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Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

southside_info — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:52:22 -0000

@ Arthur Andersen - Oh, I'm sorry. How much did UIUC, UIC and UI-Springfield rake in from their last capital campaign? Oh, that's right, $1.53 BILLION. How much do they plan to take in during their current campaign? $2.25 BILLION. Now, I see why the feds nailed you guys on fuzzy math. CSU's total budget doesn't exceed $125 million.

Oh, and Loyal alum? What? Predominantly minority schools can't do high-tech, government-funded research? The DoD grants are for Fuel Cells and alternative energy research. Check it out - http://www.caetonline.com/i....

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

Loyal Alumn-Uof I 65 — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:37:14 -0000

I wonder if anyone has checked into the federal funds earmarks that CSU has received from the Dept. of Defense for some highly technical mechanicals and guidance systems. Since when does CSU do this kind of weapon based engineering?

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

Arthur Andersen — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:48:48 -0000

southside, my heart aches for you and CSU with all that "deferred maintenance."

My alma mater, UIUC, has $60 million in "deferred maintenance" in one freakin' building. It's called Lincoln Hall. The campus total is well into nine figures-the campus has started to fund the backlog with a (yet another) student fee.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

southside_info — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:03:33 -0000

Oh, I forgot to add.

CSU currently has over $60 million in deferred maintenance. Not due to mismanagement or corruption, but due to a lack of state appropriations, a desperate desire to not fire faculty and staff and a burning desire not to raise tuition.

Unfortunately, they were forced to raise tuition, because there was no other way to make up the budget shortfalls coming out of Springfield.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

southside_info — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:00:01 -0000

I must take issue with the vitriol shown towards CSU. After the campus was built in 1972, there was no major capital investment made again until 1996 or 1997. And that was in the form of new buildings - union building and dormitory. The construction of which the IBHE completely messed up.

So when Sen. Jones said he was making up for lost time by funneling money to CSU, guess what African Americans think? About time. Was Daniel a good president? No. Is the six-year graduation rate her fault? No.

Guess what? NEIU has a similar graduation rate and a similar type of adult learner/commuter student body.

Rich, I enjoy this blog very much, but you did yourself a disservice with this post.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

DuPage Dave — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:50:33 -0000

Perhaps the new president can use his experience in making City Colleges the shining star of the community college system and raise the graduation rate at Chicago State from 16 percent to 17 percent.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

Arthur Andersen — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:42:29 -0000

Rich, I completely agree with your post. AA has sat through approp and Audit Commission hearings for many years and was stunned by the combination of bumbling and arrogance displayed by the top brass from CSU whenever they were called to testify.

On the other hand, I don't think zeke's post really proves anything. When one considers the 3 UI and 2 (3?) SIU campuses, those figures aren't out of line. The higher numbers for the top three (WIU, CSU, and NEIU) could easily be accounted for by one new building or major do-over on each campus. A multi-year average may be more useful in applying this metric.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

Skoien4Gov — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:30:40 -0000

"University 07 Enroll Per Capita/Quinn Proposed
WIU 13,331 $7,352
CSU 6,810 $7,165
NEIU 11,644 $7,162
SIU 34,381 $4,872
GSU 5,692 $4,415
U of I 72,928 $3,707
ISU 20,274 $3,212
NIU 25,254 $1,472
EIU 12,179 $1,065"

Numbers like this are disgusting.

It's at the point where U of I is getting so little revenue from the state that you wish the school could just go private.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

Captain America — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:42:41 -0000

Make that "my choice" was

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

Captain America — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:41:32 -0000

Watson at least a professional education administrator - so if my choises was between Watson and Adams, it appears to me that Watson was the obvious pick. However, I think the faculty is probably right to want some credible outsider with sterling academic adminstration credentials to deal with the problems at CSU.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

Vote Quimby! — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:02:05 -0000

Good dig, Zeke, and great points Rich. Those project carry a price tag and the bill is not paid yet. SIU also throws a lot of money into an urban campus no one goes to...

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

zeke — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:47:06 -0000

Sorry - data in previous post got crunched together. It's University, followed by Fall 07 IBHE listed enrollment, and then per capita capital funds proposed by Quinn for each univ.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

disgusted — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:45:00 -0000

Well put Rich...what are they thinking? The faculty protesting should have talked to emil first...maybe they could have gotten more done inside the system. For sure they dont want to get those purse strings cut, unless self destruction is the real underlying goal....leaving more money for uofi and siu to spent on no bid contracts and trustees with large contribution and state contracts. siu is so desperate they are now educating kids from TN, KY, and others at the same tuition costs as IL kids....so now taxpayers get to pay for their tuition as well.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

zeke — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:37:22 -0000

Iâ€™d say politics continues to play a role in capitol allocations and CSU still gets a big chunk of cash. In addition, so does NEIU. Iâ€™d never heard of NEIU until the past couple of months. Now I wonder, is it a coincidence that the OMB Director Ostro is married to an NEIU finance dept honcho and theyâ€™re a top earner in the Govâ€™s capitol proposal? Take a look at this comparison of Quinnâ€™s capitol proposal and 2007 fall enrollments I got from IBHE website:

University 07 Enroll Per Capita/Quinn Proposed
WIU 13,331 $7,352
CSU 6,810 $7,165
NEIU 11,644 $7,162
SIU 34,381 $4,872
GSU 5,692 $4,415
U of I 72,928 $3,707
ISU 20,274 $3,212
NIU 25,254 $1,472
EIU 12,179 $1,065

Analysis is quick back of the envelope, but the figures are still revealing. What this says to me is Quinn believes the most important institutions and those most in need are by far and away WIU, CSU and NEIU. NIU and EIU? Not so much. And how did he reach that conclusion? It would appear the fingerprints of Blagoâ€™s people are all over that capitol proposal and Quinn hasnâ€™t changed a thing. Someone really needs to question how staff arrived at these recommended amounts. My guess is heâ€™s never questioned his (Blagoâ€™s) staff on capitol.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

wordslinger — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:17:54 -0000

You have to wonder about CSU's long-term viability with its clout gone.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

Dudeman — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:04:24 -0000

CSU is a 3rd class University that gets 1st class money from the state. The quote from the previous CSU prez,"Our students are now in position to better compete in technology and other fields the same as students do from other state-supported institutions.â€
They may be in position, but the administration and the majority of the faculty need to be upgraded. They have been the worst University in Illinois for years in any way you want to assess them, like graduation rates. They have been extremely savy politically to get the state to overlook their repeated failures and still get money. I feel bad for all the south side kids being dupped into attending, because nobody outside of 20 miles attends that school.

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

BIG R.PH. — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:57:33 -0000

Why do you think they got a pharmacy school? HELLLO!!

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

VanillaMan — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:52:03 -0000

The Chicago State University Victory March! - M. Shea & J. Shea, enhanced by VanillaMan

Rally friends of Emil Jones,
Cash his checks, and spend his pork!
Raise those taxes high!,
And cheer with voices true,
Rah! Rah! For CSU.

We will fight for every dime
Jack budgets up, make numbers inflate.
He'll ne'er forget her
And Emil'll cheer her ever,
Loyal to Chicago State.

Chorus:
Cheer, cheer for Chicago State
Spending other's money is so great!,
Send a budget, that's so high,
Shake down the taxpayers, until they die,
What though the odds be great or small
Old Emil Jones will win over all,
While his constituents are marching
Onward to Victory!

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

2ConfusedCrew — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:48:08 -0000

Besides the grad rates --- which are highly over rated --- I am not sure the Univesity of Emil was into more hinkiness that UofI, SIU, on a per capita basis

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

Louis Howe — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:46:59 -0000

Bingo Rich....CSU always made the short list for certain African American legislators in both houses. Of course, that meant jobs and appointments for their friends with little accountability......

Re: Chicago State U decries politics? Really?

Higher Ed — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:39:04 -0000

Very good points Rich. Being in higher ed, it has always been frustrating to see the millions of state funds go to CSU over the years. Their graduation rates are awful, the former president was involved in hinky expenditures but the money kept flowing in while the rest of us were fighting for the table scraps.