NIU Educators Rally Students to Lobby for College Funding

Professors and instructors seek student support for bill to address tuition affordability crisis

Apr. 9, 2026 at 1:11am

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A vibrant, abstracted grid of brightly colored textbooks in shades of blue, green, and orange, conceptually representing the struggle for accessible college education.A colorful pop art celebration of the student-led fight for affordable higher education in Illinois.Springfield Today

Northern Illinois University professors and instructors are asking students to join them in traveling to the state capital of Springfield this month to lobby lawmakers for the passage of the Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act. The proposed legislation, House Bill 1581, aims to address the significant decline in state funding for public universities in Illinois, which has led to skyrocketing tuition costs and student debt.

Why it matters

The cost of higher education in Illinois has grown dramatically over the past decade, with state funding covering less than 30% of public university budgets, compared to 70% in the past. This has placed a heavy burden on students, with the average federal student loan debt in Illinois reaching $39,042, the fifth highest in the U.S. The educators believe this legislation is crucial to making college more affordable and accessible, especially for first-generation students at schools like NIU.

The details

Members of the Northern Illinois University United Faculty Alliance, a chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI), Local 4100, are rallying support for House Bill 1581. They say the proposed legislation would rectify a state funding system that has been unfair to NIU and other public universities. According to the educators, about 70% of the cost to attend an Illinois public university used to be covered by the state, but that figure has now dropped to less than 30%, with the remaining 70% falling on student tuition and fees.

  • On April 16, educators plan to drive to Springfield to join other faculty members in lobbying legislators to support House Bill 1581.
  • Buses will leave the NIU Convocation Center at 7:15 a.m. on April 16 and return around 7 p.m. after traveling to the state capital.

The players

Suzanne Autrey

A member of the United Faculty Alliance and an assistant professor in NIU's Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Environment, who runs a research lab and teaches.

Mark Van Wienen

The president of the NIU Faculty Alliance and an American literature professor.

Vivika Ramos

A 20-year-old junior at Northern Illinois University.

Alejandro Ramirez

A junior at Northern Illinois University studying political science.

House Bill 1581

The proposed Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act that the educators are lobbying for.

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What they’re saying

“Now that 70% falls on student tuition and fees, and the state covers less than 30%. It's a major problem and a major reason why tuition and fees have become so unaffordable for students.”

— Suzanne Autrey, Assistant Professor, NIU Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Environment

“[The amount of debt Illinois students have] is because the state has neglected its responsibility to fully support public education.”

— Mark Van Wienen, President, NIU Faculty Alliance

“I think it's really good and noble, what they're doing. I'm kind of a little bit disappointed in Gen Z just because like there's no ... I don't really see too many people here like Gen Z young-wise. But I think it's just up to us to spread the word.”

— Alejandro Ramirez, Junior, NIU Political Science

What’s next

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The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.