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New Report Calls For Illinois To Reinvest In Higher Education At Pre-Recession Levels As Nearly One Billion Dollars In Post-Recession Cuts Loom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

[Chicago]– Young Invincibles has released The Case for Returning Higher Education Funding to Pre-Recession Levels As Nearly One Billion Dollars in Cuts Loom — a brief exploring the impact of recent higher education spending cuts on Illinois students, and the expected consequences of further cuts under Governor Bruce Rauner’s budget proposal. The report recommends lawmakers return higher education spending to pre-Recession levels in order to achieve Illinois’ goal of getting 60 percent of the workforce to hold a college degree by 2025.

“The state set a great goal of helping 60 percent of the workforce get college degrees by 2025. Slashing higher education spending by 30 percent as the Governor proposes risks setting aspiring college students back in the economy, and jeopardizes their long-term career prospects. Lawmakers must bring higher education levels back to pre-recession levels to meet the state’s 2025 goal, and tackle our college affordability crisis that lingers,” said Eve Rips, Midwest Director of Young Invincibles. 

Over the last decade, tuition in Illinois has increased by 57 percent at public four-year universities and by 38 percent at public two-year colleges. These increases are over 40 percent higher than the national average and as the state slashed financial aid, making college more out of reach for low-income students, especially. First generation students and students of color already struggling to afford and complete college degrees have also been disproportionately hit hard.

Please be in touch if you would like to speak with the report author.

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