(SPRINGFIELD) Education officials say Illinois is not tops in the nation on per-student spending in higher education, despite enrollment plummeting as Illinois’ high school graduates select colleges in other states. The Illinois Policy Institute found that state government spending on higher education in Illinois increased over $2 billion as enrollment dropped by more than 106,000 students between 2009 and 2024.
(SPRINGFIELD) Members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus say people either want to leave the state or found alternatives to live outside the current state lines because Governor J.B. Pritzker has run Illinois into the ground. While neighboring Indiana has a commission to investigate redrawing Indiana and Illinois boundaries to possibly include some Illinois counties into the Hoosier State, there are other movements in Illinois including non binding ballot referenda that have been approved by large sections of the state to split Illinois into two, separate entities with new state constitutions. State Representative Adam Niemerg and other downstate members of the Freedom Caucus say recent comments by the Governor are insulting to taxpayers, given increased taxes, spending, and far-left policies.
(SPRINGFIELD) Northwestern University President Michael Schill has resigned amid the federal funding freeze put in place by the Trump Administration. Serving at the 17th President of Northwestern since 2022, Schill acknowledged the challenges the university has faced over the past few years, but says the freeze of almost $800 million in federal funds has forced Northwestern to cut some 425 positions. It’s mostly due to antisemitism on the school’s campus, coming about after Schill struck a deal with pro-Palestinian protesters, that in exchange for limiting protests, he would review Northwestern’s investments by establishing an advisory committee in response to students wanting to divest from Israel.