Legislative Report
96th General Assembly Spring 2010

With the primary elections over on February 2nd the House and Senate will be in session starting first with the House reporting on February 3rd and the Senate during the week of February 7th.

This report will focus on a few of the bills that have been introduced that have potential impact on higher education.

House Bill 4906 (Myers)

Creates the Accountability in Higher Education Act. Requires public universities in this State to develop annual academic, financial, and enrollment plans that outline (i) tuition and fee estimates, (ii) enrollment projections, (iii) how to meet State policy objectives, and (iv) accepting a number of accountability measures, including meeting benchmarks related to accessibility and State policy objectives. Requires the Board of Higher education to be responsible for developing performance indicators to measure whether public universities in this State are meeting State policy objectives. Effective immediately.
Comment

Richard Myers (R) from Macomb has Western Illinois University in his district. His bill calls fro a number of accountability measures related to accessibility and affordability Representative Myers may want to look at the funding of higher education by the General Assembly, the support has diminished since FY 2002 and shows no sign of improving.

House bill 4905 (Myers)

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Requires the Board to establish an audit committee to examine any plan by a public university to increase tuition from the previous academic year by more than 10% Provides that the committee shall consist of no less than three members, designated by the chairperson of the Board, to assist in the oversight of the financial reporting and audit processes of those universities whose rate of tuition is being increased from the previous academic year by more than 10%. Provides that the committee shall assist the Board in retaining an auditor through the Office of the Auditor General to conduct audits. Sets forth additional duties of the committee. Effective immediately.

Comment

This bill also introduced by Richard Myers requires the establishment of an audit committee if a public university raises tuition more than 10% from the previous academic year. Since all public universities utilize professional audits what purpose would another audit serve? There is also an additional cost associated with an audit. Who is going to absorb the cost? This appears to be another unfunded mandate which the General Assembly does all to often.

Senate Bill 2548 (De muzio)

Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that he Illinois Community College Board shall certify, prepare, and submit monthly vouchers (rather than quarterly vouchers) to the State Comptroller setting forth an amount equal to one-twelfth (instead of 25%) of the grants approved by the State Board for base operating grants and equalizing grants. Effective July 1, 2010.

Comment

Senator Deanna Demuzio from Carlinville, is to be congratulated for introducing this bill. This would provide community colleges the ability to receive state payments on a monthly basis, rather than quarterly. This method of payment would be identical to public universities and would ease a cash flow problem for community colleges.

Senate Bill 642 (amended) Haine

Amends Southern Illinois University Management Act. Allows University to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of receiving tuition, payments from the State of Illinois, or other revenues or receipts of the University.

Comment

Senator William Haine (D), from Alton, bill allows Southern Illinois University to borrow money on anticipated revenue. This bill reflects the difficulty that SIU has in meeting payroll and other financial obligations. If SIU is successful in this attempt, expect other universities to follow suit.

Senate Bill 2538 (Maloney)

Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that as of July 1, 2011, a community college district must remain a minimum required combined in-district tuition and universal fee rate per semester credit hour equal to 70% of the State-average combined rate, as determined by the State Board, or the total revenue received by the community college district from combined in-district tuition and universal fees must be at least 30% of the total revenue received by the community college district, as determined by the State Board, for equalization funding. Effective July 1, 2010.

Comment

Senator Edward Moloney (D) from Chicago is Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee. The requirement that tuition and fees amount to 30% of the total revenue is based on the expectation that a community college revenues are derived from tuition and fees, state funding and district property taxes. Each of the three revenues sources should deliver approximately 33% of the total revenue. This ratio will vary significantly depending on the district in question.

House Bill 4608 (Reis)

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, the Election Code, the University of Illinois Act, and the University of Illinois Trustees Act. Provides for a Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois consisting of 7 elected members (now, the Board consists of 9 members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate), the Governor, and 3 student trustees. Effective immediately.

House Bill 2465 (Jones)

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, the Election Code, the University of Illinois Act, and the University of Illinois Trustees Act. Provides for a Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois consisting of 7 elected members (now, the Board consists of 9 members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate), the Governor, and 3 student trustees. Effective immediately.

House Bill 4688 (Jakobsson)

Amends the University of Illinois Trustees Act. Provides that the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois shall consist of the Governor and at least 15 (rather than 12) trustees. Provides that 3 additional trustees shall be faculty members, of whom one faculty member shall be selected from each University campus. Creates the Trustees Selection Task Force (TRUST Force), which shall receive and review nominations for trustees for the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and make a recommendation to the Governor concerning a nominee within 30 days after the Governor makes the nomination. Effective immediately.

Comments

The above bills are designed to change the method of trustees selection. These bills will remove the ability of the Governor to appoint trustees with confirmation by the Senate to elected positions. Some form of these bills will probably pass this spring.

Summary Source: Illinois Board of Higher Education

Leo Welch, Legislative Officer, Illinois Conference AAUP