NIU Today

In Springfield … Last Friday – April 19 – was the deadline for House bills to be voted out of the House to the Senate. Thursday, April 25, is the last day for Senate bills to be voted out of the Senate to the House. The House of Representatives will not meet this week, but the...

In Springfield … The Illinois General Assembly has been busy with committee activities over the last two weeks. This week is the last week to get bills through committees in their house of origin. Higher Education-Related Legislation In the Senate Higher Education Committee, SB 2163 passed unanimously out of committee Tuesday, March 12. Sponsored by Sen....

Education will sustain a painful hit in a new State of Illinois spending plan unveiled today during Gov. Pat Quinn’s annual budget address. Calling it the “most difficult budget ever,” the governor said the state must solve its public-employee pension crisis, which will drain nearly $7 billion of the Illinois general revenue in the coming...

We all know that when it comes to financial aid, there are only so many dollars to go around. Financial aid can only offer so much to so many people. Completing your FAFSA early is a sure way to feel accomplished and secure in knowing your financial situation for school next year. But having motivation...

To assist students in applying for state and federal student aid, Northern Illinois University’s Student Financial Aid Office is offering “FAFSA Fridays” each week during the spring semester from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Swen Parson Hall 245. The free events are open to current and prospective students and are designed to help students...

Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon will visit the NIU Latino Resource Center Friday, Nov. 16, as part of a statewide tour to promote affordable higher education. Simon, who is Gov. Pat Quinn’s point person on education reform, is urging state, federal and higher education leaders to work together to keep college affordable. Such collaboration could enable ...

In Springfield … The Governor signed HB 3887 on June 27, now Public Act 97-0711. This law requires personnel of institutions of higher education, including coaches and other personnel in the Athletics Departments, to report to authorities suspicions of sexual abuse and other forms of child abuse under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act....

In an effort to keep you informed about what occurred during the spring legislative session in Springfield, we thought that it would be helpful to focus on some key areas and give you more context in terms of what happened. Our first area of focus is the Fiscal Year 2013 budget. The Illinois General Assembly...

In Springfield … Last week, both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly continued to move bills through committees and through third readings. However, the three big issues remaining are the FY 2013 appropriations, pension stabilization, and Medicaid reform and cuts. Most of the discussions on these three issues have taken place behind closed doors, but...

In Springfield … With only three weeks left before the scheduled May 31 adjournment of the Illinois General Assembly, there are three major issues still unresolved: the Fiscal Year 2013 budget, pension stabilization and Medicaid reform. FY2013 Budget The House Higher Education Appropriations Committee has been meeting frequently over the past several weeks to determine how...

Students from Illinois community colleges and universities convened in Springfield this week to urge members of the General Assembly to invest in their futures through support for Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants. On Thursday, April 19, Gov. Pat Quinn told several hundred students gathered at the Lincoln statue on the Capitol grounds that “ …...

In Springfield … The Illinois General Assembly returns this week from a two-week spring break. Lawmakers are now scheduled in weekly until they are expected to convene by May 31. If they go past this deadline, a super-majority is required to pass any bill. Members of the Governor’s Work Group on Pension Reform is scheduled to...