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Gov. Rauner talks about what higher education needs

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* Gov. Rauner was at an Illinois Chamber event today and was asked about his plans for his next four years as governor. He started by pointing to “record K-12 funding” and “more equitable school funding,” then said he wanted to do this…

More effective funding for our higher education system, both community colleges and our university system. We need a lot of restructuring of our universities and our community colleges because we’ve got too much capacity, we’ve got a lot of redundancy, we’ve got a lot of overlap.

But we need more resources for higher education. And I’m committed to doing that.

Restructuring, too much capacity, redundancy and overlap. That sounds like downsizing talk to me.

…Adding… Pritzker campaign…

Bruce Rauner decimated the state’s colleges and universities during his 736-day budget crisis, yet today he’s saying, “we need more resources for higher education.”

Throughout the manufactured budget crisis, colleges and universities across the state were forced to make devastating cuts year after year. Students fled, tuition was hiked, employees were laid off, and even bond ratings and rankings plunged under Bruce Rauner’s failed leadership.

“Bruce Rauner held our state colleges and universities hostage during his budget crisis, holding back vital state dollars while employees were laid off and students fled,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “This failed governor is the reason we don’t have more resources for higher education, as our critical institutions continue to rebuild from his devastating leadership.”

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:30 pm

Comments

I asked the governor that precise question at a similar forum when he started talking like this. Specifically I asked whether he was planning on any campus closures. He said, “No” with the same level of sincerity we have come to expect from him.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:34 pm
On more than one occasion, Rauner has said there’s no reason to have multiple state universities offering the same majors. He wants each u to specialize in something.
Meanwhile, he has cut state support for higher ed by 30% or more.

Comment by Rauner Loves Dartmouth Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:34 pm
He is with out a doubt the best student recruiter Alabama ever had

Comment by DuPage Saint Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:38 pm
===Restructuring, too much capacity, redundancy and overlap. That sounds like downsizing talk to me.===

If Rauner just wants to close a university or three… he should say so.

Starving them to closure is working, I’ll give him that.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:40 pm
File this as “Pivot to the Center Delayed, Part 2.” Anyone from a university town who doesn’t ask for clarification deserves what they get.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:41 pm
In other words, close most of the state universities and junior colleges and pass the savings as tax cuts. See? So easy!

Comment by Ed Higher Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:42 pm
Just another politician trying to make education into what they want, not what student needs and families expect. This is nothing new, both sides of the political aisle engage in this educational gaming every year.

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:45 pm
The Republican antipathy to higher education is one of the more destructive political trends across the Midwest over the past decade.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:46 pm
–We need a lot of restructuring of our universities and our community colleges because we’ve got too much capacity, we’ve got a lot of redundancy, we’ve got a lot of overlap.–

“I tried to starve some of them to death through Social Darwinism, but they refused to die right away.

“I need more time.”

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:46 pm
===He is with out a doubt the best student recruiter Alabama ever had===

Give a little credit to Nick Saban. To the post, he says a lot of things. If you want to know how he feels about funding higher ed, look at his record. Pretty poor to say the least.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:47 pm
A simple minded individual sees redundancies everywhere. Rauner probably still wonders why there are a shoe for left feet, and another one for the right when a pair of the exact shoe could fit either foot.

Don’t even get him started on why we have two state fairs.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:49 pm
===Give a little credit to Nick Saban===

“Alabama Football” was at the White House yesterday, so there’s that.

Rauner wants state universities closed.

Rauner has yet to fully fund an entire fiscal year of higher education.

When you want something closed in governing, your governing refuses to fund it.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:49 pm
Word, well said.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:50 pm
Three things:
1. If I’m not mistaken, what they need is stable funding from the State.
2. This “too much capacity” he speaks of is because he decided to slash their funding and drive students out of state. It’s a problem he created. Maybe instead of restructuring the universities and community colleges, he restructures himself out of government and solves at least one of Illinois’ problems for a change.
3. He didn’t mention Madigan? Has he forgotten his talking points again? How hard is it to remember to blame Madigan?

Comment by ImNotTaylorSwift Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:51 pm
===“I need more time.”===

Four more years should do it.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:52 pm
===Four more years should do it.===

If he could complete it before the remap, gosh, that’d be ideal…

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:53 pm
Most of his administration has degrees from Southern New Hampshire Online University, and Beanie Baby Resale Website for Less.

And look how awesome his communication/welders from there handled Ives.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:54 pm
Has he ever introduced a plan to deal with any of this? We’re at year 3.5

Comment by Sox Fan Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:57 pm
“too much capacity”

When you raise the price and threaten closure, you’ll have that.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:58 pm
===…we’ve got too much capacity…===

Governor,

Only New Jersey exports more higher education freshman to other states than Illinois.

It’s not capacity. The exodus says it’s your incompetency.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 3:59 pm
It’s like listening to the Riddler from Batman, he contradicts himself in consecutive sentences by talking about restructuring and redundancy and then says higher education needs more resources. If he had a third side of his mouth, he would talk out of that too. And as OW has skillfully detailed (for years now), he has willfully led the financial destruction of IL higher education. Shameful.

Comment by Columbo Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 4:01 pm
If Rauner had ever taken his job, separation of powers and democracy seriously, he would have tried to put together a reorganization plan with the GA to address his concerns that would have made the higher ed system stronger.

Instead, he went the lazy and cynical way, and abused his power as chief executive to starve all schools, hoping some would die, making all of higher ed weaker.

His natural sneakiness and contempt for the process makes him incapable of doing the job the right way and in the public interest.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 4:02 pm
If this is anything more than self-serving political polemics coming from a Governor who has done nothing more than showing disdain and contempt for our Higher Education, I don’t know what it is.

Rauner did not create the crisis we have in this state but he has exacerbated it and has done everything he possibly could to hasten the destruction of our Universities.

I have never heard of a state having “too much capacity” for higher ed, but I do know of a state where the Governor has made it a priority to destroy the once great system we used to have.

Words vs. Actions. We will be watching.

Comment by illini Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 4:02 pm
One might expect a businessman to see opportunities in higher ed. Perhaps a way to make the state more attractive to residents and businesses. Perhaps a generator of ideas that would initiate new industries. Did businessman Rauner leave his skills at home, or is he just a one-trick pony who only knows how to close businesses and sell off the parts?

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 4:04 pm
Pure folly. The biggest reasons there may be extra capacity is no one matched border states in recruiting and GovJunk’s 2 year budget impasse.
Reverse both brainstorms and first the desks are filled and then 50% of the graduates stay. A big expansion of a well educated, young high earners is easily within grasp. Looks like GovJunk thinks more starvation is needed. Yikes

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 4:12 pm
Why hasn’t he done anything about this during the last 3 years? The guy hasn’t accomplished anything. Why should anyone think he will suddenly become effective at this when he has proven - rather consistently - that he can’t do what he claims he wants to do?

The more this duck quacks the lamer he becomes.

Comment by Henry Francis Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 4:16 pm
What -Pot calling Kettle - and - Wordslinger - are saying is exactly why I chose “incompetence” in a comment on this subject.

The incompetence is…

… not having the skill set to craft, shape, change higher education for the better, so that incompetence leads to purposeful destruction of higher ed, to be embraced as fiscal “smartness”.

The same family, the RaunerS, funded a dormitory, a library, and donated “notes” for centuries”… to higher ed they think is worthy.

Whew.

(Tips cap to - columbo -)

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 4:16 pm
Too bad the rest of the media is too timid to cover these types of comments. I’m talking to you Tony Arnold of WBEZ.

Comment by James Knell Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 4:21 pm
Dale Righter just slowly sighed as he realized he will once again have to vote to override the governor to save Charleston-Mattoon’s economy.

That’s OK. He won’t be alone.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 4:23 pm
For a guy who’s going to cut everyone’s taxes, he sure has a lot of places he’s going to spend more money.

Comment by filmmaker prof Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 4:33 pm
===“This failed governor is the reason we don’t have more resources for higher education, as our critical institutions continue to rebuild from his devastating leadership.”==

Well done, Pritzker Crew, well done.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 5:05 pm
Donald Trumps favorite Governor can only do what he knows best.

Comment by Real Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 5:09 pm
Oh - Real -, lol

===Rauner signed that bill purely to detach himself from Trump. If he vetoed it then dems would of hammered him as supporting Trump so Rauner made a political move.===

You keep with the Trump thingy… why isn’t Pritzker using it to talk about Higher Education?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 5:12 pm
Very few places are importing highly educated people than Chicago, which is in Illinois.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 5:21 pm
===We need a lot of restructuring of our universities and our community colleges because we’ve got too much capacity, we’ve got a lot of redundancy, we’ve got a lot of overlap.===

Scary words. No study. No plan. No public examination of data. Just a sweeping statement, to justify starving the beast.

Comment by Langhorne Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 5:24 pm
As a voter, taxpayer and Democrat I fully intend to hold JB to his statements and commitments to reverse this devastating trend and to restore the resources needed to keep our best and brightest young people in our state.

Comment by illini Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 5:25 pm
closing Chicago State University would be a good start.

Comment by GOP Truth Squad Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 5:28 pm
===Very few places are importing highly educated people than Chicago, which is in Illinois.===

… and yet, Rauner needed Rahm to have that Higher Ed campus in the city to attract corporations.

Hmm.

Wonder why?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 5:29 pm
===closing Chicago State University would be a good start.===

Rauner should run on that.

Wonder why he hasn’t… a governor running on closing a higher ed institution… a Republican… a Chicago institution….

Why won’t he?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 5:54 pm
@Willy - I guess if Rauner wants to close Chicago State, EIU and/or WIU there would be more funding for UIUC, ISU and the SIU system. Right?

Comment by illini Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 6:13 pm
===I guess if Rauner wants to close Chicago State, EIU and/or WIU there would be more funding for UIUC, ISU and the SIU system. Right?==

That’s what he may want to sell, but you trust a man who passively closed universitiy(ies) to full fund others that survive.

This just in: I wouldn’t.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 6:16 pm
This dude may be the most soul-less, vapid miserable excuse for a politician I have ever seen or read about.
If it’s tax-payer funded and serves those other than the rich he wants it destroyed. The man probably dreams of an American style caste system.
I have often wondered if some reporter put him in a A Few Good Man scenario, if Rauner would finally snap and admit he believes in a Lord/Serf style form of civilization.

Comment by efudd Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 7:06 pm
If you want to move the needle on higher education, provide more funding for community colleges. They serve 60% of the college students in Illinois but get less than 20% of the total funding. Stop letting the get overshadowed by the universities and let them get back to serving their areas instead of just trying to survive.

Comment by Rural Stuff Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 7:13 pm
Higher education needs Puzo masterpiece in namesake library

Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 8:14 pm
“But we need more resources for higher education. And I’m committed to doing that.”

LOL, such a kidder. We’re on to you and the lies you tell.

So how much is 1.4% going to cut from higher ed this year?

Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 8:43 pm
Even if they get 100% higher education funding starting next year, it will take many years for Illinois colleges and universities to regain their good reputation.

Comment by DuPage Wednesday, Apr 11, 18 @ 9:44 pm
I have to ask, other than UofI have any Illinois public univerties ever had a greatreputation? Almost certain that they haven’t. What was the ranking for any of them?

Comment by Ron Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 7:35 am
===have any Illinois public univerties ever had a greatreputation? Almost certain that they haven’t. What was the ranking for any of them?===

- Ron -

Until you answer this question, just stop.

“Why won’t Rauner or anyone come out and run for office on the platform of closing state universities?”

Until you answer that…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 7:39 am
Ron:

I went to Illinois State University and it is a pretty solid school. You do a lot of badmouting of pretty much everything in this state and it gets old really fast.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 8:29 am
Good old OW trying to make the rules like he owns the place. Just a lot of babble he is.

Comment by Stand Tall Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 8:56 am
Hey Ron.

“Almost certain.” That’s a great way to preface a statement. Try the google. SIU Carbondale’s Automotive Technology and Aviation Schools are some of the best in the nation.

Comment by Saluki Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 8:56 am
According to US News& World Report…

U of I U/C - Top 10 Engineering School / Top 15 Public Universities in the country

All of our regional schools ranking in the upper half or third of school in the midwest region.

So please tell me again how our school doing have a good reputation.

Comment by Concerned Dem Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 8:57 am
Oof… the typos (clearly I was not an English major at one of our fine public universities in Illinois).

Comment by Concerned Dem Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 8:59 am
====trying to make the rules like he owns the place.===

Nope. Trying to figure out if Ron is clueless, ignorant, or just a spammer. I’m a guest, same as everyone. I guess asking - Ron - to add something here is too much?

- Just a lot of babble he is. -

Strong with the Yoda phrasing you are.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 9:02 am
Well, ron, my employer is chock full of SIUe grads in everything from engineering to accounting. Not sure if the “reputation” is “great” in your eyes, but my bosses seem to think so.

And I say this as a UIUC alum.

Comment by illini97 Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 9:11 am
===Gov. Rauner talks about what higher education needs===

A new Governor, preferably one who understands the value of a robust Higher Education system.

-Ron-

Is that you Bruce? We don’t have Dartmouth, so I guess we should just shut the whole thing down.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 9:14 am
What Illinois higher education needs is to fix the monumental damage Rauner forced upon it, because he saw a need to reform higher education, but made our situation worse.

Expecting a failed governor to fix the damage he caused is unrealistic. Expecting him to have an idea how to make higher education reform after failing an entire term is also unrealistic.

Asking this failed governor anything about higher education except why he failed, is our reporter’s job now.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 9:19 am