Written by Administrator Monday, 02 August 2010 08:42
CHICAGO, IL With the cost of tuition skyrocketing and state funding for public universities plummeting, State Senator Ed Maloney (D-Chicago) believes Illinois must take a comprehensive look at higher education funding and consider making sweeping changes. He believes the Higher Education Finance Study Commission can set this process in motion.
“We cannot afford to spend taxpayer dollars on anything other than student success,” said Maloney, chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee. “Every dollar Illinois spends on higher education must be used to improve university retention rates, student graduation rates, or the quality of education. This commission needs to find ways to cut non-critical spending and lower or—at least—hold the line on tuition.”
The Higher Education Finance Study Commission was created by Maloney’s Senate Joint Resolution 88, which passed the General Assembly with unanimous support. As the legislation’s sponsor, Maloney was selected as a member of the commission. He is joined on the commission by the resolution's House sponsor, as well as members of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, a member of the Illinois Community College Board, the president of Illinois State University, the Chancellor of Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, and nationally recognized higher education finance experts.
“Since 2002, Illinois has gone from a B to an F in affordability,” Maloney said, citing a biennial publication put out by National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. “At the same time, the average graduation rate at Illinois’ public universities is not satisfactory. We can and should do better -- even with the resources we currently have available.”
The commission had its first meeting last week, and will have four more meetings before submitting a final report to the General Assembly. Maloney hopes the finance commission can build on the Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career Success, which the state adopted several years ago to chart a new course for public higher education.