Why smaller Illinois universities want changes to state higher education funding

Almost a decade ago, the Illinois General Assembly overhauled the way the state contributes to the cost of elementary and secondary education. Under that law, any new money for K-12 education has been prioritized for school districts that historically have been underfunded.

Now, some legislators are hoping to take that approach to higher education — changing how new money is allocated among Illinois' public universities. Several of them have been struggling. Western Illinois University, for instance, has had to layoff and furlough dozens of its workers in recent years.

A bill is calling for bringing more than a billion new dollars to the state’s universities over the next 15 years with the state’s smaller and underfunded schools getting top priority for that funding. That legislation has struggled over the past couple of years. One of the key opponents of it has been the University of Illinois System. The debate around the legislation continues. Officials at some state universities as well as a state lawmaker weigh in.

*The 21st Show's producing station, Illinois Public Media, is part of the U of I Urbana-Champaign, but is editorially independent.

GUESTS

Dr. Christy Borders 
Professor, ISU College of Education
Executive Board Member, United Faculty Illinois State University union

Dr. Kristi Mindrup 
President, Western Illinois University

Terri Bryant 
Assistant Republican Leader, Illinois State Senate
State Senator, 58th Senate District 

Nicholas Jones 
Executive Vice President and Vice President of Academic Affairs, U of I System