Illinois lawmakers have approved restricting public universities from using state funding or tuition money to cover costs of campus job searches.
State Representative Chapin Rose says he's seen numerous outside search firms brought in to the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. He says it's unfair taxpayers or students pay for expensive searches... which in many instances are unnecessary. He says it can be argued it's appropriate when there is a search for a high ranking position: "But certainly not an Associate Director or Parking or an Assistant Director of Housing. That's just ridiculous. This is students' money, it's taxpayers' money and this needs to be dealt with."
Rose says putting limits on use of the money is even more important at a time when higher education faces budget cuts. Rose negotiated with higher education lobbyists to allow the money in searches for university presidents or in cases where the school can show a need for guidance from an outside search firm. The plan heads to the governor's desk.