Dear PCC Policy Partners,
Despite the unseasonably warm weather we have been experiencing in Illinois, we are coming to the end of 2022. With the midterm election behind us, this is a time for reflecting on what we have accomplished and what remains on the horizon. PCC is proud of the work that we have done and we are primed to finish the year strong as we look to the year ahead and the ways we feel fortunate to work with all of you to advocate and mobilize in pursuit of racial and socio-economic equity.
The Partnership is thrilled to report a successful kick-off to our Community Conversations on Equitable Public University Funding Series with a gathering of students, advocates and leaders at the Lawndale Christian Conference Center in Chicago and the Lincoln Library in Springfield. These events are designed to bring stakeholders together to learn about the impact of Illinois’ current approach to funding public universities on Illinois students, families, and communities and learn how to begin taking action. During the event, PCC, a core member of the Coalition for Transforming Higher Education Funding, shared a brief level-setting presentation that provided insight into the current funding environment before convening panel discussions with higher education equity champions, institutional leaders, and students. The event culminated with an invitation to community members to get more involved in the collective and growing work to advance equity in Illinois’ higher education system. The conversations were illuminating and the positive energy was palpable.
This Spring, we will be taking this energy to other parts of the state so stay tuned for your opportunity to partner, participate, or be a panelist in these conversations. In the meantime, we invite you to learn more about the urgent need for adequate and equitable investments in our public universities and connect with us to share why this issue matters to you. We can correct course and set our state on a path to greater prosperity due to equitable access to and success in Illinois higher education. Now more than ever, we need to elevate our collective voice to urge legislators to champion equity in Illinois higher education because equity in Illinois’ higher education system matters to students and the voices of advocates must be amplified. We are moving closer every day to fulfilling the charge of the Commission on Equitable Public University Funding and we will need each and every one of you as we prepare to offer the Illinois General Assembly a funding formula that is equitable, adequate, and stable- because that is what our state’s future requires.
In Partnership,
Kim Everett