the money will come from an open pool of state money, known as discretionary funds. But a short time after the MAP bill passed the House, Gov. Pat Quinn said all the discretionary funds were spent a long time ago, and no such money is currently available.
Quinn spokesman Bob Reed says he doesn't know where the money will come from, but he's "confident" the more than $200 million required to properly fund the program will surface somehow.
Hundreds of students and faculty from colleges and universities around the state descended on Springfield Thursday to advocate for Monetary Assistance Program funding. Some were less than optimistic that they'll get their wish upon learning there's no money currently available. Library Affairs professor Phil Howze from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale says if funding isn't restored, the university will likely have to do some emergency planning for what they think will be a loss of students.
This year's state budget approved only 50 percent funding for MAP, which means roughly 138,000 students stand to lose funding this spring unless the state finds more than $200 million.
(Illinois Radio Network) |
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| 10 16 09 by Newsroom |
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