In the 4.5 months Illinois has gone without a budget, public colleges and universities have received no funding from the state, forcing them to cut staff, dip into cash reserves and do whatever's necessary to stay afloat. Officials from the state's biggest university are hopeful that political leaders in Springfield will hear their plea.

Gov. Rauner is nominating Alumni Assiciation Board members Jill Smart and Ramon Cepeda to serve as University of Illinois Trustees.