27 Apr Illinois TEACHOUT Resolution
Support the April 27th TEACH OUT for Illinois Higher Education
Adopted by UIC Senate 4/26/17
WHEREAS: The State of Illinois has failed to pass a full higher education budget since fiscal year 2015; and
WHEREAS: Higher education funding and MAP grants have endured both repeated governor veto and failed veto override votes (Chicago Tribune); and
WHEREAS: Proposed budgets further cut higher education (Illinois Office of Management and Budget FY16, FY17, FY18); and
WHEREAS: The State of Illinois has failed to pass and support MAP Grants for our low income students in the current academic year (Illinois Student Assistance Commission); and
WHEREAS: Students are adversely affected by the continued budget impasse by programs being eliminated, classrooms with insufficient supplies, larger class sizes due to the lack of faculty and staff, and cuts in services offered to assist students (University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100); and
WHEREAS: Due to consistent underfunding of public higher education in Illinois, students face the 5th highest average public university tuition and fees in the country and highest in the Mid-West (College Board); and
WHEREAS: Over 70% of graduating Illinois students have student loan debt which is, on average, $30,000 or more (Lendedu.com); and
WHEREAS: Over 16,000 students last year left the state to attend out-of-state universities p;than pursue their degrees in Illinois (The New York Times); and
WHEREAS: Some students have been forced to delay their education due to these cuts (Springfield Journal Registrar); and
WHEREAS: University employees have been laid-off, furloughed and/or forced to take pay-cuts and/or defer their salary to keep university doors open (NEIU, CSU, EIU, WIU and several Community Colleges including Black Hawk College, Rock Valley College, Elgin Community College, McHenry Community College, Richland College among others); and
WHEREAS: Universities have moved to eliminate programs due to decreasing enrollment and that these program cuts tend to be in the humanities which teach vital critical and creative thinking (CSU, GSU, WIU and pending at EIU and NIU); and
WHEREAS: The State of Illinois has chronically underfunded public higher education including being the only agency cut in nominal dollars when compared to FY2000 (FY2000=$2.15 billion compared to FY15 = $1.99 billion) and when adjusted for inflation, Illinois public higher education has suffered a 41% cut in funding between FY 2000 and FY2015 (Center for Tax and Budget Accountability); and
WHEREAS: The stop-gap appropriation passed by the Illinois General Assembly in June 2016 resulted in an over 78.5% cut in funding when compared to FY 2000 (adjusted for inflation) making it the single largest cut in higher education in the country (Center for Tax and Budget Accountability); and
WHEREAS: Between 2008 and 2015 Illinois has cut per pupil higher education funding by over 54%, the second highest in the country (Center for Budget and Policy Priorities) ; and
WHEREAS: Higher education degrees are vital to long-term personal and state economic growth as well as civic and cultural growth; and
WHEREAS: Our students and our state deserve better;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The UIC Faculty Senate support the state-wide TEACH OUT for Illinois Higher Education on April 27 in Springfield where all Illinois universities and colleges bring students and employees to occupy the hallways and rotunda in the Capitol Building to hold classes and demand full MAP and Higher Education Funding; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: We encourage all supporting organizations and groups join in the state-wide TEACH OUT for Illinois Higher Education.