Illinois universities charge high price for perverse priorities

By Austin Berg

03/16/2017

More than 50 percent of the state’s $4.1 billion budget for public universities is spent on retirement costs alone.

TAGS: higher education, pensions, SURS: State Universities Retirement System

Fact-checking Rahm: Students have been leaving Illinois for at least 15 years

By Madelyn Harwood

03/13/2017

Uncertainty about skyrocketing tuition costs, rising taxes, and other factors are the likeliest culprits of Illinois’ student out-migration crisis.

TAGS: Chicago, education, outmigration, population, Rahm Emanuel

What Illinois college students should know before meeting with Rauner, lawmakers

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

02/13/2017

What’s making college unaffordable for Illinois students isn’t budget gridlock, it’s soaring administrative costs in higher education.

TAGS: higher education

Budget Solutions 2018: Balancing the state budget without tax hikes

By Ted Dabrowski, Craig Lesner, John Klingner, Michael Lucci

01/31/2017

A set of structural reforms that protect taxpayers and put Illinois on the path to prosperity.

Instead of tax hikes, reform higher education to prioritize students over administrators

01/27/2017

Illinois spends more money on retirement costs than on university operations – and tuition keeps rising to prop up this overspending. Instead of hiking taxes to maintain current spending habits in higher education, politicians should shift priorities from propping up six-figure administrators to keeping tuition affordable for students.

TAGS: budget, higher education, pensions, student loans

Pensions vs. higher education

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

02/04/2016

Skyrocketing pensions, bloated administrations are pricing students out of college degrees

Illinois corruption watch, June 2014

By Brian Costin, Anthony Trania

07/09/2014

Unfortunately for taxpayers, June was a groundbreaking month for corruption in Illinois. In June alone, there were reports of 85 corruption-related stories in the state. Some of the record-breaking highlights include the following: For the first time in 33 years, the Illinois Legislative Audit Commission exercised its subpoena powers in the issuance of a subpoena...

Northern Illinois University VP with $196K salary steals scrap metal, gets slap on the wrist

By Brian Costin

02/28/2013

With the downturn in the economy, youll occasionally hear stories about thieves who steal public property such as manhole covers and sell the materials to scrap yards.

College Retirees vs. Colleges: SURS’ Costs to Surpass All other Higher Education Spending

By Collin Hitt

05/27/2011

Policy makers struggling to protect higher education appropriations may be surprised to learn this fact: The total cost of the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) in 2012 will exceed the amount of general funds appropriated to all other higher education agencies and institutions. Years of overly generous pensions and delayed funding by the Illinois legislature...

Illinois Board of Higher Education

Illinois universities charge high price for perverse priorities

Fact-checking Rahm: Students have been leaving Illinois for at least 15 years

What Illinois college students should know before meeting with Rauner, lawmakers

Budget Solutions 2018: Balancing the state budget without tax hikes

Instead of tax hikes, reform higher education to prioritize students over administrators

Pensions vs. higher education

Illinois corruption watch, June 2014

Northern Illinois University VP with $196K salary steals scrap metal, gets slap on the wrist

College Retirees vs. Colleges: SURS’ Costs to Surpass All other Higher Education Spending

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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