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| Commission Dealing With Higher Ed Funding Holds Last Meeting |
(IRN) -- Ahead of a Dec. 1 deadline, talk turned to a lack of funding at the final meeting of the Higher Education Finance Study Commission.
Members of the commission met Wednesday in Chicago to tweak a final report that must be in the hands of the General Assembly by Dec. 1. The report finds that the state’s lack of providing funds in a timely manner greatly hampers universities and colleges in their mission of properly educating students. In addition, it recommends that the state address its fiscal situation and provide stable funding. It also recommends more dollars for the MAP Grant program.
Most educators and Illinois Board of Higher Education members at the meeting acknowledged that it’s unlikely the state will come up with additional money for higher education anytime soon. But those educators said it would be a fair tradeoff, for the short term, to have dates by which current funding will be available.
John Peters, president of Northern Illinois University, says almost all universities and colleges have not received payments for the current school year and many haven't seen cash from last school year.
State Rep. Robert Pritchard (R-Sycamore) says the problem must be fixed or the state will end up with an under-educated work force that can no longer compete globally.
Educators and IBHE members stressed that higher education leads to good paying jobs, which equates to additional tax revenues for the state. Therefore, investing in higher education can help the states fiscal crisis.
Putting money aside, educators agreed that the quality of education must be maintained and in some cases improved above all else.
Other findings:
* State support for higher education in Illinois has declined, and tuition has increased to fill the gap. That reason, according to some educators and lawmakers, is why some students are priced out of higher education and can’t afford to attend.
* Budgets for universities and colleges in Fiscal Year 2011 are at the same level of state resources as they received in Fiscal Year 1999.
* In Fiscal Year 1996, nearly three of every four dollars spent by universities came from the state. Today, student tuition covers 53 percent of university expenses.
* A decade ago a MAP Grant covered 100 percent of average tuition. Today it covers less than half.
(Illinois Radio Network) |
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