A Chicago State University board committee spend several minutes today admonishing administrators for not giving the board time to review a list of planned construction projects for the next two years.

But the committee, comprising three of the five board members, unanimously approved both that construction plan and CSU’s budget anyway. Both must still be approved by the full board at its Sept. 23 meeting.

“To give the board only a short notice when you’re going to make major capital investments and (build) fixed assets, I think puts the board under a lot of pressure to make decisions,” Chairman Leon...more

This morning’s first Chicago State University committee meeting had a pretty different tone compared to past meetings here that I’ve covered. No students heckling, booing and holding signs this time. And a striking amount of candor, both from the board and from school administrators.

The big oops: In 2006, the Higher Learning Commission, which accredits CSU, asked the school for a report on enrollment and retention issues after it raised concerns about the university’s slipping enrollment figures. It wasn’t happy with what it got, so it asked for another report earlier this year. And now the commission is coming to...more

First CSU meeting in 3 months

Two of Chicago State University’s board committees meet tomorrow morning. We’ll be there to cover the action, which includes committee votes on 15 contracts, each worth at least $25,000. The regular board meeting is Sept. 23. Here are the committee meeting agendas.

Student government drama

UIC’s student government has punted again on whether its members should get paid – that was a big issue in last spring’s disputed elections. For now, pay remains ($2,500 for the president, $600 for committee chairs … can I get some of...more

It’s been almost a year since City Colleges students started getting hosed with fees when the tried to get their student loan refunds off of special debit cards.

Now it turns out that amid months of back and forth with the U.S. Department of Education over whether the fees were legal … JPMorgan Chase hasn’t been slapping the fees on students since February, City Colleges Treasurer Dolores Javier told us last week.

“The fees are just those ATM withdrawal fees or the teller fees, those are the only fees that are in question,” she says.

Under the Education Department’s rules,...more

University presidents are pushing Gov. Pat Quinn to come up with $200 million — and fast — to restore funding for state financial aid grants.

About 140,000 college students across the state are getting the Monetary Award Program grants this fall, but big shortfalls in the state’s budget mean that as of right now, none of those students will be getting the grants in January.

The need-based grants usually range from $2,000 to $4,000 per year and are a key part of financial aid packages for low-income students. Over the summer, students said that without the grants they’d have to...more