By Adam Studzinski

BLOOMIGNTON – The ongoing state budget impasse has meant funding for Monetary Award Program grants has been locked up.

State Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) said he’s not sure when the state might be able to approve that funding, let alone funding for state appropriations to colleges and universities.

“Until we can get the speaker and the governor to find some common ground on what appropriation to the nine state universities is going to look like, this is going to continue on,” said Brady. “The governor, who had an introduced budget for higher education cut about 31 percent, and a budget that was passed by the majority party in the statehouse in higher education that had a reduction of about somewhere between 6.5 to 8 percent, that’s a long way away from each other.”

Chicago State University has said it might run out of money by March if it doesn’t get its funding from the state.

In regards to MAP grants, Illinois State University has said it will be covering the cost for students for now. Heartland Community College, however, has said it cannot front the cost. Illinois Wesleyan University has yet to make a decision on the matter.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].