SJ0069 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0069 LRB097 21032 RPM 68338 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State's Monetary Award Program (MAP) is one of the largest and most successful need-based, student financial aid program in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The award size of MAP grants and their historic, student-focused nature have enabled students of need to attend the college or university that best suits their educational needs; and

WHEREAS, MAP grant recipients are able to achieve their potential through education, something that our State holds in the highest value; and

WHEREAS, MAP grants are limited in the amount of funds that can be appropriated for them each fiscal year, and the General Assembly and Governor are seeking additional ways to improve the performance of these grants by asking more of the grant recipients and the institutions they choose to attend; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall convene a task force to deliberate options for the adoption of new rules for the Monetary Award Program (MAP), with the goal of improving the outcomes for students who receive these awards; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall include without limitation the following:

(1) one representative of Illinois public universities;

(2) one representative of Illinois public community colleges;

(3) one representative of Illinois non-profit, private colleges and universities;

(4) one representative of Illinois proprietary institutions;

(5) one representative of an association of financial aid administrators;

(6) one student who is currently receiving a MAP grant;

(7) one representative of the Illinois Community College Board;

(8) one representative of the Board of Higher Education;

(9) one representative of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor; and

(10) the Executive Director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, who shall serve as chairperson of the task force, and one other representative of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That members of the task force shall be appointed by the Executive Director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the task force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds available for that purpose; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall provide administrative and other support to the task force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall hold public meetings and seek input from students and additional stakeholders; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the new rules should be created with the following goals:

(1) to improve the partnerships between this State and institutions as they provide both financial assistance and academic support to MAP recipients;

(2) to improve the overall effectiveness of MAP grants in helping students of need not only enter college, but to complete a degree program; and

(3) to recognize that all colleges and universities are different, and the different natures of their student populations and their varying missions must be recognized as inherently good and valuable; and be it further

RESOLVED, That these new rules should be designed so that they do not alter, nor have an adverse impact on, an institution's mission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the deliberations should include the following concepts:

(1) institutional eligibility for MAP grants may, in the future, become based in part on an institution's ability to improve its MAP-grant students' progress towards a degree or its MAP-grant degree completion rate;

(2) a student's eligibility for a MAP grant may, in the future, become based in part on that student's ability to demonstrate that he or she is achieving academic success and making progress; and

(3) an institution's eligibility for MAP grants may, in the future, become based in part on its ability to demonstrate that it is a partner with this State and the institution is providing financial aid to students from its own resources; and be it further

RESOLVED, That to provide adequate time for the creation and implementation of new measurement and performance systems, the new systems should not become eligibility criteria for MAP funds prior to the Fiscal Year 2015 budget; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall complete its work and report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2013; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to the Executive Director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.