Illinois budget uncertainty could affect tuition grants

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois Student Assistance Commission has warned that continued uncertainty over state funding for tuition-assistance grants could jeopardize the academic success of thousands of low-income college students.

Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law last week a stopgap budget to keep state government operating for six months, The Quad-City Times (http://bit.ly/29kLQa7 ) reported. The budget provides $151 million to cover grants made to students this spring through the Monetary Award Program but doesn't provide funding for grants for the upcoming school year.

A survey from the commission, which oversees the program, says more than 18,000 students could delay or not complete their degrees. The commission says the survey of more than 10,000 grant recipients was conducted before the recent budget was approved and that some students might have responded differently in light of the grants' being fully funded for the 2015-16 school year.

The commission also said a decision on future funding likely will not be made until long after students have to make their enrollment decisions.

"Any appropriation would not come until sometime after the General Assembly reconvenes, which isn't scheduled to occur until mid-November - leaving students and schools with ongoing uncertainty about when and how much funding will be available," the commission said.

Illinois State University chief of staff Jay Groves said the school plans to cover MAP grants for its students for the full year, "unless something drastic happens."

Southern Illinois University and Western Illinois University announced they will cover the grants for the fall semester, but are taking a wait-and-see approach to the spring semester.

Illinois Wesleyan University has a plan is in place in case there is no funding this coming school year, according to school spokeswoman Ann Aubry. The university said it credited unfunded grants to student accounts for tuition, room and board last year school, and there was a mix of grants and loans ready to bridge any shortfall if funding obligations were not met.

The grants were awarded to 101,000 students statewide last year. The average awards for the 2014-15 school year was $2,782.

___

Information from: Quad-City Times, http://www.qctimes.com