Bill Text: IL HB2787 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Removes language providing that each State university must submit its plan for capital improvements of non-instructional facilities to the Board of Higher Education for approval before final commitments are made if the total cost of the project as approved by the institution's board of control is in excess of $2 million.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-04-11 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB2787 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB2787-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Board of Higher Education Act is amended by
changing Section 8 as follows:
(110 ILCS 205/8) (from Ch. 144, par. 188)
Sec. 8. The Board of Trustees of the University of
Illinois, the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois
University, the Board of Trustees of Chicago State University,
the Board of Trustees of Eastern Illinois University, the
Board of Trustees of Governors State University, the Board of
Trustees of Illinois State University, the Board of Trustees
of Northeastern Illinois University, the Board of Trustees of
Northern Illinois University, and the Board of Trustees of
Western Illinois University shall submit to the Board not
later than the 15th day of November of each year their its
budget proposals for the operation and capital needs of the
institutions under their its governance or supervision for the
ensuing fiscal year. The Illinois Community College Board
shall submit to the Board by December 15 of each year its
budget proposal for the operation and capital needs of the
institutions under its governance or supervision for the
ensuing fiscal year. Each budget proposal shall conform to the

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procedures developed by the Board in the design of an
information system for State universities and colleges.
In order to maintain a cohesive system of higher
education, the Board and its staff shall communicate on a
regular basis with all public university presidents. They
shall meet at least semiannually to achieve economies of scale
where possible and provide the most innovative and efficient
programs and services.
The Board, in the analysis of formulating the annual
budget request, shall consider rates of tuition and fees and
undergraduate tuition and fee waiver programs at the State
universities and colleges. The Board shall also consider the
current and projected utilization of the total physical plant
of each campus of a university or college in approving the
capital budget for any new building or facility.
The Board of Higher Education shall submit to the
Governor, to the General Assembly, and to the appropriate
budget agencies of the Governor and General Assembly its
analysis and recommendations on such budget proposals.
The Board is directed to form a broad-based group of
individuals representing the Office of the Governor, the
General Assembly, public institutions of higher education,
State agencies, business and industry, statewide organizations
representing faculty and staff, and others as the Board shall
deem appropriate to devise a system for allocating State
resources to public institutions of higher education based

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upon performance in achieving State goals related to student
success and certificate and degree completion.
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2013, the Board of Higher
Education budget recommendations to the Governor and the
General Assembly shall include allocations to public
institutions of higher education based upon performance
metrics designed to promote and measure student success in
degree and certificate completion. Public university metrics
must be adopted by the Board by rule, and public community
college metrics must be adopted by the Illinois Community
College Board by rule. These metrics must be developed and
promulgated in accordance with the following principles:
(1) The metrics must be developed in consultation with
public institutions of higher education, as well as other
State educational agencies and other higher education
organizations, associations, interests, and stakeholders
as deemed appropriate by the Board.
(2) The metrics shall include provisions for
recognizing the demands on and rewarding the performance
of institutions in advancing the success of students who
are academically or financially at risk, including
first-generation students, low-income students, and
students traditionally underrepresented in higher
education, as specified in Section 9.16 of this Act.
(3) The metrics shall recognize and account for the
differentiated missions of institutions and sectors of

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higher education.
(4) The metrics shall focus on the fundamental goal of
increasing completion of college courses, certificates,
and degrees. Performance metrics shall recognize the
unique and broad mission of public community colleges
through consideration of additional factors, including,
but not limited to, enrollment, progress through key
academic milestones, transfer to a baccalaureate
institution, and degree completion.
(5) The metrics must be designed to maintain the
quality of degrees, certificates, courses, and programs.
In devising performance metrics, the Board may be guided by
the report of the Higher Education Finance Study Commission.
Each State university must submit its plan for capital
improvements of non-instructional facilities to the Board for
approval before final commitments are made if the total cost
of the project as approved by the institution's board of
control is in excess of $2 million. Non-instructional uses
shall include but not be limited to dormitories, union
buildings, field houses, stadium, other recreational
facilities and parking lots. The Board shall determine whether
or not any project submitted for approval is consistent with
the strategic plan for higher education and with instructional
buildings that are provided for therein. If the project is
found by a majority of the Board not to be consistent, such
capital improvement shall not be constructed.

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(Source: P.A. 102-1046, eff. 6-7-22; 103-940, eff. 8-9-24;
revised 8-23-24.)