‘It is time our state becomes a leader on this issue, too’

As Illinois public universities confront mounting fiscal pressures due to decades of state disinvestment amid a broader landscape of financial challenge for Illinois, they have been navigating an added issue. Just last year, the Illinois General Assembly allocated a 3% increase in appropriations to universities, yet institutions received only 1%, with the remaining 2% being held by the Governor’s office in contingency. This winter, students from Eastern Illinois University to Chicago State University and Western Illinois University have been speaking out, including before the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), about the impact of state underfunding on their academic and campus experiences.

Megan Fox, a senior at Eastern Illinois University, recently shared her thoughts.

As the daughter of a public school teacher, the value of education has been instilled in me from a very young age. I knew that I wanted to pursue higher education, and I now find myself entering my senior year at Eastern Illinois University. The experience has been nothing short of wonderful, and what I consider the “college experience”. The joy of learning new things in engaging classes, the excitement of seeing friends at club meetings, and the dread of opening up the financial aid tab every semester. While EIU prides itself on being an affordable university, with a myriad of issues like federal funding uncertainty and enrollment fluctuations, this title is hard to maintain. As we moved through the semester, the financial situation became clearer, and more dire. The budget for the 2026 fiscal year has a $1.9 million deficit (Daily Eastern News, 2025), meaning that something had to give. Unfortunately, the savings were found in the elimination of 44 staff positions. Cherished faculty and staff were laid off because of the crisis in higher education funding. But it does not have to be this way. 

Eastern Illinois University is only 61% adequately funded per the formula funding model (IBHE, 2025). To make EIU fully funded, $62,500,000 would need to be additionally allocated. That number may seem large and almost unattainable, but it is not only achievable, but beneficial for the state. Higher education is an investment not only for students but for the state. Just a 1% increase in people with a bachelor’s degree would lead to a 0.8% reduction in the unemployment rate, and at Eastern Illinois University alone there is a $396.3 million economic output (ILEPI, 2025). By keeping students in Illinois for college, our economy grows and results in more long-term residency in the state. But with out of state schools being able to provide tuition at a competitive or significantly lower rate than state universities, this is a real concern. The passing of an equitable formula funding bill would mean that the burden is taken off of students to pursue their education, and make the choice of staying in state an easy one. 

This would not be the first time the state legislature acted on equitable funding for education. In 2017, the Evidence Based Funding Formula was put in place to address discrepancies in K-12 education around the state. Since these schools rely primarily on property taxes, students are disadvantaged based on where they live. EBF addresses this directly and has been for the last 8 years. Equitable Formula Funding would do the exact same thing. The only state university that is close to being 100% adequately funded is the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While UIUC is certainly a successful educational institution, and one that services many of Illinois’s students, it should not be the only one receiving its fair share of funding. Within the University of Illinois System alone there are adequacy gaps, with University of Illinois at Springfield being 72% adequately funded and the University of Illinois at Chicago being 62% adequate funded. The vast majority of state schools would benefit from the passage of this legislation. 

As a student at one of these underfunded universities, I see the impacts of this financial crisis everyday. Many times I have had to talk to friends who are quietly wondering “will I be returning next semester?” With uncertainty at the federal level regarding loans and grants, my classmates wonder if their funding will still be there to aid them in their education. The problem that many are unaware of, is the difference between a friend returning next semester or an empty seat in a classroom. It is the difference between the world of opportunity that is opened when one can apply for a job and show their commitment to furthering their education. Illinois has prided itself on being a national leader, especially in the face of the seismic federal shifts this past year: it is time our state becomes a leader on this issue, too. 

Comment: ‘The difference between between equity on paper and equity that students actually experience’

As Illinois public universities confront mounting fiscal pressures due to decades of state disinvestment amid a broader landscape of financial challenge for Illinois, they have been navigating an added issue. Just last year, the Illinois General Assembly allocated a 3% increase in appropriations to universities, yet institutions received only 1%, with the remaining 2% being held by the Governor’s office in contingency. This winter, students from Eastern Illinois University to Chicago State University and Western Illinois University have been speaking out, including before the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), about the impact of state underfunding on their academic and campus experiences.

Gabriel Pellebon, a psychology and sociology double major at Chicago State University, delivered the following remarks at the Jan. 21, IBHE regular business meeting.

"Good afternoon, and thank you to the Illinois Board of Higher Education and to Kennedy-King College for hosting this meeting and giving students the opportunity to be heard.

My name is Gabriel Pellebon, and I’m a Psychology and Sociology double major at Chicago State University. CSU has been a place where I’ve grown academically and personally, but my path here hasn’t been easy. Like many of my peers, I’ve had to balance full-time coursework, campus involvement, and the realities of limited institutional resources.

That’s why the passage of an adequate, equitable funding formula and the release of the remaining 2% allocation isn’t just a budget figure—it’s the difference between access and delay, between equity on paper and equity that students actually experience. As a neurodivergent and dyslexic student, I’ve seen how funding gaps directly affect our ability to succeed. This very board has found that our institution has been severely underfunding for decades. Causing many who work at CSU to take on additional roles, lessening their bandwidth and impacting student supports. For some time now, issues complying with my accommodations have led to weeks of uncertainty, stress, and out-of-pocket costs just to stay on track. That constant worry feeds into the anxiety and academic paralysis that make learning harder than it should be.

The funding formula and remaining 2% will go to making sure every student has access to their resources on time. CSU can finally invest at scale in their students through staffing and operations. I can only imagine how many others are struggling in silence without the access or stability they need to thrive.

Your support of the remaining 2% to CSU would mean a real, measurable difference in how students start and sustain their semesters. And broader than that, I urge you to support the Adequate and Equitable Funding Formula so that institutions serving students like us are resourced fairly and fully, with accountability measures and oversight codified. 

Thank you for the opportunity to speak and for your continued attention to the needs of Chicago State University and its students. Go Cougars!"

Comment: ‘This is not an isolated issue—it is systemic’

As Illinois public universities confront mounting fiscal pressures due to decades of state disinvestment amid a broader landscape of financial challenge for Illinois, they have been navigating an added issue. Just last year, the Illinois General Assembly allocated a 3% increase in appropriations to universities, yet institutions received only 1%, with the remaining 2% being held by the Governor’s office in contingency. This winter, students from Eastern Illinois University to Chicago State University and Western Illinois University have been speaking out, including before the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), about the impact of state underfunding on their academic and campus experiences.

Nmari Ward, a senior physics major at Chicago State University delivered the following remarks at the Jan. 21, IBHE regular business meeting.

“Hi my name is Nmari Ward and I am a Senior Physics major with a concentration in engineering. I currently reign as the 2025-2026 Miss CSU and I am happy to be here representing CSU and Cougar Nation. Even though I have been successful at CSU, there are some issues that the institution faces as a result of decades of disinvestment.

First, faculty are routinely placed in classrooms that are unfit for meaningful instruction. Unfit classes reduce the quality of engagement, limit feedback, and ultimately undermine learning outcomes. This is not an isolated issue—it is systemic, and it places an unreasonable burden on instructors who are expected to maintain the same standards with significantly fewer resources.

Second, we are a Division I institution, and we recently launched Chicago's only Division I Football Program, yet we lack adequate training, housing, and hosting facilities for our students. As a result, students are required to find off-campus training options, often at other schools or public facilities, and they must pay for transportation themselves. This creates financial strain, inequity, and logistical barriers that disproportionately affect students who already face limited resources. It is unacceptable for a D1 school to rely on external facilities while students absorb the cost and inconvenience.

I urge you to support the state's release of the 2% to Chicago State University. I also urge you to boldly support the passage of the equitable funding formula because CSU is uniquely positioned to create impact that reaches far beyond campus. Investing in CSU is an investment in Chicago itself.

Chicago State plays a critical role in developing teacher pipelines that serve both the university community and the city at large. By strengthening these pipelines, CSU prepares future educators who understand the realities of Chicago’s classrooms and are committed to serving them. This support not only addresses workforce needs in education, but also helps stabilize and strengthen schools across the city.

At a time when Chicago needs well-prepared, community-centered teachers, directing the released 2% and equitably funding CSU, ensures resources are going where they can do the most good—supporting students, educators, and neighborhoods simultaneously.

This decision would affirm IBHE’s commitment to equity, access, and long-term educational impact. I strongly encourage you to proudly support the state's investment in Chicago State University and all public institutions. 

Thank you."