Respectfully submitted by Lawrence E. Rafferty (rafflaw) Weekend Contributor
I have to give Governor Bruce Rauner credit for not taking long to show his hand and publicly attack the Higher Education system in Illinois. It has only been a few weeks since he was inaugurated and he recently unveiled his budget. A budget plan that slashes over $200 million just from the University of Illinois alone.
At the very time Gov. Rauner announced he wants to slash the Higher Education budget for all universities in the State of Illinois by almost a third, he claimed that his budget makes education a priority!
“Higher education is set to take a major hit in Illinois.
Following similar announcements by the Republican governors of Wisconsin and Louisiana, newly-sworn in Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner released what he called a “turnaround” budget, that would slash nearly $209 million from the University of Illinois.” Think Progress
“It’s time to make education our top priority again – and that’s what this budget does,” he told lawmakers Tuesday night, touting his plan to give about $25 million more to early childhood education. “With reform, we will be able to invest more in education and give our kids world class schools.” Think Progress
While the proposed budget increases some funding for K-12 education, the University of Illinois system will lose one-third of its state financing under this budget. This very same proposed budget makes absolutely no mention of any increased revenue sources or plans. What will happen to the University system if these cuts are retained in the final budget?
One can expect the cuts to cause increased fees being charged to students as well as the loss of many educational programs. The result of these massive reductions in state financing will be to transfer the costs to students who are already paying high tuition and fee costs. The loan balances of many students already into the 6 figures and Gov. Rauner’s actions will make sure that student debt will continue to climb in Illinois.
So often the claims that all areas of the State have to share in the burden of digging out of a financial hole ends up with some of the most vulnerable bearing the brunt of that burden. If the Governor is convinced that we all have to sacrifice in this job to balance the budget, why wouldn’t new tax sources be considered along with reasonable cuts?
Will these draconian cuts make it more difficult for students from poor and middle class families to obtain a college education? In this very same budget proposal, Gov. Rauner biggest cuts are aimed directly at those who are least able to afford them.
“Yet the state would spend $400 million less on higher education, $600 million less on local governments, and $1.5 billion less on Medicaid, which handles health care costs for poor residents. University leaders and mayors said they were worried, and advocates for the poor said they feared medical needs would go unmet under deep cuts to Medicaid.” New York Times
When the cities, counties and municipalities raise their taxes to pay for basic services for their residents, who has to pay for those increases? “In many cases, Rauner’s state budget cuts could simply end up shifting costs: local governments could choose to raise property taxes, state universities could raise tuition and the CTA could increase fares.” Chicago Tribune
For a man who spent at least $37 million of his own money to get elected governor, he sure has no problem making the middle class and poor pay more for a college education and for health care and local taxes and transportation costs.
Rauner seems to be following the economic model that worked so “well” for Gov. Brownback in Kansas and Gov. Walker in Wisconsin.
Just how has that austerity approach worked out for Kansas and Wisconsin?
Additional Sources: Examiner.com; Crains Chicago Business
“The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.”
@ Max
Sorry to hear you have been downsized and hope you find a position soon. It is hard to be between jobs. Keep flexible and keep your options open. Maybe this will be the start of something better.
When I was considering a big career change and it was very scary, I was dithering. My husband gave me the best advice….”You are standing on the edge of the cliff….either jump and spread your wings or step back and forget the cliff and go on with what you are already doing. Either way I will have your back.” I jumped and never regretted it.
@ Wade
I know. I was joking. Sort of. Although…..the kegger idea does have some financial merit. 🙂
I have no love of sports (I don’t dislike sports either either. It is just a big meh for me and for my husband too) I especially don’t see any reason that the academic portions of a school, high school or university level, should suffer to create a sports program…UNLESS…..the sports program is a net profit center for the school. THEN it makes sense to have a sports program. Positive cash flow.
I’m not anti sports activities. I really think that they are important for students, especially in the K 12 area to develop skills and self esteem. I was on the swim team in high school. I just don’t agree that they should trump academics.
I also think that the university should concentrate on the CORE subjects for your discipline, classical liberal arts, basic science. These frippery SJW grievance classes while they might be fun….are just superfluous and should not be taking funds away from “real” courses.
Max – good luck on your interview.
Speaking of Walker, union protestors descended on his home and harassed his elderly parents.
Unions really must care a lot about people.
The Teachers Unions here in CA have defended pedophiles from getting fired, so they can retire on a nice, fat pension they earned while using schools as hunting grounds. Teamsters Unions and Longshoremen physically threaten SCABS. Unions force people to become members in order to be employed, and they donate bundled members fees to political campaigns against their wishes.
The unions may have started with good intentions, but they act like the mob nowadays. And anyone who protests against their excesses, or try to reign them in, is typically maligned with personal attacks.
In a parents meeting for our local charter school, the announcement that the teachers were not tenured, and had merit based pay, was met with a standing ovation from parents who voted with their feet on the Teachers Union.
DBQ – your post is very timely. I recently heard Dave Ramsey talk on his show about how young people nowadays spend 10 years slowly earning a degree in Polka, or basketweaving, or some other degree that is utterly useless in a competitive job market.
The main function of universities is to equip people to find a job, as most of us are not wealthy philanthropists who spend thousands of dollars on an education just to pass the time. Hopefully, your job and your passion align, but it is not a good risk to spend $40,000 acquiring a degree that puts you behind in the job market.
Wade, in Wisconsin the Police, State Trooper and Firefighter’s unions were the only ones that were exempt from Act 10, which restricted collective bargaining from Public Unions.
Elaine M.
Ah, the HSBC approach…
… Animal House, indeed!
DBQ
Better check up on your state’s university AD. Make sure he didn’t fall down laughing and hurt himself with your fund raising ideas.
.
Let me preface this by saying that I have not followed Bruce Rauner. I was curious about the issue raised by the article, as education is near and dear to me.
This was written on his website:
“Whether traditional, charter, or private, Illinois’ children need access to more quality choices in education. Our broken school districts need to be changed so that public dollars are able to be used to provide an excellent education for all citizens. In order to do so, we need to let educators have the autonomy to run their own schools and let families choose schools that best fit their children’s needs. Our state’s century old educational policy regime is limiting the intellectual and economic growth of our people and only a competitive educational system with options for all parents will repair this.
Teaching is a truly noble profession. But like with any profession, there is a wide range of talent and dedication levels. The best teachers create magic in the classroom and are an inspiration to students for a lifetime. Those outstanding teachers deserve higher pay based on their merit. Tragically, a minority of teachers are simply not up to the job, and that deprives the children in their classrooms of a quality education. Those failing teachers must be held accountable and not given a lifetime guarantee in the classroom.
Education spending must be re-prioritized so our tax dollars go to the front lines of the education battlefield, and that’s the classroom. Today we spend far too much money on administration and bureaucracy, and not enough on teachers and classroom technology that directly benefits students. That needs to change.”
http://brucerauner.com/issue/education/
I agree with these particular statements made on the website. But I need more information on why higher education was cut. For instance, there have been many scandals lately where the Board of Reagents keep voting themselves higher and higher salaries. More government spending seems to flow directly into their pockets instead of helping keep education more affordable. And the proliferation of student loans has two opposing effects: it helps put education within the reach of more students, but the flow of funds allows universities to keep charging more.
Interview Monday… er, tomorrow!
However, NOBODY wants to revise and reduce the public pensions of fire and police.
Want to bet? I do.
Paul C.
Will the day will come where Ivy League schools will be funded by football?
http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/sports/fball/2014-15/standings
I guess society needs to be asking the adults making these decisions who does this benefit and why do they think cuts to education benefit the entire student body and greater society as a whole over sports reductions?
Max – I’m so sorry to hear that! Good luck and best wishes on job hunting.
Sorry, Max. Hope you find a better one soon.
Well Wade. I’m an American and I would rather get rid of all the vanity and Social Warrior Justice types of degrees and concentrate on graduating people with actual functional degrees that can contribute to society. All the grievance classes and lesbian/gay/transgender baloney can be scrapped. In place concentrate on STEM and turning out new teachers who are actually smarter than a box of rocks.
College should not only be about learning and expanding your mind. When you get done, you should be able to….gasp……get a job and contribute to society.
Sports should be a self supporting enterprise (pay for itself) and really isn’t necessary to the educational system other than something that the students can “bond” over. If there isn’t enough in the budget for sports……do like the high schools in our areas have to do. Raise funds. Have booster clubs. Sell some cookies. Have a kegger….woooo hoooo!!!!!
While I’m at it. I would far FAR rather see tax payer funds going to support trade schools that turn out good mechanics, welders, carpenters, plumbers, agricultural technicians, computer programers and a whole host of hands on occupations.
Most of our new doctors come from India and other parts of the world anyway since going into the medical profession, after Obamacare gutted it…..it is a losers game.
Sorry to hear the bad news Max-1. Good luck in your job hunt.
Steve H.
To be accurate, I have not been on probation. I have no idea where that disgusting claim came from. Please do not make things up. Thanks.
Nick
Oh, please. Everybody knows fire and police are untouchable.
In fact, I’ve noticed the oddest thing. Many officeholders want to revise and reduce public pensions – as does Rauner. However, NOBODY wants to revise and reduce the public pensions of fire and police.
Paul C.
Funny you should mention downsizing by companies to pinch pennies…
… I got down sized last Tuesday, myself. Ouch.
Max-1 – I am going with funny peculiar, not funny haha. Sorry to hear it. Hope you find something soon.
Elaine, lol, could be.