SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A new Illinois budget will give public universities funding for the 2017-18 school year.
The Chicago Tribune reports that this is the first time in two years that the state’s 12 public universities will receive funding.
In 2015, universities received more than $1.2 billion from the state’s spending plan. But the budget impasse prompted campus shutdowns, layoffs and program cuts.
The Illinois Board of Higher Education says the new budget will provide universities with about $1.1 billion for the 2017-18 academic year, a 10 percent decline from 2015.
University leaders caution that while it’s a relief to have one year’s funding, the budget doesn’t fully resolve the schools’ financial issues.
Universities went almost an entire year without funding from the state for the 2015-16 year.
