We demand full and immediate funding for all Illinois public higher education and student MAP grants. Rather than invest in our students and future, the Governor continues to veto funding . Our communities, students, and universities, are being harmed by his actions and those State Representatives that support him.

We call on our State Representatives to immediately demand full funding for our institutions and to represent their constituents rather than the Governor’s political agenda. The so-called “stop-gap” funding measure approved in late April represents a 70% cut in funding to our students, universities and communities.   As a result, students are leaving the state to attend out of state universities. Likewise, universities continue to layoff, furlough, and even reduce compensation to employees which has resulted in many employees also leaving the state. With students and employees leaving and combined with the 70% cut, our university communities are being devastated and on the verge of economic collapse. Many small businesses in town are in danger of closing. Our State Representatives need to demand that the state fully fund our universities and need to work on increasing funding to our institutions. The state has failed to invest in our universities for more than a decade. As a result, student tuition and debt continues to rise. We call for significant funding increases to keep our students in the state and to rebuild what was once one of the best higher education systems in the country.