Former University of Illinois athletic director’s pension to climb past $500K a year

By Brendan Bakala

11/08/2017

Six years into retirement, Ron Guenther’s annual pension is more than $470,000 and is set to rise even higher, thanks to 3 percent yearly increases.

TAGS: higher education, pensions, Ron Guenther, SURS: State Universities Retirement System, University of Illinois

Moody’s downgrades 7 Illinois universities, 5 are junk

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

06/13/2017

Illinois universities have hiked tuition and relied on state subsidies to pay for exorbitant administrative salaries — and now credit rating agencies are punishing them for that destructive behavior.

TAGS: budget, credit rating, CSU: Chicago State University, EIU: Eastern Illinois University, higher education, Illinois Board of Higher Education, Moody's Investor Service, NIU: Northeastern Illinois University, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, WIU: Western Illinois University

Beyond degrees: Empowering Illinoisans through career-first education

Published June 3, 2025 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The best path to empowerment and success, especially for poor people, is work. Work allows us to prosper while providing dignity, upward mobility, the means to support ourselves and create value for others. It’s how we become thriving members of our community. Central to this process is our education...

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Beyond degrees: Empowering Illinoisans through career-first education

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Allan Luzbetak

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students