University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Senate

Academic Calendars CommitteesFaculty Policy Guide Honorary Degree Awards SEC Meeting Schedule Senate Agendas & Minutes Senate Meeting Schedule Senate Meeting Videos Senate Members Senator Guide

HE.09.02
November 3, 2008

University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign Senate
Final;Information

HE.09.02. Report on the Illinois Board of Higher Education Meeting, October 7, 2008*.

Items relative to UIUC:
Institute of National Resource Sustainability approved.

The BHE, meeting in Chicago at Kennedy-King College, was welcomed by its president, Clyde El-Amin

The Board moved rapidly through the agenda followed by discussion of items in the draft Public Agenda for College and Career Success.

At an afternoon meeting held on October 6 the Board worked to finalize the draft on 4 goals in the Public Agenda:

  1. Increase educational attainment to match the best-performing U.S. states and world countries.
  2. Ensure college affordability for students, families and taxpayers.
  3. Increase production of quality postsecondary credentials to meet demands of the economy
  4. Better integrate Illinois’ educational, research, and innovation assets to meet economic needs of the state and its regions.

Jerry Dill, of the Proprietary Advisory Committee, made an extended presentation on the impact of propriety schools.   The 36 proprietary degree-granting institutions in Illinois offer associate, bachelor, masters and doctoral degrees.  He stressed the economic impact of proprietary schools, including the payment of real estate taxes.  He noted they enroll a higher proportion of minority students than non-proprietary institutions. He stressed the schools’ cooperation with various community enterprises including high schools and health services and provided examples of early proprietary schools and outstanding alumni and faculty.

Andy Davis, Illinois State Assistance Commission, discussed affordability stressing increased tuition, higher loan burdens, and “drop out costs,”, i.e., the costs of non-completion of programs to the student, state, and society. 

Ken Andersen
UIUC Senate Alternate FAC Representative

* Due to schedule conflicts, the report is based upon the agenda and reporting by others.