Illinois public colleges have less freshmen due to state budget delays

The fall semester has begun on American college campuses, and as the reading assignments have increased, students face new instructors, as well as an uncertain future for reporting sexual assaults, thanks to further politicization, and desensitization by Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, but in the nation’s heartland, Illinois freshmen will see less of each other because the near two year state budget crisis caused their ranks to decrease.

“I don't think there's any question there's a connection," said Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities in Washington, D.C. "The state funding situation was in the papers every day for months and months. It goes to public confidence in the institutions,” in a report by the Chicago Tribune.

Western Illinois University saw drops of 21 percent, with incoming freshmen, along with Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois, at about the same rate as last fall.

Faced with a well-publicized uncertainty, many parents were forced to look at what might, or what might not happen for the next four years, and some of them made the decision to go to nearby states, such as Michigan.

That was certainly the case for Bill Riddle of Elmhurst, Illinois who commented, "I did feel like the state was showing such a poor overall commitment to financing their higher education, so it definitely made me feel like we would know what we were getting with a private school going in," he said. "We were confident that with the endowment and the financial situation of a private school, I could depend on it for the four years she would be at school. One less thing to worry about."

The loss of the budget impasse will have a deleterious effect on the social capital of the state, as well as attracting business to the state, far more so than the oft repeated wails by  Republican Bruce Rauner, who, like Cassandra, has proclaimed doom for those that upheld unions, and workmen compensation “advantages.”

Paradoxically, there was a modest increase: “fighting off enrollment declines at the state's public universities, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign posted a modest increase this fall to set a record for its total student enrollment, according to data released Wednesday,” said the Tribune.

“Even more striking was the sharp increase at one of its sister campuses, the University of Illinois at Chicago, which posted the biggest percentage gain in freshman enrollment among the state's 12 public universities this fall.

However, their Springfield campus trended to the decline with “total enrollment there dropped 9 percent,” according to university figures.

“Overall, the University of Illinois system grew its collective enrollment by 2.9 percent, to 83,321, adding more than 2,300 students to last year's record total,”and that is good news with much of that coming from the Near West Side campus, which “had 4,064 new freshmen, about 700 more than last year — a 23 percent increase that accounts for more than half of the overall enrollment jump,” said the Tribune..

Contrasted with the others “that is a marked improvement over 2016, when total enrollment in Chicago went up but freshman numbers dropped more than 5 percent.”

To even return to pre-impasse levels will take years, and “it's turning a fairly large ship," State Higher Education Executive Officers Association's Rob Anderson said. "Students right now are making their enrollment decisions for next fall. Some will feel bolstered and might want to choose an Illinois college where they wouldn't before, and others might want to see how this trend plays out."

Brightening the skies was a report from the oft sought recommendations by U.S. New and World Report magazine that touted Northeastern Illinois University's as the most diverse and affordable school in Illinois.

In a statement from NEIU, they noted that in the “annual publication of “Best Colleges,” U.S. News & World Report announced that Northeastern Illinois University boasts the most diverse student population among Midwest regional universities and graduates its students with the least amount of student debt.”

In an era marked by increasing tuition costs for both private and public schools, “This marks the fourth year in a row that Northeastern has earned the No. 1 spot for students who graduate with the least amount of debt among Midwest regional universities. Only 55 percent of Northeastern’s 2016 graduating class incurred debt, and those students borrowed an average of $16,247.”

“Earning a degree from Northeastern means getting a high-quality, academically rigorous college experience and a post-graduation experience that is free of the overwhelming financial burdens faced by many college graduates,” Northeastern Interim President Richard Helldobler said. “We are pleased that U.S. News & World Report has again recognized Northeastern’s accomplishments in serving our diverse community of students with an affordable, high-quality education.”

The school, which celebrates its 150th anniversary, this weekend, has been on U.S. News & World Report’s list of most diverse universities since 1997, the first year the publication established the category in its “Best Colleges” rankings. The data for the diversity rankings were drawn from each institution’s 2016-17 enrollment numbers. According to U.S. News & World Report, the rankings factored in the proportion of minority students—excluding international students—and the overall mix of groups in each institution’s student body. The groups forming the basis for the calculations were African-American (non-Hispanic), Hispanic, American Indian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, White (non-Hispanic) and multiracial.”

“We take great pride in the diversity of our community,” Helldobler said. “We are committed to welcoming, accepting, respecting and embracing our differences because we value learning from others.”

Rauner signs new school funding bill; costs high to Chicago taxpayers

It is being called historic -- and the label is accurate --- school funding in Illinois, one of the less equitable states, for low income districts in the nation, has changed with the signing of Senate Bill 1947, by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

“It’s a good bill. It’s a compromise bill. We got a best-in-the-nation education funding formula. We got regulatory relief, unfunded mandate relief for our schools so the teachers can teach without a lot of restrictions. We got a lot of opportunity for homeowners in school districts that are um, adequately funded, to reduce their property taxes. That’s a really big deal. We got opportunity for more school choice for low-income families who would like the opportunity to choose a school the way higher-income families can,” Rauner said after the Thursday ceremony, by way of explaining what he got out of it in exchange. “There are many wonderful things in this bill.”

This, of course, was a dramatic change from his original feelings for SB!, sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar, who has fought for funding equity for ages, on the lack of parity, for students, that had previously been based solely on property taxes.

Rauner had called it a bailout for Chicago schools to tackle the pension payment crisis that had swallowed huge chunks of taxpayer dollars, to right what was a sinking ship, and that it was not fair to downstate school districts.

Ironically, as local Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown reported, in late July, “contrary to the governor’s assertions that their communities are being shortchanged, these downstate superintendents say the legislation is fair and are asking Rauner to sign it.”

In that same column, Brown reported Rolf Silverstein, school superintend in Canton, saying, “Why is [Rauner] whipsawing downstate against Chicago?” who also noted that “The children of Chicago are just as important as all Illinois children.”

Rauner’s subsequent amendatory veto sent the General Assembly into panic mode and there was some serious horse trading going on, to use an old cliche; and it seemed that compromise was the only way to go. Now, that’s certainly not a new concept, but with the governor being at loggerheads with the Democratic majority, and his refusal to sign a budget deal for nearly two years, it was significant.

Some are saying that his wife, First Lady Diana Rauner, had something to do with it, as the power behind the throne, and a series of recently published emails, certainly supported the view that her husband’s profile and legacy were important to her, in this area.

Many have pointed out that Rauner got little of what he wanted out of the bill, and that his AV showed his true feelings about CPS, that he once said had teachers that “are virtually illiterate,” and who taught in schools that were “crumbling prisons.” And, while he apologized, the damage was done.

Within that vein, most observers, and pundits, are saying that the $75 million tax credit scholarship, (while not technically the vouchers that Rauner wanted), was the key to winning bipartisan support to avoid the severe cuts that the AV wanted: Chicago to get $145 million less than in Manar’s bill; and a reduction from $220 million to $148 million, plus a loss of a decades old block grant.

That scholarship which critics complain is a thinly disguised voucher system, is set for a sunset in 5 years, yet many don’t believe it.  And, one of them is gubernatorial candidate Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) who said: “There are components of this legislation that cross what is for me a red line. The introduction of a voucher system to direct public funds towards private schools is for me dangerous,”and “It for me sets a problematic precedent that will I fear allow for long term systematic undermining of our public school systems.”

Local PBS station, WTTW, reported the Chicago Teachers Union’s objection, and that it  has the massive ability to radically destabilize public schools going forward,” CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey said. “You don’t build a new machine for school funding and then attach a time bomb to it. And I know that sounds kind of hyperbolic but the truth of the matter is that we see vouchers as very much a time bomb. And something that will undermine the exact intent of the legislation in the first place.”

The supporters of vouchers, who have an advocate in the Federal Cabinet, Education secretary, Betsy DeVos, are determined to gnaw away at financial support for public schools. And, in Chicago, they have their greatest chance, which means that shattering support for a traditionally blue state, and its future voters, is worth a compromise.

A lawsuit from the CTU may be also coming down the road, and they are “contemplating a lawsuit challenging the tax scholarship program. A spokesman says the union’s lawyers are contemplating constitutional and civil rights issues, and well as a clause in the measure which ties the scholarship program to its copious other changes, meaning that if one provision of the bill is killed off in court the rest would likely die with it,” was also reported.

In their corner, was the unlikely support of the Chicago archdiocese, Cardinal Blaise Cupich, who knows that much of the “voucher” money will be directed to parochial schools, which, are in fact, are the largest private school system in the United States.

Estimated, but not confirmed, figures claim that this can be used for as many as 6,000 students.

Rather coyly, and underneath a pastoral mantle, he told the news media on Thursday, that he just wanted the governor and the powerful Speaker of the House, Michael Madigan to “trust each other.”

Of course, Cupich, had a dog in this fight, and despite his previous far flung Western diocese, seems to have become very adept in urban politics, and has remodeled himself in the fashion of the old brick-and-mortar Catholic bishops, such as his predecessor Cardinal Stritch, and others, like Cushing in Boston, and McIntyre in Los Angeles.

Reacting to union criticism, he said, “I don’t understand that for two reasons. First of all, they have all the money that they asked for, that they got for their pensions. And I think that’s important.”

“Vouchers are a double whammy aimed at the heart of public education, and to be frank, amount to stealing from the same Black and Brown children to whom he claims to be providing sanctuary and equity, said CTU President Karen Lewis, of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, but could easily be extended to the cardinal.

Some have said that the program violates the Blaine Amendment that does not allow any public monies for any church, or sect, yet the opposition has lost in previous court battles, as the tax credit, not the direct use of public monies is used.

Decades ago in Michigan, there was a proposal called “parochiaid” that was soundly defeated, mostly under the shadow of religious instruction, or as some said indoctrination, a fear held by supporters of the Blaine Amendment.

For those supporters that claim student achievement will rise, especially in reading and math, by going to a private school, studies do not support that assertion; with the exception of math in Washington, D.C. schools, and that was only statistically significant. Yet others go further, and say, that over time, gains will be seen.

While the criticism of the tax credit plan will undoubtedly increase, Cupich claims that putting a lot of children in public schools mystifies him. He remarked, “If those kids, in fact, were all in public schools, that would be even more of a pressure on the budget and the schools,” Cupich said. “So I guess I don’t understand the thinking.”

One thing that will be well understood is the effect on Chicago and Illinois taxpayers already burdened by the sweetened beverage tax, the bag tax, high sales tax, water and sewer tax increased tax and now another property tax hike to help fund the now $169 million, needed additionally, for CPS.

Expected is a tax increase of $130 million per year, yet CPS officials claim that they always want to separate pension expenses from operating, but that is still under discussion.

All in all, Chicago property owners can expect to see an addition to the already $543 million in taxes, they already pay. Not to mention, the phase in of the burgeoning contributions to police and firefighters pension fund, pegged at 10 percent, and those living in the North and South Suburbs can see a surge of 6.5 and 3.9 percent.

These are part of four-year increases set to expire in 2019, but more will continue when the ARC payments begin; these are formally known as Actuarially Required Contributions, which require payment from the city to the pension fund while the city sets aside enough money for future payments.

When the dust settles, while the state gives $5 million out each year, from general revenue funds, it really is how $350 million is distributed, that is key to understanding the new funding.

There seems to be truth in the old adage, “be careful of what you ask for, you just might get it.”