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State declares February as Career and Technical Education Month

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The Illinois Senate adopted Senate Resolution 983 on Feb. 26, declaring February as Career and Technical Education Month in Illinois.

This resolution brings awareness to the career and technical education that prepares students for high-wage, high-demand careers. CTE covers many fields, including healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, hospitality, and more. It encompasses many types of education, from classroom learning to certification programs to work-based learning opportunities outside of the classroom. 

“I have prioritized creating a skilled workforce in Illinois, and it depends on giving students the opportunity to attend high-quality trade schools in our state,” state Sen. Rachelle Crowe said. “We need to be encouraging success from outside a traditional classroom. This resolution works to bring awareness to the vital contributions labor workers provide in economic development efforts. Technical, vocational and trade education strengthens the Metro East at its core.”

Career and technical education delivers options for students pursuing college and rewarding careers; it delivers real-world skills to students, and it delivers a high school experience with more value. Parents and students both want their child or themselves to pursue a career they are passionate about. CTE lets students explore careers and find out what they want, or don’t want, to do after high school. CTE makes the future more affordable by helping families save money and wisely invest their time. CTE students can earn a paycheck, marketable certifications and even earn college credits while in high school, which can lead to better opportunities whether they pursue college or a career. There are a growing number of scholarships designed to help CTE students. 

“Each year, it’s important to recognize the accomplishments and opportunities coming from the world of Career and Technical Education. With career opportunities increasing for those with trade and technical skills, the state of Illinois needs to let students and business owners know that the state will continue promoting and investing in these careers,” state Rep. Monica Bristow said. “As a member of both the Higher Education Committee and the Economic Development committee, I recognize that CTE is an incredible avenue to meaningful and lucrative careers. I am happy to support February as CTE Month to recognize the work being done in the field and increase awareness about the opportunities for those entering the field.”

Career and technical education provides learners with the knowledge and skills they need to be prepared for college and careers. CTE gives purpose to learning by emphasizing real-world skills and practical knowledge within a selected career focus. Students take specialized courses, in addition to required courses, and often have the opportunity to participate in internships, engage with mentors and practice what they are learning through hands-on projects. Students can participate in CTE at the middle school or high school level and at postsecondary institutions. 

“Career and technical education creates meaningful pathways for students that allows them to learn through real-world application, explore career fields, and learn technical and employability skills that will last them a lifetime,” Madison County CTE Director Kaleb Smith said. “One important element of CTE is that it doesn’t limit a student’s future career options, it expands them. Students who utilize CTE programs can follow a path that leads to an industry credential, an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree, or beyond. Going through a CTE program really does help a student find who they are and what they want to be and send a student down a path that leads to a meaningful career.”

For more information, visit madisoncountycte.com or call (618) 656-0415. Madison County Career and Technical Education’s address is 6161 Center Grove Road in Edwardsville.

The RiverBend Growth Association provided this article.

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via AdVantageNEWS.com

February 28, 2020 at 11:33AM

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Stuart says SIU funding not fair

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Stuart says SIU funding not fair

EDWARDSVILLE – State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, says more fair state funding is needed within the Southern Illinois University System.

“I am really disappointed with the results of the funding distribution study from AGB Consulting,” Stuart said. “The results were inconclusive and did little to solve the funding disparity that exists between the two SIU campuses.

“Instead of finding a fair funding formula, the firm passed responsibility back to the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees,” she said. “I hope the board chooses to act responsibly and fund the Edwardsville campus fairly.”

Stuart said one of the reasons she ran for state representative was seeing firsthand the negative impacts of the defunding of SIUE.

“During my first term, I introduced legislation that would ensure that state funding for the SIU system would be split evenly between the Edwardsville and Carbondale campuses,” she said. “After this failed attempt to study the funding distribution between the two SIU campuses, I think it is clear now that the Illinois Board of Higher Education must conduct an unbiased study in order to reach a solution that is fair for SIUE, which I will continue to advocate for in Springfield.

“While we have seen growth and expansion here on the Edwardsville campus, we have not seen the funding from the SIU board to accompany the success of the campus,” Stuart said. “I have made fair funding for SIUE a priority each year when I go to Springfield, and I will continue to fight to ensure the Edwardsville campus gets their fair share of funding.”

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via Alton Telegraph

July 24, 2019 at 09:50PM

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SIU Board could soon be among most student-dominated in higher education

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CARBONDALE — The governing board of Southern Illinois University could soon become one of the most student-dominated in the country, as a long-debated issue nears resolution.

Legislation introduced by state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, to give votes to both student members on the SIU Board of Trustees — one from the Carbondale campus, one from SIU Edwardsville — is on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk after clearing the House and Senate, Stuart announced Monday.

Under current law, the Illinois governor chooses one student representative to be the voting member each year, weighing in on many of the highest-level decisions at the university, from multimillion-dollar purchases and contracts to tuition hikes. The other student holds an advisory seat on the board.

Typically, the vote alternates between the two campuses each year, but the governor may use his or her authority to deny voting power to both student trustees, or to keep the vote at the same campus for consecutive years.

Giving both students a say, Stuart said in a news release, will ensure equal representation for both campuses and eliminate the the governor’s ability to meddle in student voting privileges to influence the board.

If approved, the measure will also make the student voice more than twice as influential at SIU as at most major Midwestern university systems, with students holding two out of nine board votes.

At University of Illinois, by comparison, there is one voting student out of 11 trustees, though two other students hold advisory seats on the board.

At the University of Missouri, there is one voting student out of 10 on its board of curators.

At Indiana University, there is one voting student out of nine. At the University of Tennessee, one out of 11. At the University of Kentucky, one out of 16.

“This legislation is important for establishing equity between the SIU institutions,” Stuart said, “Both the Edwardsville campus and the Carbondale campus deserve the opportunity for their student interests to be equally represented each year.”

From 2018 to 2019, the vote rested with SIUC student trustee Brione Lockett, who will relinquish it this summer.

“I love this,” Lockett said of the legislation. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t say it’s cool to have another year of a vote, but I think this makes nothing but sense. Right now you’re asking students to read all these documents and show up to meetings and not get a vote. The vote is the reward for that hard work.”

J. Phil Gilbert, chairman of the SIU board, has also endorsed the bill, HB 2239, as has SIU Interim President J. Kevin Dorsey.

“We’re looking forward to the governor signing this bill,” Dorsey said. “This gives both student trustees an equal place on the board and provides them with the full ability to represent their peers at their respective campuses.”

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However, former Gov. Bruce Rauner saw things differently.

In August of 2015, he vetoed a nearly identical piece of legislation, saying increasing students’ voting power would dilute “the insight gained from the other trustees’ years of professional experience.”

“Having two student voting members is not necessary or advisable,” read a statement explaining his decision. “The Board of Trustees must consider difficult budgetary issues, academic requirements, and student conduct and disciplinary issues. The long-term views of professionals must be given appropriate weight.”

Rauner did not award a vote to either student representative during the 2014-2015 school year, board records show.

For his part, Lockett said student trustees are often as prepared as their fellow trustees, and are capable of taking a “system approach” without bias toward their home campuses.

Each month, Lockett estimated, he spends between one and two weeks of his working hours on board matters: reviewing documents, doing research and holding meetings.

“At times has it affected my schoolwork? Oh definitely,” he said. “But that’s how much I cared about it.”

Since he took office last July, Lockett has hosted a series of “Campus Conversations,” providing a rare opportunity for students to speak directly with high-level university administrators.

Recently, Lockett and SIUE student trustee Molly Smith hosted one of Lockett’s signature conversations at Edwardsville, taking questions on controversial university issues like the ongoing fair funding allocation study.

“That was, ‘Let’s show we’re really about the system by the students getting together and sharing our perspective,’” Lockett said.

Lockett also acknowledged the change would place added responsibility on students to elect dedicated peer leaders.

“Often, these elections can be a popularity contest,” Lockett said. “Will there be someone who comes after me that feels as strongly as I do and is as open as I am? Probably. We’ll have to see.”

The Pritzker administration declined to take a public position on HB 2239, when asked Thursday.

“The administration is currently reviewing the bill,” confirmed Pritzker spokesperson Jordan Abudayyeh.

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Region: Southern,Local,City: Carbondale,Region: Carbondale

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May 22, 2019 at 07:41AM

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House bill could grant both student trustees a vote

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Under state Rep. Katie Stuart’s, D-Edwardsville, new legislation, both student trustees would have a vote on the SIU Board of Trustees. The bill has passed through the Illinois House and has already experienced its first reading in the Senate.

HB2239 is an amendment to the Southern Illinois University Management Act; it specifically changing the mentions of student trustees voting in sections two, four and five. Stuart filed the bill on Feb. 7.

Board of Trustees Chair Phil Gilbert is in support of the bill, as he said giving both student trustees a vote is the fair thing to do.

“I think that it doesn’t seem fair to have one campus’ student trustee have a vote and the other student trustee not [have] a vote, so I think in terms of fairness, it would be fair to have both student trustees have a [vote],” Gilbert said.

SIU Carbondale student trustee Brione Lockett said he discussed HB2239 with former trustee and board vice chair Shirley Portwood, and they both agreed the changes make sense on a fundamental level. The reason behind this being that the non-voting student trustee is still subject to the same responsibilities as the voting student trustee.

“[Portwood] also stated that it just makes sense,” Lockett said. “You’re asking people to read all this stuff and spend all this time traveling to all these places and learn all these things and not get a vote. That didn’t make sense, and I couldn’t agree more.”

However simple the rationale may seem, SIUE student trustee Molly Smith said this is not the first time a bill of this sort has been proposed, and it may encounter some of the same roadblocks as before. Smith said if the SIU system changes its board, other systems may feel pressure to follow suit.

As it stands now, the governor decides which student trustee has a vote. In the most recent years, the vote has alternated from year to year, but this is not always the case.

“In the past, the governor who makes the designation has alternated between the two campuses, so even if this bill doesn’t pass, according to tradition — and of course, it’s still up to the governor — SIU Edwardsville student trustee would have the vote during the next year because the Carbondale student trustee had the vote last year,” Gilbert said.

Lockett holds the student trustee vote on the board. While Smith does not have official voting power, she said she and Lockett would communicate about issues being brought before the board, and Lockett would especially consider her input with matters that would largely impact SIUE students.

However, Smith recognizes this may not always be the dynamic between future student trustees and believes the bill would be even more beneficial in those circumstances.

“We have a really good relationship, but for future students, maybe both votes would be really beneficial,” Smith said.

Lockett said if the new legislation does not pass before the next student trustee terms begin July 1, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker has not yet decided which student trustee has the vote, the voting power would stay with Lockett. However, Lockett doubts this will be a concern as he’s confident the bill will pass.

“If the bill doesn’t go through, it stays with the school that had the vote in years prior. But I doubt — and nothing’s for sure — but I’m 99 percent certain that the bill that would allow both students to vote would pass,” Lockett said.

Lockett said he feels the bill has already overcome the largest hurdle: obtaining House approval. Due to Stuart being a Democrat from the Metro East, an area that supported Pritzker during the elections, he feels that the legislators are more likely to sway in the bill’s favor.

“It passed the House, and in the state of Illinois, the House is where it’s the most difficult to get anything to pass — I feel,” Lockett said. “In recent years, it has been very difficult. I don’t know if that’s because there’s been a different governor and then a majority democratic legislators, but now it’s dominant democratic legislators and the Democratic governor.”

To stay updated on HB2239’s progress, visit the Illinois General Assembly Website.

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via AlestleLive.com

April 23, 2019 at 05:29PM

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State Rep. Carol Ammons Wants More State Funding For Illinois Higher Ed

http://bit.ly/2RnTrpM

State Representative Carol Ammons wants to provide more state funding to Illinois universities and colleges. Ammons was recently appointed chair of the state’s Higher Education Committee.

She previously served as the vice-chair of the committee. Ammons spoke with Illinois Public Media about her top priorities for higher ed policy moving forward and how she’d like Illinois colleges and universities to spend any extra state dollars they receive on. She also weighed in on the recent sexual harassment scandals that have erupted at several colleges campuses across the state.  

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length. 

What are your top priorities as chair of this committee?

We have a few things that the (University of Illinois) and I have been working on, certainly to get more resources to the students of our university, to get those dollars from the state to help offset and to help lower the tuition — the tuition gap that keeps so many students from attending (the University of) Illinois. We’re going to work on that this session. I believe that the partnership with our new medical center and Carle (Foundation Hospital), there a few things that we need to do legislatively — I can’t speak to what they are at this point — but we’ll continue to work on making that a smooth transition so that the medical school can really grow and get up and running here in Champaign-Urbana. And then we want to look at the systems. We have a few problems with a couple of our systems that will come to the (Higher Education Committee) again this session. Southern Illinois University — they have some arguments between Carbondale and Edwardsville that have kind of been going on for some time. We hope to solve that this session and bring that system back together so that we can work together positively for the students that attend those schools.

The State Board of Higher Education has asked for a funding increase of 16 percent, and the justification for this is that state universities and colleges are underfunded and want to provide more opportunity for low-income students to attend. Do you support that kind of funding increase?

It’s difficult to say at this point because we’ve just begun to start our budget. We haven’t had team meetings yet as far as what’s available in our revenue streams. I do support an increase for higher education, and I have since I’ve been a member of the General Assembly. We’ve continued to try to increase the resources for MAP grants and other granting programs to help students come to those universities. Will we be able to meet a threshold of 15 percent in a budget? I can’t say at this point, but we will try to do our best to get as high as we can in the budget cycle this term.

It sounds like you do support a funding increase of some sort — maybe not 16 percent. Do you have a feeling or an opinion about how those funds should be used?

If there is an increase, I certainly want to see those funds going to the classrooms, to the students, to the professors to make sure that they can provide the resources that the students need. I also want to see some investment into the retention programs at the university. We have a really big push to bring more Illinois students to Illinois universities and part of that is the retention part for the universities, and we really need to invest money into the student services and into student access points. So if I were able to say that, I would certainly want those higher education institutions to drive that money to those really needed areas of student achievement of student support, of professors support, so that we can really continue to bring great minds to Illinois and not lose great scholarship. Those are really important focal points for me.

And are you concerned about excess spending on state college and university administration?

I am always concerned about that. If we are talking about improving the conditions for people, I believe that it shouldn’t be a pyramid. I think it should be a reverse triangle. We should always invest in those in the most difficult positions. We want to invest in students. We want to invest into faculty and we want to make sure we can invest into resources like student support organizations. Those are really, really important. And of course the institutions will hear that from me as the chair of (the Higher Education Committee), and never believe that we’re not paying them at the top enough.

And state universities, notably UIUC, have been dealing with sexual harassment allegations and investigations. Do you think campus sexual harassment policies need to change so that professors who have been found to exhibit clearly inappropriate behavior don’t just get a slap on the wrist?

Unfortunately, I just have absolutely no information on what the university’s policies are around sexual harassment. I hope that the university is reviewing what their policies are in light of so many allegations that have been taking place because we want to have a fair and equitable system to address these issues as they arise. But I will certainly be seeking to know as we go forward in the Higher Education Committee how the university is reviewing its policies and making the appropriate changes that protect the students as well as the faculty.

And I want to ask you about Discovery Partners Institute. Are you in support of this given that private investment in the venture is still kind of uncertain?

I am supportive of the DPI as it has been presented to us as local representatives. I do believe that the overarching principle of the DPI is to connect and fuse the Urbana-Champaign campus to the Chicago campus and to bring investment into central Illinois as well as into the northern part of the state. I hope that as we’ve talked over the last several meetings that those commitments from the private sector will remain true because the state has offered its commitment and given its resources to DPI, and hopefully within the next several months we can get the deal closed and continue to move on the ability to grow not only our technology industry at research park, but to grow our technology across the board so that we will have more and more access points at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

And, finally, I’m really interested in whether or not you and Gov. Pritzker are generally on the same page when it comes to higher education policy moving forward.

I’ll be meeting with the staff when we get back to Springfield on the objectives and the interests of the new governor. At this point, I’m not totally clear on what their objective is and where they’d like to go. Certainly, I know what mine is. I know what kind of work that we’re trying to do here from Urbana-Champaign, and hopefully those things align. I’ll have a better picture of that once we get back to session.

Follow Lee Gaines on Twitter: @LeeVGaines

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via Illinois Public Media

January 29, 2019 at 07:01AM

0

State Rep. Carol Ammons Wants More State Funding For Illinois Higher Ed

http://bit.ly/2RnTrpM

State Representative Carol Ammons wants to provide more state funding to Illinois universities and colleges. Ammons was recently appointed chair of the state’s Higher Education Committee.

She previously served as the vice-chair of the committee. Ammons spoke with Illinois Public Media about her top priorities for higher ed policy moving forward and how she’d like Illinois colleges and universities to spend any extra state dollars they receive on. She also weighed in on the recent sexual harassment scandals that have erupted at several colleges campuses across the state.  

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length. 

What are your top priorities as chair of this committee?

We have a few things that the (University of Illinois) and I have been working on, certainly to get more resources to the students of our university, to get those dollars from the state to help offset and to help lower the tuition — the tuition gap that keeps so many students from attending (the University of) Illinois. We’re going to work on that this session. I believe that the partnership with our new medical center and Carle (Foundation Hospital), there a few things that we need to do legislatively — I can’t speak to what they are at this point — but we’ll continue to work on making that a smooth transition so that the medical school can really grow and get up and running here in Champaign-Urbana. And then we want to look at the systems. We have a few problems with a couple of our systems that will come to the (Higher Education Committee) again this session. Southern Illinois University — they have some arguments between Carbondale and Edwardsville that have kind of been going on for some time. We hope to solve that this session and bring that system back together so that we can work together positively for the students that attend those schools.

The State Board of Higher Education has asked for a funding increase of 16 percent, and the justification for this is that state universities and colleges are underfunded and want to provide more opportunity for low-income students to attend. Do you support that kind of funding increase?

It’s difficult to say at this point because we’ve just begun to start our budget. We haven’t had team meetings yet as far as what’s available in our revenue streams. I do support an increase for higher education, and I have since I’ve been a member of the General Assembly. We’ve continued to try to increase the resources for MAP grants and other granting programs to help students come to those universities. Will we be able to meet a threshold of 15 percent in a budget? I can’t say at this point, but we will try to do our best to get as high as we can in the budget cycle this term.

It sounds like you do support a funding increase of some sort — maybe not 16 percent. Do you have a feeling or an opinion about how those funds should be used?

If there is an increase, I certainly want to see those funds going to the classrooms, to the students, to the professors to make sure that they can provide the resources that the students need. I also want to see some investment into the retention programs at the university. We have a really big push to bring more Illinois students to Illinois universities and part of that is the retention part for the universities, and we really need to invest money into the student services and into student access points. So if I were able to say that, I would certainly want those higher education institutions to drive that money to those really needed areas of student achievement of student support, of professors support, so that we can really continue to bring great minds to Illinois and not lose great scholarship. Those are really important focal points for me.

And are you concerned about excess spending on state college and university administration?

I am always concerned about that. If we are talking about improving the conditions for people, I believe that it shouldn’t be a pyramid. I think it should be a reverse triangle. We should always invest in those in the most difficult positions. We want to invest in students. We want to invest into faculty and we want to make sure we can invest into resources like student support organizations. Those are really, really important. And of course the institutions will hear that from me as the chair of (the Higher Education Committee), and never believe that we’re not paying them at the top enough.

And state universities, notably UIUC, have been dealing with sexual harassment allegations and investigations. Do you think campus sexual harassment policies need to change so that professors who have been found to exhibit clearly inappropriate behavior don’t just get a slap on the wrist?

Unfortunately, I just have absolutely no information on what the university’s policies are around sexual harassment. I hope that the university is reviewing what their policies are in light of so many allegations that have been taking place because we want to have a fair and equitable system to address these issues as they arise. But I will certainly be seeking to know as we go forward in the Higher Education Committee how the university is reviewing its policies and making the appropriate changes that protect the students as well as the faculty.

And I want to ask you about Discovery Partners Institute. Are you in support of this given that private investment in the venture is still kind of uncertain?

I am supportive of the DPI as it has been presented to us as local representatives. I do believe that the overarching principle of the DPI is to connect and fuse the Urbana-Champaign campus to the Chicago campus and to bring investment into central Illinois as well as into the northern part of the state. I hope that as we’ve talked over the last several meetings that those commitments from the private sector will remain true because the state has offered its commitment and given its resources to DPI, and hopefully within the next several months we can get the deal closed and continue to move on the ability to grow not only our technology industry at research park, but to grow our technology across the board so that we will have more and more access points at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

And, finally, I’m really interested in whether or not you and Gov. Pritzker are generally on the same page when it comes to higher education policy moving forward.

I’ll be meeting with the staff when we get back to Springfield on the objectives and the interests of the new governor. At this point, I’m not totally clear on what their objective is and where they’d like to go. Certainly, I know what mine is. I know what kind of work that we’re trying to do here from Urbana-Champaign, and hopefully those things align. I’ll have a better picture of that once we get back to session.

Follow Lee Gaines on Twitter: @LeeVGaines

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via Illinois Public Media

January 29, 2019 at 07:01AM

0

State Rep. Carol Ammons Wants More State Funding For Illinois Higher Ed

http://bit.ly/2RnTrpM

State Representative Carol Ammons wants to provide more state funding to Illinois universities and colleges. Ammons was recently appointed chair of the state’s Higher Education Committee.

She previously served as the vice-chair of the committee. Ammons spoke with Illinois Public Media about her top priorities for higher ed policy moving forward and how she’d like Illinois colleges and universities to spend any extra state dollars they receive on. She also weighed in on the recent sexual harassment scandals that have erupted at several colleges campuses across the state.  

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length. 

What are your top priorities as chair of this committee?

We have a few things that the (University of Illinois) and I have been working on, certainly to get more resources to the students of our university, to get those dollars from the state to help offset and to help lower the tuition — the tuition gap that keeps so many students from attending (the University of) Illinois. We’re going to work on that this session. I believe that the partnership with our new medical center and Carle (Foundation Hospital), there a few things that we need to do legislatively — I can’t speak to what they are at this point — but we’ll continue to work on making that a smooth transition so that the medical school can really grow and get up and running here in Champaign-Urbana. And then we want to look at the systems. We have a few problems with a couple of our systems that will come to the (Higher Education Committee) again this session. Southern Illinois University — they have some arguments between Carbondale and Edwardsville that have kind of been going on for some time. We hope to solve that this session and bring that system back together so that we can work together positively for the students that attend those schools.

The State Board of Higher Education has asked for a funding increase of 16 percent, and the justification for this is that state universities and colleges are underfunded and want to provide more opportunity for low-income students to attend. Do you support that kind of funding increase?

It’s difficult to say at this point because we’ve just begun to start our budget. We haven’t had team meetings yet as far as what’s available in our revenue streams. I do support an increase for higher education, and I have since I’ve been a member of the General Assembly. We’ve continued to try to increase the resources for MAP grants and other granting programs to help students come to those universities. Will we be able to meet a threshold of 15 percent in a budget? I can’t say at this point, but we will try to do our best to get as high as we can in the budget cycle this term.

It sounds like you do support a funding increase of some sort — maybe not 16 percent. Do you have a feeling or an opinion about how those funds should be used?

If there is an increase, I certainly want to see those funds going to the classrooms, to the students, to the professors to make sure that they can provide the resources that the students need. I also want to see some investment into the retention programs at the university. We have a really big push to bring more Illinois students to Illinois universities and part of that is the retention part for the universities, and we really need to invest money into the student services and into student access points. So if I were able to say that, I would certainly want those higher education institutions to drive that money to those really needed areas of student achievement of student support, of professors support, so that we can really continue to bring great minds to Illinois and not lose great scholarship. Those are really important focal points for me.

And are you concerned about excess spending on state college and university administration?

I am always concerned about that. If we are talking about improving the conditions for people, I believe that it shouldn’t be a pyramid. I think it should be a reverse triangle. We should always invest in those in the most difficult positions. We want to invest in students. We want to invest into faculty and we want to make sure we can invest into resources like student support organizations. Those are really, really important. And of course the institutions will hear that from me as the chair of (the Higher Education Committee), and never believe that we’re not paying them at the top enough.

And state universities, notably UIUC, have been dealing with sexual harassment allegations and investigations. Do you think campus sexual harassment policies need to change so that professors who have been found to exhibit clearly inappropriate behavior don’t just get a slap on the wrist?

Unfortunately, I just have absolutely no information on what the university’s policies are around sexual harassment. I hope that the university is reviewing what their policies are in light of so many allegations that have been taking place because we want to have a fair and equitable system to address these issues as they arise. But I will certainly be seeking to know as we go forward in the Higher Education Committee how the university is reviewing its policies and making the appropriate changes that protect the students as well as the faculty.

And I want to ask you about Discovery Partners Institute. Are you in support of this given that private investment in the venture is still kind of uncertain?

I am supportive of the DPI as it has been presented to us as local representatives. I do believe that the overarching principle of the DPI is to connect and fuse the Urbana-Champaign campus to the Chicago campus and to bring investment into central Illinois as well as into the northern part of the state. I hope that as we’ve talked over the last several meetings that those commitments from the private sector will remain true because the state has offered its commitment and given its resources to DPI, and hopefully within the next several months we can get the deal closed and continue to move on the ability to grow not only our technology industry at research park, but to grow our technology across the board so that we will have more and more access points at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

And, finally, I’m really interested in whether or not you and Gov. Pritzker are generally on the same page when it comes to higher education policy moving forward.

I’ll be meeting with the staff when we get back to Springfield on the objectives and the interests of the new governor. At this point, I’m not totally clear on what their objective is and where they’d like to go. Certainly, I know what mine is. I know what kind of work that we’re trying to do here from Urbana-Champaign, and hopefully those things align. I’ll have a better picture of that once we get back to session.

Follow Lee Gaines on Twitter: @LeeVGaines

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January 29, 2019 at 07:01AM

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Stuart meets with SIUE chapter of Statue Universities Annuitants Association

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State Rep. Katie Stuart addresses the SIUE Chapter of the State Universities Annuitants Association on Wednesday.COLLINSVILLE – Earlier this week, state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, spent time speaking with the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville chapter of the State Universities Annuitants Association to discuss recent legislation concerning the university and answer questions about the upcoming legislative session beginning in January.

“I was thankful for the opportunity to return to the SIUE campus and meet with both current and retired faculty and staff to learn about the newest renovations and additions to different buildings,” said Stuart. “I was able to share information about my work with the Higher Education Working Group, which is a bicameral, bipartisan group of legislators who come together to improve higher education in the State of Illinois.”

Stuart sponsored multiple pieces of legislation to fight for fair funding for the SIUE campus, including calling for an independent study of how the SIU system appropriates funding for the two campuses.

“For the first time in the history of the SIU system, SIUE surpassed the enrollment of SIUC, and we need to make sure the funding reflects that, not only for the school and the students, but for the retirees of SIU Edwardsville and the years of hard work they dedicated to the university,” Stuart continued. “Fighting for SIU Edwardsville will continue to be one of my top priorities during the upcoming legislative session.”












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December 7, 2018 at 01:22PM

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Katie Stuart continues to fight for fair funding for SIUE | RiverBender.com

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COLLINSVILLE – This week, state Rep. Katie Stuart joined members of the Illinois House Higher Education Committee for a public hearing at SIUE to discuss state funding for the Southern Illinois University system and allocations between the Edwardsville and Carbondale campuses.

“Student enrollment at SIUE has grown exponentially throughout the past decade, but the Edwardsville campus still only receives 36 percent of the Southern Illinois University system’s state funding,” Stuart said. “This hearing was an important opportunity for my colleagues in the legislature to hear from the Edwardsville community and understand how this funding disparity is hurting the students, the faculty and our local economy.”

As a former educator at SIUE, Stuart has been leading the charge to bring fair funding to the Edwardsville campus. She has been calling for the Illinois State Board of Higher Education to conduct an independent study of the SIU Board of Trustees to review the allocation of state funds between the two campuses.

“SIUE has grown to be a major economic engine for the Metro East, not only for the students, but for all residents of the region and it’s time for the distribution of state funding to reflect that growth,” Stuart said. “I will continue fighting to bring fair funding to Edwardsville because I know that it’s the right thing to do for our community.”

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August 23, 2018 at 10:21PM

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