The president of the Federation of Independent Colleges is calling the lack of funding for higher education in Illinois a "crisis."
Dave Tretter's organization represents about 60 private colleges that get no state funding other than MAP grants -- the Monetary Award Program funds awarded to low-income students.
With the state in its seventh month without a budget, many schools have told students they'll have to repay the portion of tuition the state failed to cover.
Tretter says students will turn to neighboring states.
"This is the best way to drive the talent immediately out of Illinois. Certainly other states -- Iowa, Missouri -- are already ramping up their efforts to come after our best and brightest. So I think there is faith, still, and an expectation that the legislature and the governor won't let this happen,” Tretter said.
Illinois already has the second-highest out-migration rate in the nation among high school seniors bound for college.
