Guiding Principles

Members of the Coalition for Transforming Higher Education believe a new public university funding model for Illinois’ public universities must include these guiding principles:

Be student driven and student-centered

• Center the needs of the whole student as well as expand access for both aspiring and current college students, with particular attention to the unique needs of diverse populations
• Boost student voice and experience to allow for a collective understanding of issues that matter most to the student population

Prioritize equity to drive transformation in access and opportunity

• Any new funding model removes systemic barriers to access, affordability, and completion across race, socioeconomic status
• Prioritize increased student enrollment, persistence, retention, and graduation rates particularly among Black, Latinx, students from low-income backgrounds, and those historically excluded from or underserved by higher education

Cultivate a healthy, diverse and stable higher education system

• Provide equitable distribution of state resources to ensure that Illinois maintains a diverse landscape of public universities that can meet the needs of students, especially those historically underrepresented, across all areas/geographies of the state
• Fund institutions in a way that prioritizes sustainability

Adequately fund institutions to meet diverse student needs

• Any investments made to the higher education system must prioritize Latinx, Black, first-generation students, and students of low income backgrounds
• Institutions are welcoming environments that are prepared to adequately support students of diverse identities (race, ethnicity, gender, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic status, geographic location, age, diverse learners, etc.), upon entry
• Ensure institutions are adequately resourced (i.e., staffing, training & development, etc.) so that they can provide all students with an affordable, high-quality path toward achieving their career and life aspirations