University funded through December after state legislature approves stopgap funding
By Claire Hettinger, News editor
July 1, 2016
From the continuing budget crisis in Springfield to paying more employees overtime, the senate executive committee discussed a wide-ranging agenda at its July meeting. More University employees will be receiving overtime pay starting in December. The Fair Labor Standards Act increased the threshold...
Year in Review: Map grants
May 9, 2016
Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grants have caused a large amount of uproar among Illinois students throughout this past academic year. Tight state budgeting has led to controversy and difficult decisions. “MAP is not part of the university’s budget, but rather a direct grant to students from the st...
Top 10 visitors to the University this year
May 9, 2016
1. Bernie Sanders Like most college students, many Illini have been ‘feeling the Bern’ all year long, so it’s no wonder that Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders visited the University in March ahead of the state primary. Thousands of students waited in line for hours to see the Vermont senat...
Illinois public universities cover $140 million in MAP grants
March 30, 2016
Matthew Eaglin wouldn’t be able to go here without the Monetary Award Program, MAP, grants. Eaglin, junior in Media, said he receives about $5,000 a year in MAP grant funds.Eaglin said as a low income student, MAP grants have been a major help to him and his family.“I don’t really see any other...
Budget impasse hits Parkland College
By Ashni Ghandi
March 9, 2016
The state budget impasse is proving increasingly troublesome for the Parkland College faculty, staff and student body, and the college's theater department may be experiencing the negative effects first.With $566,989 cut from the budget and 46 faculty positions eliminated, Parkland has been forced to el...
UI suspends discovery courses due to state budget impasse
February 19, 2016
The University has temporarily suspended funding for fall 2016 Firsty-Year Discovery Program courses. The program, which was started in 1994, was intended to help students "enhance their education through greater interaction with faculty in small classes," the Provost's website states.The site adds that the ...
Rauner says little on higher ed in budget address
February 18, 2016
After months of a budget standstill, Gov. Bruce Rauner said he still can’t approve the state budget until it’s balanced.“The truth is, we haven’t had a truly balanced budget in Illinois for decades,” he said in his budget address Wednesday morning. “In ways both obvious and hidden, we’...
UI alumna to serve as new executive director for governmental relations
February 11, 2016
Lindsay Anderson, a University alumna and former legislative advisor in the state capital, will serve as the University’s executive director for governmental relations on March 1, pending approval by the Board of Trustees. President TImothy Killeen announced the appointment in a Massmail on Thursday;...
Obama expresses concern over bipartisan conflicts in Springfield
February 11, 2016
President Barack Obama spoke in Springfield on Wednesday to an Illinois legislature steadfast in the state budget standoff; just a day after he released his own national budget proposal to an equally partisan Congress.Obama expressed disappointment with the current state of party compromise, stressi...
State senator Scott Bennett: Illinois budget is not a partisan issue
February 4, 2016
State senator Scott Bennett attended the Illinois Student Senate meeting Wednesday to address student-centered issues in Springfield.“He is probably the biggest advocate for higher education in the state of Illinois and our biggest ally in the state senate,” said Mitch Dickey, student body president ...
Champaign medical cannabis dispensary prepares to open, eight conditions pending approval from Rauner
By Joe Longo
January 28, 2016
Twenty-two body bags were sprawled out in front of the Abraham Lincoln statue at the Illinois State Capitol Building on Wednesday.The body bags represented the estimated number of veterans who commit suicide everyday, according to the United States Department of Veteran Affairs; Medical Cannabis Outr...
Rep. Rodney Davis supports refugee background checks
November 19, 2015
Rep. Rodney Davis, R-13, voted in support of the American Security Against Foreign Enemies, SAFE, Act on Thursday. The act aims to establish background checks for Syrian and Iraqi refugees seeking admittance into the United States, according to a press release from Davis' office.“I hope President Obama will reconsider his threat to veto this important legislation and instead work wit...
