Contacted my state rep today with this message!
On Fri, May 24, 2019 at 8:46 AM James Carter <
James.Carter.199817159@p2a.co> wrote:
Dear Representative Grant,
As you work toward a fiscal year 2020 budget and capital bill, please support increased funding for higher education. Our state universities are economic engines for the state’s economy, educating our workforce, employing our communities and researching new technology. Investing in our public universities is an investment in our students and future workforce. Our universities provide a high quality education that position Illinois students for success for decades to come.
I ask that you also support capital funding to ensure facilities match our academic excellence. As a resident in your district, it is important to me that you support higher education in Illinois.
She replied with this:
Dear James,
Thank you for contacting me regarding the funding of the University of Illinois. I value the opinions of citizens like yourself, and appreciate that you took the time to express your views.
I understand your concern about funding a quality educational institution like U of I. My staff and I are researching the various proposals that might appear before us this legislative session, and will consider your point of view if this measure comes before me.
Please do not hesitate to contact my office with any questions or concerns.
And I replied with this!!!!
Amy,
So inadvertently you have underlined my concern. I was not talking about my father's alma mater Illinois! U of I may have been effected by Rauner's lack of a budget, but schools like Eastern and my alma mater' Western really felt the financial drought! In reality, I am a WIU Leatherneck through and through. I spent 6 years on the alumni council, and my WIU education allowed me to spend 34 years of my life teaching science, coaching, and serving as a department chair at Glenbard East. I also met my wife in Macomb my junior year! I have never and will never get WIU out of my system! Our daughter is also a Leatherneck!
So 5 years ago WIU was ready to build a new Center for Performing Arts. Money was appropriated and ready to be released and then.......
Western is a wonderful school. It's a diamond in the prairie! It has a nationally recognized Law Enforcement program, a nationally recognized Supply Chain Management program, not to mention nursing and Physics! It deserves your support. Yes, enrollment issues and changes need to be addressed, but the WIU/Macomb community goes out of its way to support students!
Amy, the University of Illinois will survive because it is the state's premier institution. But the states directional institutions deserve state support too! Please don't forget that.
I am looking forward to meeting you in the near future!
Jim Carter
As you can tell, she assumed I was talking only about the "Premier" University in the state of Illinois. She can expect a visit from me at her office in the very near future! I have had enough of this crap!!!!! jc