By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – The devil’s in the details of a new public-private higher education network the state announced Thursday, but a timeline for the project isn’t expected until sometime next year.
Illinois is moving forward with a network of higher learning that Gov. Bruce Rauner and others said will foster greater growth in technological advancements in the Land of Lincoln.
“This will be transformative for the Illinois economy,” Rauner said. “This will create many hundreds and hundreds of thousands of high-paying careers here in Illinois, across our state.”
Dubbed the Illinois Innovation Network, the project will network researchers from the University of Illinois with the University of Chicago and Northwestern Illinois University.
State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, said he’s heard it will be good for Illinois’ economy but asked, “How does that help increase the pie as opposed to essentially cause more competition and friction within the higher education system that already has some pretty big issues?”
Many of the state’s universities have seen enrollment declines as tuition has spiked and administrative costs have risen.
“As we know, too many of our high schoolers leave, too many of our graduates leave, too much of our treasury leaves to support efforts in other states,” University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen said.
“It would be wonderful if we could keep our students here in Champaign, Chicago, Rockford, Peoria,” Rauner said. “Everything we could do to keep them here and build businesses here, that’s the hallmark for Illinois.”
While the new public-private higher education network is expected to be funded with private dollars, there will be public costs, but how much and where from is unknown.
Killeen said that the project starts with a new facility along the Chicago River on donated property is a big deal.
“This is unique in its scale and its aspiration,” Killeen said. “This is not another small activity. This is a big activity that’s going to be a game changer.”
A joint press release about the $1.2 billion riverfront facility called the Discovery Partners Institute said it will be operated through private donations but will also get taxpayer support.
Rose said he’s heard conflicting reports about how the sale of a state-owned property in Chicago might play a role.
“I’ve heard two things,” Rose said. “I’ve heard that they’re looking at the [sale of the] Thompson Center, but I’ve also heard Speaker [Michael] Madigan’s people say the Thompson Center is going to be used to underwrite the budget.”
The sale of the Thompson Center, where many state operations are headquartered in Chicago, is thought to fetch more than $300 million. The current fiscal year budget that lawmakers imposed on the state includes the sale as part of the state’s operating revenue, but the building has not yet been sold.
“So, again, more questions than answers,” Rose said, adding that taxpayers need more details.
“The size of the institute’s site … is still to be determined, and the university will work in conjunction with Related Midwest’s design and development teams to determine the exact location,” a news release said. “An implementation plan that will include a timetable for the opening is expected to be complete next year.”
