COLLINSVILLE – After the decision of the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees to strike down a fair funding proposal for SIU Carbondale and SIU Edwardsville, state Reps. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, Monica Bristow, D-Godfrey, and LaToya Greenwood, D-East St. Louis, advanced a package of bills to ensure that SIU Edwardsville receives their fair share of funding and resources.
“SIU Edwardsville has become a bright spot not only for my district, but for all students in southern Illinois. It is time we acknowledge that in order to keep growing and thriving, it is essential for SIUE to receive its fair share in funding in proportion to the student body,” said Stuart. “The enrollment numbers are shifting towards Edwardsville, and the reallocation of money needs to reflect that. This is really about basic fairness.”
Stuart, a former mathematics instructor at SIUE, introduced House Bill 1294 to require a 50/50 split in state funding between the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses. While enrollment at Carbondale has declined, enrollment at the Edwardsville campus has steadily increased over the last decade. Currently, Edwardsville houses 49.3% of the student population but receives only 36% of the state funding given to the Southern Illinois University system.
“The two campuses now rival each other in population; it is only common sense that they should receive equal funding. It is time for Edwardsville to get their fair share,” continued Stuart. “The location of SIUE in the Metro East makes it a viable option that allows us to compete with neighboring states in many different areas of education.”
