The Illinois State Treasurer visited Augustana College today, to talk about how students are affected by the state budget stalemate. Michael Frerichs and Illinois State Representative Pat Verschoore called for action to approve funding for the Monetary Award Program, or MAP grants.
The financial aid helps 130,000 students pay for tuition and fees that are typically due before classes start, but lawmakers haven't pushed the funding through yet. So, Augustana College and Western Illinois University are allowing students to attend, in hopes the money will be sent soon.
But, Treasurer Frerichs says that can't go on forever.
28 percent of Augustana students rely on MAP grants to pay for tuition. And, currently 650 students are waiting on nearly 3-million-dollars.
31-hundred students are waiting for MAP grants at Western Illinois University, totaling almost 12-million-dollars. At Black Hawk College, over 900 students are waiting for 1-million-dollars in MAP grants.
Frerichs says it's unsure when the money will be sent to colleges and universities, and the state needs to focus on putting a budget in place.