Failing Chicago Students Still Receive State Aid

by Michael Wille On Thursday, a state Senator provided further evidence of the state’s inability to manage its education dollars.  A hearing revealed last week that students with failing grades at Chicago State University continued to receive educational assistance dollars.  Senator Edward Maloney indicated the following: Maloney, who requested state financial aid information after the Tribune report,...

by Michael Wille

On Thursday, a state Senator provided further evidence of the state’s inability to manage its education dollars.  A hearing revealed last week that students with failing grades at Chicago State University continued to receive educational assistance dollars.  Senator Edward Maloney indicated the following:

Maloney, who requested state financial aid information after the Tribune report, said that during the 2008-09 academic year, 449 Chicago State students received state grant money even though, under university policy, an untold number of them should have been dismissed for poor academic performance.

Of those students, 106 had a grade-point average of 0.0 and still received aid from the taxpayer-funded Monetary Award Program, known as MAP.

A state university failing to live up to its own policies needs to be carefully reviewed.  A number of reforms need to be implemented to ensure that precious higher education funds are staying with people who will work hard for them.  If Chicago State University refuses to enforce its own rules, then the state must withhold these funds until a proper policy is in place.