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| 1 | HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has committed to achieving a | ||||||
| 3 | goal of 60% of adults in
Illinois having a college degree or | ||||||
| 4 | marketable certificate by the year 2025; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, In order to reach that goal, the Illinois | ||||||
| 6 | Community College System has
committed to producing an | ||||||
| 7 | additional 3,003 degrees by 2020 and an additional 18,997 | ||||||
| 8 | degrees
by 2025, with a total of 22,000 additional degrees by | ||||||
| 9 | 2025; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, Community colleges are the primary provider of | ||||||
| 11 | higher education in Illinois,
as 63.9% of all students who are | ||||||
| 12 | enrolled in an institution of higher education in Illinois | ||||||
| 13 | attend a community
college; and
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| 14 | WHEREAS, Community colleges are the primary providers of | ||||||
| 15 | higher education for at-risk,
minority, low-income, and | ||||||
| 16 | underrepresented populations; and | ||||||
| 17 | WHEREAS, According to the National Center for Education | ||||||
| 18 | Statistics, nontraditional
students represent greater | ||||||
| 19 | proportions of populations in need, including women and | ||||||
| 20 | racial-ethnic
minorities, compared to their traditional | ||||||
| 21 | counterparts; and | ||||||
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| 1 | WHEREAS, Illinois community colleges have become less | ||||||
| 2 | affordable as tuition and fees
increased 52% from 2004 to 2010 | ||||||
| 3 | and have further increased over 32% since 2008; as of
fiscal | ||||||
| 4 | year 2012, tuition and fees average 5.2% higher than the | ||||||
| 5 | national average; and | ||||||
| 6 | WHEREAS, The Illinois Community College System Economic | ||||||
| 7 | Impact Study report clearly
demonstrates that Illinois | ||||||
| 8 | community colleges add skills to the workforce and boost the
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| 9 | competitiveness of Illinois businesses; and | ||||||
| 10 | WHEREAS, Illinois community colleges have strong | ||||||
| 11 | partnerships with local employers,
providing needed vocational | ||||||
| 12 | training and education for current and prospective employees; | ||||||
| 13 | and
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| 14 | WHEREAS, The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of | ||||||
| 15 | 2014 provides
requirements for even stronger collaboration and | ||||||
| 16 | partnership between education and
the workforce, with the | ||||||
| 17 | involvement of the federal Departments of Education and Labor; | ||||||
| 18 | and
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| 19 | WHEREAS, Illinois community college graduates contribute | ||||||
| 20 | tremendously to their local
communities, the State of Illinois, | ||||||
| 21 | and the nation, generating $4.0 billion in State income
tax | ||||||
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| 1 | revenue and $14.2 billion in federal income tax revenue between | ||||||
| 2 | 2003 and 2012; therefore, be it
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| 3 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
| 4 | NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | ||||||
| 5 | SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we affirm that
community | ||||||
| 6 | colleges play a dynamic and essential role in driving the | ||||||
| 7 | economy and
workforce of the State of Illinois; and be it | ||||||
| 8 | further
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| 9 | RESOLVED, That in order to stimulate economic growth, have | ||||||
| 10 | an educated population,
and better prepare students for their | ||||||
| 11 | careers, the General Assembly of the State of Illinois welcomes | ||||||
| 12 | cooperation from the Office of the Governor of Illinois and | ||||||
| 13 | will endeavor to address the
issue of community college | ||||||
| 14 | affordability, with special consideration taken for | ||||||
| 15 | nontraditional
students.
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