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SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career
3Success requires increased academic achievement, college
4affordability, and college completions by more Illinoisans in
5order for Illinois to achieve economic growth and vitality; and
6 WHEREAS, Effective and quality college education requires
7State funding for the operations of public institutions of
8higher education and financial assistance for low-income
9students to achieve college degrees if Illinois is to increase
10the number of citizens with a postsecondary degree to 60% by
112025 to meet workforce demands; and
12 WHEREAS, The Illinois Board of Higher Education is keenly
13aware of the uncertainty the lack of a Fiscal Year 2016 budget
14is creating for Illinois college students, professors, and
15staff at Illinois' 48 community colleges and 12 public
16universities, some of whose very existence is being threatened;
17and
18 WHEREAS, The Illinois Board of Higher Education is
19sincerely concerned that the 125,000 Illinois college students
20that are eligible for the Monetary Award Program have not
21received state MAP funding; and

SR1195- 2 -LRB099 15340 MST 39583 r
1 WHEREAS, The budget uncertainty is threatening the quality
2and talent in universities by encouraging students, faculty,
3and staff to seek careers outside of the State, imposing
4long-term damage on our capacity to serve the State; therefore,
5be it
6 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we strongly urge an
8immediate adoption of a State budget that will provide security
9for students dependent on State financial aid, ensure financial
10stability to community colleges and public universities, and
11deliver to Illinois public higher education the resources
12needed to accelerate and sustain the State's economic health;
13and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
15delivered to the Governor, the Leaders of the General Assembly,
16and the leadership of the higher education community.