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IBHE wants 16.6 percent funding increase

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Illinois

* Remember, it’s just a request. Press release…

The Illinois Board of Higher Education has approved a fiscal year 2020 budget that would include $314 million new dollars, or a 16.6 percent increase in funding, for higher education operations in Illinois. “This next fiscal year is beyond critical for the future of higher education in our state,” said Tom Cross, chairman, IBHE. “The board believes that a $2.208 billion budget request will mean reinvestment in higher education, and a commitment to ending the pattern of outmigration of Illinois students.” The board action was taken Tues, Dec. 4.

“For the public universities, we feel that a ten percent increase, or $110 million in additional revenue, is reasonable and will allow those institutions to start to heal after 16 years of budgets below the benchmark of fiscal year 2002,” explained Cross. “Universities still haven’t come close to recovering from the worst blow, which was the stopgap budget of fiscal 2016.” The chart above shows the appropriations for higher education as adjusted for unfunded mandates and inflation.

In the budget request, IBHE is asking for additional money for grant programs. IBHE Executive Director Dr. Al Bowman said, “If Illinois wants more of its high school graduates to attend Illinois colleges and universities, an important incentive is the availability of grants. This budget request will go a long way toward keeping more students here.”

The new or increased grant lines include:

• Monetary Award Program (MAP) $100 million
• AIM HIGH $20 million
• Veterans and National Guard $26 million
• Assistance for Nonpublic Institutions $25 million

“It’s important to note that even with a 16.6 percent increase, next year’s budget would still be lower than the $2.417 billion amount approved by lawmakers for fiscal year 2002,” said Cross.

Bowman told the board that there is a clear connection between tuition increases and the woefully inadequate budgets for higher education. “Revenues for public universities used to come primarily from the state budget, at 72 percent of the total in fiscal 2002. That meant that only 28 percent came from tuition and fees. That ratio has flipped, so that students are largely responsible for almost 65 percent of university revenue.”

Click here to see the charts.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 3:32 pm

Comments

And I want to be thinner and dance better.

Good luck with that.

Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 3:36 pm
I’ve always wanted to be taller.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 3:40 pm
Better selling that pot real fast. Going to need that extra cash

Comment by Gohawks123 Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 3:42 pm
Be*

Comment by Gohawks123 Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 3:43 pm
The hollowing out, from Blago to Rauner refusing to fully fund higher ed, has a huge cost to get things back.

There needs to be a strong commitment to all higher ed, be it Chicago State, junior colleges, to UIUC.

This should be a huge priority to stabilize higher education and governing.

Now… 16.6%… welp… it’s time to make the new commitment also be a new commitment to reorganizing, and not just a bunch of trustees or name changes. Let’s make the commitment to Illinois higher education by making that commitment greater than the dollars too.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 3:44 pm
==“Revenues for public universities used to come primarily from the state budget, at 72 percent of the total in fiscal 2002. That meant that only 28 percent came from tuition and fees. That ratio has flipped…==

What was the state’s SURS contribution in 2002 versus 2018?

Comment by City Zen Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 3:46 pm
City Zen - do you mean what the state actually paid into SURS or what it was supposed to pay?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 3:48 pm
orrrrrr….. we could close two under preforming colleges and accept that Illinois is a shrinking state that doesn’t need 12 publicly funded 4 year colleges.

Comment by Iggy Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 4:00 pm
===orrrrrr….. we could close two under preforming colleges and accept that Illinois is a shrinking state that doesn’t need 12 publicly funded 4 year colleges.===

You tell… Carbondale, Charleston, Macomb… “one of your universities is closing, along with Chicago State”

Why do you think no one will do that?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 4:02 pm
This would be a much-needed boost to higher ed in Illinois, and it would send a signal to HS seniors that they should stay in Illinois. Other states recognize higher ed as an economic driver; Illinois has not. If you want people to stay and if you want high tech companies to choose Illinois without having to bribe them…invest in a robust higher ed system.

This is a proven way to keep students, attract students, and attract businesses. Rauner would take the IBHE request and ask for less. Perhaps JB will take the request and ask for more.

We will know how serious Pritzker and the General Assembly are about rebuilding Illinois when we see how much they are willing to invest in higher ed.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 4:03 pm
==we could close two under preforming colleges==

Or, we could recognize the unfilled capacity as an opportunity for growth. Close the schools and feed the spiral of out-migration OR invest and attract.

Net outmigration is 20,000 graduating HS seniors. Get that number to zero and there are plenty of students for SIUC, EIU, WIU, and CSU.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 4:09 pm
==do you mean what the state actually paid into SURS or what it was supposed to pay?==

Both would help, but since they’re talking revenue, I suppose actual is more relevant.

The 2017 SURS CAFR reported a $1.6 billion contribution from the state. The 2006 report (the earliest posted) shows $209 million total employer contribution (doesn’t break out state separately).

It would be more accurate to include pension contributions in these higher ed year-over-year comparisons.

Comment by City Zen Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 4:11 pm
“Revenues for public universities used to come primarily from the state budget, at 72 percent of the total in fiscal 2002…..”

Not for the University of Illinois system.

FY2000 was the first year the UI had to include payments on behalf(State’s cost of employees health insurance and retirement) as part of the budget. That year about 25% of the pot of money the State provide was for payments on behalf. In FY2018 it was about 75%. In 2002 the State proved 28% of the money actually needed to operate the system. In FY2018 they provided 9%. Tuition provided 19%.

Comment by CapnCrunch Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 5:07 pm
Much as I support higher education I think 16% might not be realistic. Clearly they need more but there’s not much available. Let’s shoot for 8-10% as rumors suggest it more likely.

Why are we funding the private’s with $25 million? It’s time we ask that question again. If nothing else let’s discuss it. As a state we don’t get much back from most of the private’s.

Comment by Old and In The Way Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 5:11 pm
==As a state we don’t get much back from most of the private’s.==

Evidence, please? Start by defining exactly what the state should get back and how to measure that. Arguing at a grade school level doesn’t move the discussion forward.

Comment by Flapdoodle Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 8:39 pm
Why are we funding the private’s with $25 million? It’s time we ask that question again. If nothing else let’s discuss it. As a state we don’t get much back from most of the private’s.

Other than 40% of the undergraduate degrees, 40% of the classroom teachers, and over 60% of all health related degrees (doctors, nurses, etc.), ya, those pesky privates don’t produce much.

Comment by Columbo Wednesday, Dec 5, 18 @ 10:21 pm
If the goal is to educate Illinois students in Illinois and you don’t support students at Illinois’ private nonprofit universities, you’re doing it wrong. The state would need to build 8-10 new public universities just to absorb the Illinois students who attend private colleges and universities here.

MAP and modest other support for privates is among the best investments the state makes in terms of ROI.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Dec 6, 18 @ 9:25 am