By Howard Packowitz
A plan unveiled this week to radically change higher education in Illinois is meant to jumpstart a thoughtful conversation, according to one of two Central Illinois lawmakers who authored the proposal.
Speaking with WJBC’s Sam Wood, State Senator Chapin Rose of Mahomet said Illinois has lost 50-thousand students over the past quarter-century. State legislature comprehensive reform is being presented by Rose and State Representative Dan Brady.
One of the key provisions is for the State Board of Higher Education to rank the quality of academic departments at public universities.
Currently, Rose said universities try to out-compete each other by trying to be all things to all people, instead of focusing on universities’ individual strengths.
“I think that the university presidents would all privately tell you that they know that Illinois is not on a sustainable path, now the problem is that they’re all set up to be– the way these things are all set up is that they’re out there to be– kind of build up the university campuses and that’s fine,” said Rose.
Rose said he’s not asking university presidents, including Illinois State University’s Larry Dietz, to endorse the reform package.
Rose believes more students will enter the system if Illinois creates a single admission application for all of its public universities.
He said any high school student with a 3.0 grade point average or better will automatically qualify for admission at an appropriate public university. Those who aren’t admitted, would be referred to their local community college district.
Howard Packowitz can be reached for comment at [email protected].
