63 Comments - 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:14 pm: Kids are our most precious commodity…until they turn 18 or you have to pay them a minimum wage. - John Rawlsss - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:18 pm: Snore. Mike Madigan is responsible for the crisis. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:18 pm: ===The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is citing Springfield’s long budget stalemate as a culprit in its fall on the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking of U.S. colleges and universities. The downstate campus dropped to 52nd from a tie for 44th.=== Rauner vetoed the last FY budgeting for higher education in its entirety. You don’t fund things, you want them closed. That’s how it’s always gone. - John Trolsss - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:22 pm: =Snore. Mike Madigan is responsible for the crisis.= Dumbest laziest driveway. - Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:22 pm: Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones said in a statement. “We are proud that despite the state budget crisis, our graduation rate, freshman retention rate, admitted student quality and reputation among peers and high school counselors all held steady or improved. Our class sizes crept up, but only slightly.” UIUC is at record enrollment- hardly in crisis. Unless you are talking about the football program. Not sure what US News would attribute the decline in rankings to but it certainly not because of falling enrollment. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-university-of-illinois-enrollment-20170118-story.html - 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:28 pm: The cuts to higher education started long before Bruce Rauner got elected. The skyrocketing increases in tuition are tied directly to cuts in state operating support that really started under Blagojevich. In Illinois, the public universities raised tuition faster and in higher percentages than the private non-profits, by far. It’s not even close. No, Rauner didn’t start the cuts, which were the beginning of the problem. But instead of trying to solve the problem of increasing costs with declining enrollments, he created a full-blown existential crisis. Making our problems worse is not why he was elected. Epic failure, with consequences that will take longer to repair than the entire length of the Rauner administration. - Norseman - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:29 pm: More data points showing the damage Rauner’s impasse has done to IL education and social service system. To folks who care about public higher ed, vote accordingly. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:32 pm: ===…certainly not because of falling enrollment.=== UIUC lowered its admission standards.. The Chicago Trubune…. http://bit.ly/2lUBq5G “U. of I. hikes aid, accepts lower scores for in-state students” - Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:36 pm: The majority of state funding for higher education goes to pensions “The current pension system is not sustainable. Rising state retirement costs will continue to cut into education funding and other core government services if lawmakers do not address the problem. The longer reform is delayed, the more funding for other services will be squeezed.” Speaker Madigan agrees the pensions are unsustainable but will not call Senator Cullerton’s bipartisan pension bill for a vote in the House https://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/pensions-vs-schools-higher-education/ - Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:40 pm: From that article: “The school’s strategy followed pressure from lawmakers, university trustees and parents to enroll more in-state students…” A perfectly valid criticism IMO. International diversity is great, but 5K+ students from one foreign country isn’t very diverse. Granted, they likely went that route because the students are paying sticker price. “The average ACT score among in-state freshmen fell from 28.86 in 2014 to 28.28 this fall (2015).” I don’t know what’s happened since, but I’m not gonna freak out over half a point. - Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:45 pm: The Pritzker campaign is on it. This is exactly where to hit–the massive, intentional damage Rauner has done to higher ed (along with social services, bill backlog and debt). The intent of it is the worst, that Rauner did this purposely. Thankfully some brave GA members finally understood and took away much of Rauner’s weaponry that he used to break the state. Maybe that’s why he went so crazy and purged his staff when he could no longer continue breaking the state. The lesson here is that the GA should not allow this to happen again. The GA is responsible in that regard. Recognize the radical early and work quickly to prevent the radical from doing damage. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:46 pm: ===I don’t know what’s happened since, but I’m not gonna freak out over half a point.=== To say that standards are the same, that’s not true. To say a half point doesn’t matter, that may be fair, but you forgot this… From the article…. ===College coordinator Lianne Musser said those accepted to business and engineering programs were as qualified as those from previous years, but in other programs, “We had maybe a couple that kind of raised eyebrows that they got in,” she said. Sophomore business major Megan Erickson says she doesn’t mind a slight drop in test scores but that lowering them again would be a problem. “I don’t think we should have those students here because they’re not going to make it here,” the suburban Chicago native said=== “Raised eyebrows” ain’t the best academic admission standard - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:50 pm: - Lucky Pierre - ===“Given the financial challenges facing higher education over the past 25 months…”=== Governors own. They always do. In the past 24 months Rauner vetoed full year funding for UIUC and all Illinois universities. Only a governor can veto. Thank goodness the “Brave 15″, the “Perfect 10″, and Sen. Righter… for saving Higher Ed. Bruce and Diana Rauner want to hurt state universities… “Given the financial challenges facing higher education over the past 25 months…” … and Bruce and Diana Rauner are succeeding. - City Zen - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:51 pm: ==Mike Madigan is responsible for the crisis.== UIUC US Weekly rankings over the Madigan years: 1983 = 8 (based on reputation alone) 1988 = 20 1998 = 45 2008 = 38 2011-13 = between 45 and 47 - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:53 pm: (Sigh) - City Zen - Reading. It’s fundamental…. ===“Given the financial challenges facing higher education over the past 25 months…=== - Fixer - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:56 pm: LP using IPI for a source again? Given that most of their stats are spun more than a top, not sure I’d go that route. - City Zen - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:57 pm: Willy, Math is your homeboy. Don’t ignore him or he’ll wind up on the streets…or Chicago State. - illini - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 12:59 pm: Without a doubt, these past 2 plus years have taken their toll on not only my Alma Mater but all of Higher Ed in Illinois. The facts posted here yesterday afternoon are telling and sobering. Yet, now that there will be state funding there is an upside, and I am confident that some trends can be reversed. But this will not happen immediately. Fortunately UIUC is better positioned than some of the regionals to grow their status and reputation. But dropping out of that top tier is somewhat unsettling. Thank you BVR. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:01 pm: - City Zen - US News and World reports states… ===“Given the financial challenges facing higher education over the past 25 months…=== And you say “Because… Madigan” Rauner vetoed the first and third year, full year, higher ed funding, and this third year The GA funded higher ed, and you say… “Because… Madigan” They are rating for ONE year, yet they “go back”, but only go back 25 months… You say “Because… Madigan” Read, but read for comprehension while you’re at it. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:05 pm: My bad, I was quoting Chancellor Robert Jones, who was reacting to the one year rating. That’s my error. Apologies. - City Zen - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:06 pm: ==“The school’s strategy followed pressure from lawmakers, university trustees and parents to enroll more in-state students…”== Were they specifically referencing 2017? Otherwise, that’s not reflected in the numbers (no 2017 yet). UIUC total enrollment/Illinois residents: 2016 = 44,880/27,656 = 61.6% 2015 = 44,087/27,418 = 62.2% 2014 = 43,603/27,753 = 63.6% - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:08 pm: ===Were they specifically referencing 2017? Otherwise, that’s not reflected in the numbers (no 2017 yet). UIUC total enrollment/Illinois residents=== The article was from 2015… Tough to “say” but if that’s 2016 Fall numbers, that might not be too promising. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:10 pm: ===The majority of state funding for higher education goes to pensions=== LOL… Rauner vetoed ALL state funding for higher ed. So, there’s that. - illini - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:16 pm: Willy, you can’t keep reminding anyone concerned about Higher Ed often enough that BVR used his VETO powers on many occasions to exacerbate this crisis. Certainly the results were predictable and the consequences must now be addressed. Thanks - City Zen - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:17 pm: OW - No worries. I was only referencing the rankings during Madigan’s tenure as a reply to a previous comment. Plenty of blame to go around. UIUC has been sputtering around the 40’s for about 2 decades now. They spent the late go-go 90’s around 46. Other than a 34 ranking in 2000 and that 20 in 1988, they haven’t made any progress up the charts. - H-W - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:20 pm: It is one thing to say there has been stagnant, and declining funding over the past decade or two. It is the same to say, controlling for inflation, universities have been working with less and less state funding over the past couple decades. But it is something entirely different to say, over the past two years, higher education funding has been cut in half across the board. These draconian cuts have been unmanageable at the local level, and have had enormous effects on both the universities, and their home communities. Rauner owns this mess, not some innocuous past practices leading to the present. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:22 pm: ===Plenty of blame to go around=== While I can, and do, like the pension crisis on its own, spread blame all around… The reality is those pesky vetoes these past 3 fiscal years. Rauner chose… twice… to veto full year funding for higher ed. It took the GA to override, and Chancellor Jones chooses 25 months as the window, I see those vetoes as the choice of a single governor, doing what a governor can only do. With respect. (Tips cap humbly to - illini -) - 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:32 pm: Nobody wants to blame Rauner for all of this mess more than I do, but I can’t give him all of the credit for the intentional, willful and destructive under-funding of higher education in Illinois. The cuts to higher education that have led to tuition increases and lower enrollment at many public universities started under Rod, and some of the “credit” can be given to Jim Edgar for eliminating the Board of Governors/Regents system of governance and letting them all compete/fend for themselves. Read it and weep: https://www.luminafoundation.org/files/resources/Illinois.Postsecondary.Investments-Executive.Summary.pdf Rauner took a bad situation and made it worse, to be sure. But Illinois has cut almost $1 billion (with a B) from higher ed since 2000. You can’t take that kind of money out of the equation without severe consequences. It’s time to move past blame and start finding solutions. Hopefully the next Governor will put some time and effort into saving what was once among the best systems of higher education in the U.S. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:42 pm: - 47th Ward - With great respect as always, The cuts and even the lowering of funding has cause damage, Chancellor Jones cites these 25 months as an important mile marker as to where we find that snapshot today. I’d love to see a revamping and even a newer, bolder vision for higher education. I stated it a few times now, and I wholly acknowledge this important need to happen. But… A governor deciding on seperate occasions to fully veto the full year funding of higher education, that’s far different than what Edgar thru Quinn did, even as they didn’t help the overall. Rauner is the lone governor since 1858 to refuse to fund higher education. That was a purposeful damaging that isn’t in the same breath of Edgar, or Ryan, or… Respectfully - Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 1:49 pm: What is the Pritzker plan? How much will it cost in higher taxes? Can he explain how he can pass a progressive income tax plan- magically solving our problems, that was not even proposed during the 12 years of total control of state government by Democrats? Does he believe, like the Speaker, that the pensions are unsustainable and must be reformed so our Higher Ed funding goes to the classrooms and not for Cadillac health care and pension plans? Does he believe any state universities should be closed? Has he ever criticized any of the leaders for their share of the problems in the state? He acts like everything was fine in Illinois until January of 2015. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 2:00 pm: ===What is the Pritzker plan?=== It’s probably not vetoing full year funding for higher education like Bruce Rauner did, twice, lol ===Can he explain how he can pass a progressive income tax plan- magically solving our problems, that was not even proposed during the 12 years of total control of state government by Democrats?=== This is a deflection, not addressing anything. This is embarrassing for you - Lucky Pierre -. Stay on topic. The topic is Chancellor Jobes saying the the past 25 months have hurt UIUC. Rauner has been governor during that time, “Bruce Rauner failed Higher Ed” ===Does he believe, like the Speaker, that the pensions are unsustainable and must be reformed so our Higher Ed funding goes to the classrooms and not for Cadillac health care and pension plans?=== Bruce Rauner vetoed ALL funding to Higher Ed, including every dime that was suppose to go into the classroom. If I use your matrix, Rauner failed to fully fund higher education in classrooms for 3 fiscal years. That’s failing. ===Does he believe any state universities should be closed?=== Bruce and Diana Rauner want state universities closed. As they donated and created a library and a dormitory at Dartmouth, Rauner’s vetoes and Diana’s funding of Bruce’s campaign and the GOP, Diana Rauner’s own “brand” is about closing universities. Pritzker? I think once Bruce admits he wants universities closed instead of starving them, I’d ask them again. ===Has (Pritzker) he ever criticized any of the leaders for their share of the problems in the state? He acts like everything was fine in Illinois until January of 2015.=== “Bruce Rauner fails” Get use to it. - Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 2:18 pm: This is a deflection, not addressing anything. This is embarrassing for you - Lucky Pierre -. Stay on topic. The topic is the Democrats slamming Rauner for Higher Ed’s problems and not taking any responsibility for their actions or proposing any solutions. Governor Rauner has proposed many solutions- every single one has been rejected. What are the Democrats solutions beyond a progressive tax that faces a change in our constitution? It is embarrassing that you think this all started in January of 2015 when it has been brewing for decades. Do you see why Illinois needs reforms and not just higher taxes on middle class families yet? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 2:36 pm: ===The topic is the Democrats slamming Rauner for Higher Ed’s problems and not taking any responsibility for their actions or proposing any solutions=== Rauner’s solution is vetoing 2 full year fundings of Illinois’ higher education. If Bruce and Diana Rauner has their way, higher education would still not be funded, like Rauner’s first veto. Diana Rauner says, according to Bruce, he’s never been happier… refusing to fund higher education. ===Governor Rauner has proposed many solutions=== Rauner’s solution to higher education is continually vetoing the funding for higher education. If the RaunerS want universities closed, Bruce and Diana Rauner should say so. I dunno how that works with Diana’s “brand”… … but the reform Rauner has for higher ed is to flat-out refuse to fund higher ed ===It is embarrassing that you think this all started in January of 2015 when it has been brewing for decades=== You school ask Chancellor Jones Chancellor? ===”Given the financial challenges facing higher education over the past 25 months..,”=== Rauner has been governor these past 25 months, lol - Anon - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 2:49 pm: We just had a big tax increase that still didn’t balance the budget. Where oh where does JB think the money is going to come from to “invest”(I.E load up further on already bloated administrations) in higher education? There should be a basic math test required of anyone that wants to talk Illinois politics. The share of the general fund over the next few decades that will be going to pensions increases significantly. Our budget already doesn’t balance, we know we have this huge looming payment schedule about to start, and yet we have politicians (and their minions) plotting out new spending programs for money that doesn’t exist. The sooner the entire political establishment realizes it isn’t 1995 anymore and the days of smoke/mirrors/and can kicking are over with regards to the budget the sooner we can get to solving the real structural problems that are crippling the budget. - DRauner - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 2:52 pm: We’ve been caught Bruce. Us RaunerS schemed and plotted for decades to close the universities and transfer all money to Dartmouth, your beloved alma mater. It was so perfect. Delay funding the schools, attempt to starve public education and then turn Illinois into a superfund site just like Oswego. And we would have gotten away with it if not for a man from the armpit of Illinois and his shaggy dog too. Drats. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 2:55 pm: Usually Diana Rauner’s notes to me begin… “As this pertains to my brand…” It must be snark, Like this comment is too. - Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 2:57 pm: Why is that funny? Rauner vetoes two unbalanced budgets that did not reform any of the problems in Illinois government or our business environment. Rauner’s solution was to veto the budget until the GA passed needed reforms both Democratic leaders have admitted are necessary after they passed the “balanced” budget. Why did it take 2 1/2 years to admit the obvious that serious reforms are needed to Illinois government and our business environment. You are one of the few that believes all that is required to fix Illinois is higher taxes on middle class families. Chancellor Jones was in Albany NY until July of 2016. I am certain through his experience cutting budgets he is aware that the problems in higher ed in Illinois started well before 25 months ago. - Blue dog dem - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 2:58 pm: US News and World Report. Garbage. Any ranking based on faculty compensation and alumni giving . Not so good. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 2:59 pm: - DRauner - There was this… From the Sun-Times… http://bit.ly/2f3wbA8 “Rauner’s aides give boss’ beloved alma mater no-bid deal” From the link… ===Visit the campus of Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, and you’ll find plenty of signs that our first-year governor, Bruce Rauner, once was there and fondly recalls his time as a student at the Ivy League institution. There’s the Rauner Special Collections Library. There’s the dorm called Rauner Hall. There’s the economics professorship Rauner and his wife also endowed, and the Rauner Scholarship Fund for Dartmouth students from the Chicago area. And now, a few months after the college’s hugely successful alumnus was sworn in as Illinois governor, there’s also a state of Illinois contract for Dartmouth. State documents obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show Rauner’s aides gave a no-bid deal to Dartmouth on May 4. There’s no record state government previously had given any contracts to Dartmouth.=== - filmmaker prof - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 3:03 pm: Everyone knows those rankings are meaningless, yet we always brag about them when they are good. There has been a very real faculty exodus from UIUC due to the lack of a budget, which among other things led to few salary raises. Average UIUC faculty salaries were below our peers by .67% in 2014. That has grown to 7.3% behind peer institutions in 2017. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 3:07 pm: ===Why is that funny? Rauner vetoes two unbalanced budgets that did not reform any of the problems in Illinois government or our business environment=== “What will be different in a Rauner second term?” Bret Baier all but called Rauner a failure. You want to point to vetoes as successes? These brutes hurt Higher Ed ===Rauner’s solution was to veto the budget until the GA passed needed reforms both Democratic leaders have admitted are necessary after they passed the “balanced” budget=== So holding higher ed hostage? You think this is… better? LOL “Let’s hurt higher ed until I get my way?” ===Why did it take 2 1/2 years to admit the obvious that serious reforms are needed to Illinois government and our business environment=== Rauner has yet to sign a full year budget, a colossal failure. The Democrats and the “Brave 15″ and “Perfect 10″ along with Sen. Righter, were done with Bruce’s forceful destruction. ===You are one of the few that believes all that is required to fix Illinois is higher taxes on middle class families=== No. Good try. I know vetoing the full funding of higher ed is destroying higher ed, as Chancellor Jones points out… Then this, LOL… ===Chancellor Jones was in Albany NY until July of 2016. I am certain through his experience cutting budgets he is aware that the problems in higher ed in Illinois started well before 25 months ago=== It didn’t take Chancellor Jones long to figure out Bruce and Diana Rauner want to destroy higher education, thus the 25 month window. You’re not helping the governor - Lucky Pierre - - Anon - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 3:15 pm: JB is the only thing that can save Rauner at this point. It is odd to me that there is a concerted push to nominate the only guy Rauner can beat. - City Zen - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 3:22 pm: ==Where oh where does JB think the money is going to come from== Timeshares? Seriously, JB has promised away the same non-existent dollar multiple times. - City Zen - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 3:28 pm: Apologies if this has already been stated, but how much money does Higher Ed need to be made whole? Not just restoring funding to pre-Rauner levels which weren’t enough, but to get funding back in line minimally with inflation and at most expand successful programs responsibly all while keeping tuition costs in check. $1 billion? $5 billion? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 3:34 pm: ===…to get funding back in line minimally with inflation and at most expand successful programs responsibly all while keeping tuition costs in check.=== This is where the rubber hits the road, and factoring in dollars that are classroom dollars and what dollars outside those dollars that deal with pensions for one. I’d like that real conversation. A lot. That’s how to save higher ed too. - 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 3:35 pm: CZ, apology accepted. https://www.luminafoundation.org/files/resources/Illinois.Postsecondary.Investments-Executive.Summary.pdf - Norseman - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 3:43 pm: === The topic is the Democrats slamming Rauner for Higher Ed’s problems and not taking any responsibility for their actions or proposing any solutions. === I would say the Dems passing budgets to fund higher ed is a pretty good solution. Too bad Rauner has vetoed all budgets that would have given full year funding to the universities. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 3:46 pm: Anon3:15—Pretty good chance Rauner can beat anybody currently in the Dem line-up. Kennedy, Biss, et.al. are lightweights. - don the legend - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 4:06 pm: LP —Why did it take 2 1/2 years to admit the obvious that serious reforms are needed to Illinois government and our business environment— Rauner didn’t get you or any of us a “single reform”. He failed you, me and the entire state. Admit it. He failed. - Blue dog dem - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 4:07 pm: Norse. Are you rallying for an increase in state revenue already? If not where is the shift in current spending? I for one would take the entire DCEO budget and allocate it to instate scholarships. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 4:10 pm: LP, pick a lane. On the one hand you’re claiming that higher ed hasn’t been damaged by lack of budgets, on the other hand you’re claiming that Rauner had no role in the lack of budgets. Perhaps that third voice inside your head could be the deciding vote. - Norseman - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 4:27 pm: Blue dog dem, are you on the same post? Where do you get that I’m “rallying” for a tax increase. This post is about Rauner’s role in damaging higher ed. - blue dog dem - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 4:39 pm: …I would say Dems passing budgets to fund higher ed…I thought we just did? I am no Rauner apologist, but geez Louise, we just passed a large income tax increase. Every single penny and then some is dedicated. We have to bond money to pay off old bills. Haven’t svratched the surface of pension obligations. I apologize to you, but it kinda seemed like you were wanting higher ed to get a bigger slice of the pie. My buz. - Norseman - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 5:07 pm: Blue Dog, “bigger slice of the pie”? I’m just glad they got a slice somewhere near the size piece they got prior to Rauner. You seem to keep running around the topic of the post, i.e. that Rauner is at fault for the financial damage done to higher ed. I say yes. - blue dog dem - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 5:11 pm: I say marginally yes. - My New Handle - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 5:41 pm: It is on Rauner’s watch that the public higher ed institutions got no budget approps for two years; but as others here have noted, public higher ed funding and MAP grants have been diminished greatly over the past 16 years. The reps and senators representing districts with public universities have done a very poor job of advocating for public higher ed. The leaders are all private university grads and have seemingly little interest in public u’s and even less for those students attending. I despise them for their disinterest and the damage it has caused. - Nearly Normal - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 8:10 pm: Last year, the governor attended an Illinois State home football game. When his presence was announced, very loud booing commenced. I wonder if he dares show his face at a game this year. - City Zen - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 8:53 pm: ==I wonder if he dares show his face at a game this year.== Guessing this weekend’s ISU/EIU grudge match is a no-go. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 12, 17 @ 10:18 pm: Liberal college kids generally do not care for republicans - cc - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 2:53 am: Two weeks ago The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Business College sent to my father, at my address a “magazine”. He did go to school there but the statistics section should have been consulted before sending mail to someone who would have been 105 years old this month. If still here, I think he would have been amused as were my siblings and I. - hexagon - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 9:46 am: It boggles my mind that state governments will pay such high costs to bring a corporate job creator here when they could simply fund public goods like universities that would create jobs and train a labor force capable of attracting an Amazon or the like. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 1:31 pm: For all the hand wringing, get this: UIC has more than 30,000 students, the first time enrollment has exceeded 30K. And at UIUC, they have record enrollment for the 7th straight year. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 1:34 pm: ===For all the hand wringing, get this: UIC has more than 30,000 students, the first time enrollment has exceeded 30K. And at UIUC, they have record enrollment for the 7th straight year.=== … and they lowered their admission standards and fell in rank too… and it’s tied to a 25 month starving of Higher Ed. 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