Chambana Sun

State Senator Chapin Rose has raised concerns about the University of Illinois' internal allocation of state taxpayer funds, which shows a significant difference in funding between the Urbana campus (UIUC) and the Chicago campus (UIC). According to Rose, UIC students are being subsidized by their UIUC counterparts, with UIC receiving $2,590 more per undergraduate student and $2,729 more per full-time equivalent student.

During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Sen. Rose questioned University of Illinois President Timothy Killeen about this funding gap, asking, "Why are the students at UIUC subsidizing students at the Chicago campus?" Rose highlighted the impact of this unequal distribution of resources on the cost of tuition for UIUC students and their families.

Rose pointed out that equalizing the allocation of tax dollars between the campuses could potentially lower undergraduate tuition at UIUC by approximately $1,000 per student per year, or $900 per full-time equivalent student per year, resulting in significant savings over the duration of a student's time on campus. He emphasized the financial burden this places on families, stating, "That’s a lot of money to a single mom trying to send her kid to the U of I. Pres. Killeen should be ashamed of adding to the burden of students and their families."

Initially, President Killeen disagreed with Sen. Rose but later acknowledged the discrepancy, stating, "I think it is on us to take a look at that." Sen. Rose called for the University of Illinois system to prioritize equity and ensure that tuition costs do not unfairly burden UIUC students to support the Chicago campus. He questioned the fairness of increasing tuition for UIUC students to subsidize UIC, emphasizing the need for equitable distribution of resources within the university system.