For years, Allison Bolden struggled to afford higher education – often putting the reality of needing to work and earn a living ahead of her dreams. After delaying her degree during the pandemic as she and her family focused on their jobs as essential workers, Allison eventually found a home at Chicago State University. She will be graduating in a few weeks, distinguishing herself as an honor scholar with plans to pursue law school.

 

Allison’s success is worth celebrating, but unfortunately her struggle to afford higher education is an all-too-common occurrence across Illinois. Every year, thousands of qualified students are admitted to Illinois public universities but don’t enroll. Some go out of state. Many more simply don’t pursue a degree at all. The main reason? Affordability.

Inflation and years of underfunding have left many public universities struggling to provide the basics, while a select few institutions with better-resourced students flourish. This has put upward pressure on tuition, making higher education increasingly out of reach for underserved students, including minority, low-income and first-generation students.

As a result, Illinois is perpetuating an unequal system that only further cements the disparities that plague so many of our communities and prevent people from achieving upward mobility. We have a moral imperative to chart another course. That’s why the faith community in Chicago and across Illinois is in strong support of a new system to fund our public universities, which is currently under debate by the General Assembly.

Called the Adequate and Equitable Funding Formula, this proposal will not only increase our state investment in all public universities but also prioritizes funds for underserved students. It is a data-driven approach designed to close equity gaps and strengthen outcomes statewide but putting student need first.

The data paints a startling picture of educational inequality statewide that makes addressing this issue urgent. While 70 percent of White students at public universities graduate within six years, only 38 percent of Black students and 53 percent of Latino students complete their degrees in that time. For low-income students who receive Pell grants, 50 percent graduate in four years compared to 73 percent of non-Pell students. That gap is not a reflection of the potential of students, but of the resources at hand.

Indeed, it was recently announced that Monetary Award Program grants, which provide financial assistance to low-income students, have already been completely allocated for the next school year. That means thousands of students who are still making plans for the fall will go without added financial support. For many, this financial aid is the difference between pursuing higher education or skipping the opportunity altogether. By increasing funding for universities, we can expand financial aid opportunities and help provide all students regardless of race, ethnicity, income, or geography with the opportunity to advance their careers and their lives.

More stable funding will also allow public universities to expand important support services critical to supporting the success of students. At Trinity United Church of Christ our work extends beyond simply caring for the spiritual needs of the community. We recognized long ago that to truly make a difference, we must extend God’s love to the whole person and meet them where they are in life’s journey. That’s why our ministry goes beyond the pulpit, and includes providing access to food, care for the sick, counseling, social services, and even career development programs.  By connecting people with the help they need, we are building more stable families, improving neighborhoods, and strengthening our state.

Similarly, many students across Illinois arrive at public universities ready to learn but often need additional services beyond classroom instruction if they are to succeed. This is particularly true for students from underserved communities, who may not have the same access to resources as their peers.

When students are forced to pour all available resources into affording their education, little is left for the essentials of living and thriving on campus. By providing support services such as academic counseling, wellness services, mental health support and career development programs, universities can help ensure students, like Allison, don’t fall between the gaps.

Furthermore, increased funding through a predictable formula for all public universities would directly impact our communities and state and local economies. If approved, an estimated 15,000 additional students will complete their degrees each year, strengthening Illinois’ workforce and making the state more competitive for business investment. Those graduates are projected to generate $5.3 billion annually in economic activity, fueling local economies, expanding homeownership, and supporting community growth.

In a time when our federal government continues to turn away from people of color and communities in need, Illinois has a chance to get it right. I urge the General Assembly to pass the adequate and equitable funding formula this legislative session. We can no longer turn a blind eye to a flawed system. It’s time to invest in the education of all students and build a brighter future for Illinois.

- Reverend Dr. Otis Moss III is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago