Higher education was previously on the short end of the stick in terms of state funding - especially during the nearly two-year stretch when Illinois was without a budget. Illinois State University spokesperson Eric Jome says state support for higher education has been declining over the past decades. He says ISU compensated for the lower amount of state funding which currently makes up only 14 percent of their budget. Last year’s state budget proposal included increased funding. This year would provide even more support.
