State budget cuts would hit colleges

I haven't kept great track of this situation, however, from what I have heard statewide colleges and universities have suffered under the current environment in the state. For that reason a few state universities have had to raise tuition and fees. Clout Street talks about state budget negotiations and who's watching what:

The state's public colleges and universities are closely watching budget negotiations after the Blagojevich administration threatened to cut funding next month to close a $750 million hole remaining in this year's budget.

Michael Monaghan, executive director of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association, said the governor’s office has indicated that all community colleges will lose their expected June payments. That's about 8.3 percent of this year's budget, which expires June 30. The amount equates to $25 million for community colleges across the state, Monaghan said.

"That's a pretty big reduction in funding," Monaghan said. "Instead of spreading it out over a whole year, we have to take the reduction in one month."

He said the cuts could lead to tuition increases and reductions in classes, which could go into effect as early as this summer.