We all know that people are leaving our state in droves. High
taxes and limited job opportunities are the primary reasons.
But have you heard the latest concerning higher education? Those
numbers are particularly grim. Back in 2000, just over 20,000 Illinois high
school grads exited to study at an out-of-state college or university. In 2016,
that number swelled to over 35,000. The most recent national figures show the
bleeding is beyond a tunicate.
The National Center for Education stats indicate that Illinois had
the worst “outmigration” of any state except New Jersey. Where’s Mississippi
when you need them?
The reasons are numerous.
I recall one of my worst moments in higher education when I
realized my time was going to be short at the President of John A. Logan
College and applied for a presidency in Kansas. I was asked in a public forum in
Dodge City why I was willing to leave Illinois and I tried to explain that the
state’s finances were in ruin and it was having a real impact on the quality of
the education. My negative comments were printed in the local newspaper, picked
up by the Southern Illinoisan….then Carbondale area local TV ….and yuck.
Here’s the truth. The state has abdicated its responsibility to
fund higher ed. That makes tuition higher and smart university presidents at
places like USI, Southeast Missouri and Murray State decided to undercut
anything students were paying here….at home.
The pension system will someday implode, so good instructors and
administrators are looking elsewhere. Students are following.
The other night Governor Rauner said he would deal with higher ed
IF he is re-elected. He had four years to help fix this problem. The numbers
don’t lie.
The beatings will continue until morale improves...
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