HJ0054 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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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

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 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

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.