Bill Text: IL HJR0054 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Resolves that the Board of Higher Education, working in concert with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and the Illinois Community College Board, shall undertake a study of college affordability and funding.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2009-10-29 - Adopted Both Houses [HJR0054 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-HJR0054-Introduced.html

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, In 2007, the Ninety-fifth General Assembly
adopted House Joint Resolution 69, directing the Board of
Higher Education to develop a master plan for Illinois higher
education; and
WHEREAS, On December 9, 2008, the Board of Higher Education
unanimously endorsed the "Public Agenda for College and Career
Success" as the blueprint to guide education policy in this
State for the next decade, codifying 4 major goals:
(1) match Illinois' educational attainment to the
best-performing U.S. states and world countries;
(2) ensure college affordability for students,
families, and taxpayers;
(3) increase quality postsecondary credentials and
elevate higher education graduation rates to meet the
demands of a global society; and
(4) better integrate Illinois' educational, research,
and innovation assets to meet the economic needs of this
State and its regions; and
WHEREAS, The Public Agenda recommends the specific goal of
making this State one of the 5 most affordable states in the
country; and

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WHEREAS, The Public Agenda identifies several barriers to
this goal:
(1) dwindling State support for colleges, which
equates to significant tuition increases;
(2) the diminished buying power of the Monetary Award
Program (MAP), resulting from the failure of State
financial aid to keep pace with tuition increases;
(3) the denial of MAP awards to one-fourth of eligible
students because of funding shortfalls;
(4) increased reliance on loans by middle-income
students to finance college;
(5) increased work hours for students to pay for rising
tuition, often extending their time-to-degree and total
educational costs; and
(6) lack of support for middle-income students (those
at the high end of the second income quintile through the
low end of the fourth income quintile), who typically do
not qualify for need-based grant aid from either State or
federal sources and have been greatly affected by the rise
in out-of-pocket costs as well; and
WHEREAS, The Public Agenda recommends priorities,
strategies, and actions to address the growing affordability
challenge; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE

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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Board of Higher Education,
working in concert with the Illinois Student Assistance
Commission and the Illinois Community College Board, shall
undertake a study of college affordability and funding, based
on the findings and recommendations of the Public Agenda for
College and Career Success and including the following:
(1) a review of State financial aid programs for
low-income students to ensure that programs are effective,
efficient, widely understood, and aligned with all Public
Agenda goals;
(2) strategies to help students achieve their
educational objectives faster;
(3) measures to assist middle-income students who do
not typically qualify for need-based grant aid; and
(4) steps to find institutional operating efficiencies
that reduce costs while expanding access and maintaining
quality; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois
Student Assistance Commission, and the Illinois Community
College Board shall prepare a report with findings and
recommendations on improving college affordability and higher
education funding and submit that report to the General
Assembly; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
delivered to the chairpersons of the Board of Higher Education,
the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and the Illinois
Community College Board.