Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s proposed state budget for next fiscal year calls for little new funding. But advocates for higher education want the state to invest more in its public colleges and universities, and they’d like to see that done now.
Specifically, they want the state to increase its investment in the Monetary Award Program, also known as MAP grants, and they want lawmakers to pass an equitable funding formula for higher education.
“It doesn’t matter whether the governor is Democratic or Republican. What we’ve seen in the state of Illinois for the last 23 years is a steady decline in state funding for higher education, and that needs to turn around now,” said Merrill Cole, president of the Western Illinois University chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois, which represents faculty at WIU.
The Coalition for Transforming Higher Education Funding hopes to convince lawmakers to turn around funding for the state’s public colleges and universities. The organization will hold a Higher Education Advocacy Day in Springfield on April 16. It expects to draw hundreds of advocates from across the state.
Cole told the WIU Board of Trustees during its regular meeting on March 12 that he’s been working with the provost’s office, the faculty senate, and other groups on campus to make sure Western has a presence at the rally.
Cole said he’s been asked if it’s the right time to do this, given the tight state budget and funding uncertainty from the federal government.
“I would say, no time is the right time to ask the state to cough up money. We just need to make this the moment when it happens,” he said.
Cole said the rally on April 16 is an opportunity for faculty, students, and staff to stand up and pull together.
Zach Messersmith, WIU’s Director of Government and Public Relations, told the board that adequate and equitable funding is a vital issue for WIU, and he said most of the state’s public universities are working together on the issue.
“It really is impactful when we all are together, pulling in the same direction,” he said.
But Messersmith said there is one publicly funded university in Illinois that’s not on board with the plan.
“The University of Illinois system is still opposed, quite vocally, even though the University of Illinois Chicago would receive the most money overall,” he said.
Messersmith said the U of I has offered no counterproposal to the measure, which he called frustrating.
Board Chair Polly Radosh said about 40% of Illinois high school graduates who attend college go to a university in another state. She believes more would stay in Illinois if tuition could be kept lower.
“When they leave at that stage of their life, they’re not going to be as committed to the state to stay in the state. So it affects not only their education but the outward migration of our citizens,” she said.
Radosh said she’s from New York state, but her graduate school years were spent in Illinois. She became comfortable in Illinois during those years, so that’s where she put down roots.
Trustee Kirk Dillard said the estimated cost of the bill needs to be put in perspective.
“It’s $135 million out of a $56 billion state budget,” he said.
Dillard also said that a Bachelor’s degree remains valuable.
He said someone who graduated with a bachelor’s in 1979, like he did from WIU, earned an estimated 38% more over their lifetime than someone without such a degree.
“Today, you would make 85% more. So a degree from our place or Eastern Illinois or any of the universities is today is worth significantly more money over your lifetime than when I went here,” Dillard said.
“So why wouldn’t the state of Illinois want to spend a mere $135 million in a $56 billion dollar operation to essentially take up the income of the people of Illinois.”
Dillard said those same people will spend that money back in income and sales taxes and boost the state’s economy.
“It’s such a small amount of money in the big picture, and the returns are astronomical,” Dillard said.
WIU’s leaders say they have some allies in their push to pass the Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act, which has been introduced in both chambers (Senate Bill 13 and House Bill 1581).
The lead sponsor in the Senate is Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood), who’s a WIU alumna.
Senator Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island) is a co-sponsor. His district includes WIU’s Macomb and Quad Cities campuses.
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