MAP grant funding for spring semester still in limbo

Posted on December 16, 2015
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs spoke at Illinois State University earlier this year with several college students and State Rep. Dan Brady. (Joe Ragusa/WJBC)
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs spoke at Illinois State University earlier this year with several college students. (Joe Ragusa/WJBC)

By Joe Ragusa

BLOOMINGTON – College students in Illinois who rely on MAP grants could run into some trouble paying for school next semester.

Treasurer Michael Frerichs told WJBC’s Terry James that he has been lobbying the legislature on behalf of college students for MAP grant funding that’s being held up by the state budget impasse. He’s also been touring colleges and universities across the state.

“We found that most colleges and universities in the state were fronting (students) the money,” Frerichs said. “But many (college administrators) told me that they can only do that for the first semester. They can’t do that for the second semester and we are rapidly approaching that second semester.”

The state has operated without a budget since July 1.

Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].

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