College students rallied in the state Capitol rotunda Wednesday. They’re urging lawmakers to restore state funding to universities and community colleges.
State schools have already cut faculty, classes, and services. But thousands of public and private Illinois college students may have to drop out if lawmakers don’t revive low-income MAP grants for next semester.
Kiasee Ray is a freshman at Dominican University in River Forest. She says the MAP grant is the reason she’s in college today. “I’m the only salvation that my family has right now. Neither of my parents are employed and I’m working my behind off to even pay for my own tuition and not have to ask for them to come out of pocket for them,” Ray said.
Dominican says its students are waiting on $5.1 million from the state. A bill in the Senate would restore the MAP program to previous levels, but its fate is tied to the so-called grand bargain.
