Gov. Pritzker touts higher education investments included in recently passed budget

On Wednesday, local political and educational leaders touted higher education spending - the likes of which have not been seen in 20 years they say - included in the recently passed $50.4 billion state budget.

Gov. JB Pritzker at the University of Illinois-Springfield Student Union touted the budget, now awaiting his signature, as including several line items for construction projects on campus and increases investment into the Monetary Award Program by $100 million. Fiscal year 2024, starting in July, will have $701 million in total investment into program — a 75% increase since the beginning of the Pritzker administration.

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UIS Chancellor Janet Gooch said more than 40% of the university's students receive MAP grants, a program available to students from Illinois that demonstrate financial need.

Recent first-generation graduate Amanda Jones was one of them.

"I believe this trend of funding education for marginalized and minoritized people should continue, as it allows the opportunity for them to create better lives for themselves and their families than they ever could have imagined," she said.

Increased funding into the program were among several education-based pushes by Pritzker that made its way into the final product. The last fiscal year also saw no MAP applicants be turned down, he added.

"With this new budget we're making it possible for nearly every student from a low, moderate or middle-income family to go to community college tuition free," Pritzker said, kicking off a statewide tour detailing the budget. "Getting a college or university degree shouldn't strap you in debt for the rest of your life."

Rep. Mike Coffey, R-Springfield, was also in attendance and expressed support for several appropriations and reappropriations heading towards UIS.

He and all other Republicans in both chambers, however, voted against the budget. Coffey's reasons for his 'no' vote were namely due to another increase to state legislator pay and feeling left-out on budget negotiations with the super-majority party.

Coffey and Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield were joined by one of a handful of Democrats such as Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, in opposing the budget.

Contact Patrick Keck: 312-549-9340, pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Gov. Pritzker touts higher education investments included in new budget