 But state Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Cicero, is facing opposition in
his effort to reform higher education in the state."During the
worst economic recession facing Illinois, working families and the
middle class are looking for legislators to send the message to
universities of Illinois to keep the tuition increases at a minimum
in order to make colleges affordable and accessible for working
families. That's the bottom line," Sandoval said.
Illinois State University's president, Dr. Al Bowman, said
Illinois has universities with a wide variety of tuition and fee
rates for students and families to choose from to fit their budget.
"And those rates must be market-driven -- decided by each
institution," Bowman said.
A tuition freeze could financially hurt students, according to
David Gross, a lobbyist for Southern Illinois University.
"Limiting a growth in the tuition revenue the man has prescribed
in both of those bills would really result in further budget cuts,"
Gross said, "and probably increase the financial burden on students
by increasing their 'time to degree.' Various courses and subjects
will not be available as a result of the cuts that are necessary for
this type of policy."
State Sen. Michael Frerichs, D-Champaign, said a tuition freeze
could hurt the quality of higher education.
"I understand (Sandoval) wants to control tuition costs, but at a
time when the state has been cutting back funding for education --
if you were to handcuff the amount of money they can take into
tuition, I think the ultimate result is degradation in quality of
higher education in the state of Illinois," Frerichs said. "So I can
agree with his goals; I'm just not sure with the methods to get
there."
Sandoval said he wants the state universities' presidents or
chief executive officers to take a 10 percent pay cut.
[to top of second column] |
But Bowman said there are not enough people qualified to be
presidents and CEOs in a university setting, and cutting pay would
reduce the number of attractive candidates.
"The proposal on cutting presidential salary fails to recognize
that the marketplace for college presidents responds to supply and
demand," Bowman said. "The supply of individuals who are capable of
running the very complex organization is small. And board members
are interested in attracting and also retaining talent in a very
competitive marketplace."
Sandoval also is proposing that the governor appoint a specific
inspector to keep an eye out on universities.
The Office of Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the
Illinois Governor already is overseeing Illinois universities. In a
committee meeting, other lawmakers expressed their concerns with the
additional funding for the new position that Sandoval proposes.
The University of Illinois is troubled by Sandoval's approach.
"If you look at these bills as a group, it looks like
micromanagement of higher education in Illinois by legislators," U
of I spokesman Thomas Hardy said.
The bills are
SB0114,
SB0121 and
SB0131.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By MARY J. CRISTOBAL]
 |
