Calls for reforms to keep higher education affordable

CARBONDALE - October 15, 2012. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon visited Southern Illinois University Carbondale today to urge state, federal and higher education leaders to work together to keep college affordable so thousands of Illinois students can earn the credentials needed for good-paying jobs. This is Simon's second stop as she holds college affordability summits with students at all 12 public universities this fall.

"To keep pace with the global economy, Illinois needs 60 percent of working-age adults to hold college credentials by 2025. To complete college, students must be able to afford college," Simon said. "Higher education affordability must be a higher priority. College cannot be accessible only to the privileged when it is a prerequisite for a good-paying job."

Simon supports College Choice Reports, a standardized report for all degree-granting institutions that would help students analyze real cost, debt and graduation rates across institutions. She is also serving on a state task force that could change the way need-based state grants are awarded to students as early as next school year.

The goal is to stabilize the cost for public universities and community colleges, following tuition and fee increases that have outpaced inflation, family incomes and available aid over the past 20 years. To pay the bills, students racked up an average of $26,682 in student loans in 2010, up 14.3 percent from three years earlier and more than double what they owed in 1995, according to a Pew Research Center report released in early October.

Simon emphasized the need for cooperation among state, federal and higher education leaders to prioritize the investment in higher education and the state's future. She outlined three ways stakeholders could work together to keep college affordable:

·         Consumer protections: Simon supports House Bill 5248, which would require all degree-granting institutions that operate in Illinois to publish online College Choice Reports. The reports would contain information such as net costs, average debt and completion rates in an easy-to-read and easy-to-find format. Unlike the federally proposed "shopping sheet" which provides cost information after a student applies to a school, the College Choice Report would be available to students online before they apply, to help them find a college or university that fits their needs and their budget.

·         Targeted assistance: To better use state resources, Simon wants to strengthen the Monetary Award Program and insure MAP grants promote college attendance and completion and reduce the achievement gap between low-income and higher-income students. MAP grants are currently awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to students based on financial need, but state funding reaches only about half of eligible students. A MAP Eligibility Task Force is evaluating ways to improve distributional equity and encourage timely degree completion.

·         Tax relief for middle class families: Over 9 million students and families are taking advantage of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, saving them up to $10,000 over four years of college. Simon supports making this federal tax credit permanent and preventing it from expiring at the end of this year.

"Cutting investments directly related to economic growth doesn't make sense. We should work together on policies that prioritize education and employment, not shortchange Illinois students and quality employers," Simon said.

During her visit, Simon shadowed Christophe Freeman, a federal work-study recipient who works in the Trueblood Dining Hall to help pay for college expenses. Freeman, a junior majoring in cinema production, says that without financial aid, he would not be able to attend school.

"With the financial aid I receive, I can pay for tuition and some other expenses, too." Freeman said. "My schedule is flexible, I get to work with my peers and I can walk between work and classes, so work for me really is worry-free."

Eric Zarnikow, executive director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, cited recent MAP award activity as evidence that affordability should be a key issue for Illinois leaders. For every eligible student who received a MAP grant this school year, another was denied due to lack of state funds.

"MAP is one of the largest needs-based financial aid programs in the country. While approximately 150,000 students will receive an award this year, just as many will be left on the sidelines as a result of limited funding," Zarnikow said.

"The higher education community looks forward to working with Lt. Governor Simon and state leaders to maintain and restore funding and support policies that will help more students graduate with a quality college education in a timely and cost-effective manner," said George Reid, executive director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Simon's summit at SIU Carbondale is the first of four such visits this week. Upcoming Affordability Summits include Thursday, Oct. 18 at Illinois State University and Western Illinois University and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville on Friday, Oct. 19.

East Moine Mayor John Thodos will join representatives of the East Moline Foundation on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 to announce the kickoff of a new program to benefit the citizens of East Moline and the surrounding area. The announcement will begin at 10:00 a.m. outdoors at the Quarter in East Moline at the intersection of 7th Street and Beacon Harbor Parkway.

The Quarter is a residential/commercial development located along the riverfront at the western edge of East Moline.

In celebration of their one year anniversary, the East Moline Foundation will also announce the status of their fundraising efforts. One year ago tomorrow, the East Moline Foundation was officially unveiled to the community. Since then, the Board has initiated several fundraising activities, met with financial advisors , and added two new Board members. Today, the campaign continues. Donations to the East Moline Foundation may be mailed to: Bill Phares, P.O. Box 457, East Moline, Illinois 61244 or call (309) 796-0170.

In remarks made today, East Moline Foundation Board Chairman noted, "Hungry children will be fed, the poor will be housed, and the needy clothed, thanks to the many gifts that have been received, and those yet to come."

East Moline Foundation Announces New Program

The East Moline Foundation, founded in 2011, is affiliated with the Moline Foundation as a community foundation which provides grants to health, human services, education, workforce development, the arts and other charitable organizations which benefit the citizens of East Moline and the surrounding area, including the Quad Cities region in both Iowa and Illinois. The East Moline Foundation receives and administers charitable gifts & works with citizens to achieve their dreams to improve the community.

Officers and members of the East Moline Foundation include : Doug Reynolds, Chairman, Bob Baecke, Vice Chairman, Bill Phares, Secretary-Treasurer, Pat VanBruwaene, and Larry Anderson.

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What:             Ribbon Cutting for Electric Vehicle ("EV") Charging Stations at the Quad City International Airport

When:            Wednesday, October 17^th at 11:00 a.m.
Introduction by Bruce Carter, followed by brief comments from the Chamber, followed by "Green" Ribbon Cutting by the Chamber and Ambassadors, and the "plugging in" of an electronic vehicle.

Where:           Short-term parking, at EV charging stations/stalls, across from Exit 6.
(Media and guests may pull in to the short term lot in order to park near the ribbon cutting area.)

Improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities is one of my top priorities.  In 2011, at a disability employment summit hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Business Leadership Network, I challenged the employer representatives in the room to work to increase the size of the disability workforce from under five million to six million by 2015.  This goal was quickly endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Employment is one of the most pressing issues facing the disability community today.  While the recent recession has had a negative impact on most Americans, it has hit Americans with disabilities particularly hard.  And while employment numbers are rising overall, people with disabilities have been slow to see the benefits of our nation's economic recovery.  Moreover, workers with disabilities left the labor force during the recent recession at a rate five times the rate for workers without disabilities.

This October, as we observe National Disability Employment Awareness Month, it is time to celebrate the very real progress we have made in opening doors of opportunity thanks to laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.  But it is also time to acknowledge that when a majority of people with disabilities are not employed, we still have a long way to go to ensure equal opportunity for all Americans.  Individuals with disabilities represent one of the largest untapped pools of skills and talents in our country.

In July, as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, I released a report urging Congress, the Administration, the business community, and society at large to make the issue of disability employment a national priority.  I hope that this report encourages bipartisan leadership in the public and private sectors that will bring more Americans with disabilities into competitive employment, where they can earn a good living and contribute to the economy.

This month, as we recognize that people with disabilities - like all people - have unique abilities, talents, and aptitudes, I encourage you to think about this year's theme:  "A Strong Workforce is an Inclusive Workforce: What Can YOU Do?"

We must continue to expand opportunities for people with disabilities to make their mark on the world, and help employers learn the benefits of hiring these workers.  Learn more about how to celebrate Disability Employment Awareness Month by visiting the Department of Labor's website: http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/ndeam/.

A PDF version of the column is available by clicking here.