Last week, Carl Sandburg College President Lori Sundberg said the Galesburg community college will not be paying the estimated $380,000 for tied-up Monetary Award Program funds in the spring, a decision not likely to change with today’s approval of $721.5 million in tuition grants and community colleges funds.
The Associated Press reports that the Illinois House and Senate passed the bill, which allocates $324.4 million to community colleges for operating costs and $397.1 million for MAP grants, but it isn’t expected to go any further. House Republican Leader Jim Durkin says Gov. Bruce Rauner intends to veto the bill, adding that there is no funding source for it.
MAP funds, which benefit low-income students, have not been disbursed due to the lack of a state budget.
Republican Rep. Norine Hammond says she spoke with the president of Western Illinois University and the presidents of two community colleges about the legislation. Hammond says the response of one of the community college presidents “rings very true.”
“She said, ‘we don’t need any more promises without the money,'” Hammond says. “And regrettably, that is exactly what this is.”
Sandburg floated the money for MAP recipients during the fall term. Because of the impasses, next term’s adult education and literacy programs have been suspended along with MAP disbursements. In a statement from Sundberg yesterday, she says she “hopes that whatever is appropriated has a funding source identified so the money can become a reality.”
Updated 1/29/16 at 6:48 a.m. to reflect most recent comments from President of Carl Sandburg College Lori Sundburg
