Sen. Radogno Wants to Do Away with Education Perk

Children of longtime public university employees do not have to pay full tuition if they attend a state school.

As long as a parent has put in at least seven years of service, the children pay half price, but Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno wants to do away with the perk. Radogno said during difficult financial times, it cannot be justified. She said it is unfair that a nurse working at a university hospital gets the benefit when a nurse at a private hospital does not.

"Even within the university community, it's not even universally applied," Radogno said. "It's applied based on your family status, which generally we try to stay away from that. So, if you happen to have children, you get extra pay."

Radogno said that does not make sense, and she doesn't buy university claims that it is an important recruiting tool.

Schools say that lawmakers have continually looked to higher education to help fill the state's budget hole, and that has already meant reduced benefits for university employees. Illinois State University spokesman Jay Groves said Illinois exports a lot of its high school graduates to neighboring states. He said the perk helps entice employees' children, their partial tuition and fees to stay in Illinois.

"You know she might be assuming that if students did not have that benefit, that they would go to public universities anyway, and that is not a given," Groves said. "So that is money taken away from the public universities if the student decided to go out of state or to a private institution."

If it gains traction in the legislature, Radogno's proposal would only apply to future hires. Current university workers would be grandfathered in and have the chance to keep the tuition break.

Radogno also has legislation that would eliminate full tuition waivers known as General Assembly scholarships. Lawmakers can award them at their discretion, and there have been cases of abuse. Governor Pat Quinn also supports ending that program.