A new bill introduced in Springfield seeks to address the rising costs and competitiveness of Illinois’ higher education system. State Representative Jeff Keicher has put forward House Bill 5037, which would require the Illinois Board of Higher Education to study the causes behind increasing expenses at state universities.
“Simply throwing more taxpayer dollars at the problem rarely fixes it. We need to determine the root causes and develop a comprehensive plan to make our higher education system more competitive and affordable,” said State Representative Jeff Keicher.
If passed, the legislation would task the board with developing a 10-year strategy by March 2027 aimed at enhancing both affordability and sustainability for public universities in Illinois. The proposed plan would also examine how state funding supports educational outcomes, as well as its alignment with economic and workforce needs.
Illinois currently spends $24,562 per student in state funding for four-year public universities, which is second-highest in the country and more than double the national average. However, tuition for in-state students remains among the highest nationwide.
Keicher is a Republican who was elected to represent Illinois’ 70th House District in 2018, succeeding Robert W. Pritchard.
Read the full article – Click Here.
