U of I Concerned About Higher Ed Funding Overhaul Proposal

University president says proposed formula would 'disfavor' flagship campus

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The president of the University of Illinois System said Wednesday that negotiations are continuing over legislation to overhaul the way the state funds higher education, but the state's flagship university remains opposed to the legislation in its current form. The proposed legislation would add $1.7 billion in new higher education funding over 10 years, but would prioritize funding for the most underfunded schools, which would leave the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the state's largest university campus, last on the priority list for new funding.

Why it matters

The University of Illinois is concerned that the proposed funding formula would negatively impact its flagship campus, potentially leading to tuition hikes for Illinois families. The legislation aims to provide more equitable funding for public universities across the state, but the U of I argues it would 'disfavor' their institution.

The details

The proposed legislation, House Bill 1581 and Senate Bill 13, would distribute the new $1.7 billion in funding over 10 years using a formula similar to the Evidence-Based funding formula used for K-12 education. This would prioritize funding for the most underfunded schools, including Western Illinois University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and Eastern Illinois University. However, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the state's largest campus, currently ranks as the most adequately funded school and would be last on the priority list for new funding.

  • The proposed legislation was introduced in 2026.

The players

Tim Killeen

The president of the University of Illinois System.

Carol Ammons

A Democratic state representative from Urbana and a lead sponsor of the House bill.

Western Illinois University

One of the schools that would be prioritized for new funding under the proposed formula.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

One of the schools that would be prioritized for new funding under the proposed formula.

Eastern Illinois University

One of the schools that would be prioritized for new funding under the proposed formula.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Our calculations have demonstrated that the bill, as it stands, would disfavor us, and it would lead to rises in tuition for Illinois families that we don't think is the right answer to the kind of problem sets that are being looked at.”

— Tim Killeen, President, University of Illinois System (Capitol News Illinois)

“We look forward to bringing the University of Illinois on board so that we can adopt a more fair and equitable process to prevent the closure of our other institutions around the state of Illinois, so that we can meet the needs of all of our students in this state.”

— Carol Ammons, State Representative, Illinois (Capitol News Illinois)

What’s next

Supporters of the proposal say they will push for it again this year and continue negotiating with the University of Illinois on a compromise.

The takeaway

The proposed higher education funding overhaul in Illinois highlights the ongoing tensions between supporting the state's flagship university and ensuring more equitable funding for all public institutions. The University of Illinois is concerned the current formula would negatively impact its campus, while lawmakers argue a more fair and balanced approach is needed to support all students across the state.