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Sticker shock

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Illinois

I think when I went to Sangamon State University in the 1980s tuition was $850 a semester. The school is now called the University of Illinois at Springfield and, according to this article, with the just announced tuition increase, students will have to pay $12,950 a year to attend.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 20, 05 @ 9:33 pm

Comments

Rich
You just noticed that tuitions are out of control? That’s Blagojevich’s dirtly little secret that he hopes voters won’t catch on. He has slashed funding to the universities as well as student aid and at the same time all he does is bash the universities for being too expensive. Well, they have no choice but to raise tuitions when he won’t do a damn thing about the state’s fiscal problems. Besides, who needs affordable universities when you have control over the state board of education, that’s what’s really important. BTW - what the hell is going on there at ISBE that is so different from the old Soviet Style Bureaucracy? Any bets on who this year’s SOS address enemy is going to be? Maybe he’ll go after Jesse White for having bad knees.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 21, 05 @ 12:29 am
Tuition is out of control because there is too much money out there.

1. Suppose tuition is $1000. The government comes along and offers $1000 low interest loans to qualified applicants. Tuition will:

A) Stay the same
B) Go up - students can now afford $1000+what they were paying before the loan.

2. If you can only afford $1000, and do not qualify for the government loan, you are:

A) In good shape
B) Screwed

On the plus side, you are now saddled with debt! If I were college bound these days, I would think twice about assuming tens of thousands of dollars in debt for a college education.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 21, 05 @ 6:48 am
My son is going to college next year. It is cheaper to send him out of state. Michigan state schools offer a lot of “in-state” tuition scholarships for “average” students. For example to go to Northern Michigan University total cost $9000.00 vs. Southern Illinois at $12,500 (room, board and tuition).

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 21, 05 @ 8:28 am
This is a perfect example of the Blagojevich administration balancing the budget on the backs of working families!

Its a sorry state of affairs when under republican governors the line was held on tuition and fees. Way to be such a great “Democrat” Rod.

Not only is it a higher educational funding issue it is also one of dire importance to Southern Illinois. SIU remains the largest employer in the region and with higher tuition and lower enrollments it is a grave threat to the fragile economic condition of the region.

Rod was in Southern IL this week on an “Opportunity Returns” tour but I doubt he cares about this or many other issues due to the fact its not a contract he can line his or his friend’s pockets with

He told the Southern Illinoisan he would serve exclusively Illinois Wine at the Governor’s Mansion, definetly a promise worthy of Rod since he cant even live there

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 21, 05 @ 2:30 pm