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Politico
3 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
U. of I.'s new chancellor on Trump's moves
Presented by Good Tuesday morning, Illinois. It feels like the calm before the storm. TOP TALKER PLAYBOOK Q&A: Charles Isbell Jr., who was approved Monday as the next chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and vice president of the University of Illinois System, comes into the position at a critical time for higher education. The Trump administration has zeroed in on American universities, threatening to cut federal funding and prevent international students from enrolling. While concerning, Isbell, who has been the provost at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says the tensions should not come as a surprise. 'We were increasingly seeing less and less support from politicians and from the government and even from industry over the last decade or so. So, this is an acceleration of where we were headed,' Isbell said in an interview with POLITICO after his approval by the U. of I. Board of Trustees. 'This is not a thing that just started in January. This is a thing that has been going back over the decades.' The solution, he said, is to better communicate and listen to what the community at large wants from higher institutions. 'Maybe they're right,' he says of higher-ed critics. 'Maybe we aren't providing the things that they need or the things that they want. We have to listen and have that conversation with them.' Our interview has been edited for length and clarity. Are you approaching your position at U. of I. differently than you might have a year ago, before the Trump administration made universities such a focal point? 'We are at a critical time, but I do think it's worth stepping back a little bit and realizing that higher ed has been in a crisis of one form or another for quite a long time. At least since 2015, we were losing the support and faith of the public. We were increasingly seeing less and less support from politicians and from the government and even from industry over the last decade or so. It's a bit urgent now, more urgent than it was perhaps a year ago, but it was something that we as an industry have always needed to think about. 'We have to communicate what it is that we do with people. We have to not start at the point of, 'Well, let's just tell them what's right, and then they'll give us money and leave us alone.' No, you have to start from the place that maybe we aren't talking to them the way that we should. Maybe they're right. Maybe we aren't providing the things that they need or the things that they want. We have to listen and have that conversation.' What message do you give to returning or prospective international students and their families? 'We value them. We appreciate what it is that they bring, not just to the country, but what they bring to the campus, and that we will support them when they are here. That is the key message.' U. of I. would face a financial hit if the international student population dropped, given they pay full tuition. How else could it hurt the university? 'International students are a significant part of the population of the university, both the undergraduate level and the graduate level. They are a part of this community. They bring ideas, they bring experiences, they contribute to the diversity of the university. If we lose that, we lose the diversity of the student body, we lose the diversity of our faculty and our staff, and that's clearly not good. That is clearly suboptimal for everyone.' Do you expect to work with other universities to talk to the Trump administration about some of these concerns? 'We will continue to work with other universities. Illinois has been a part of those conversations before I got here. We will continue to be a part of those conversations.' STEM has been a priority for you. Do you worry about its future given reverberations from Washington? 'Everyone across higher ed is concerned about potential changes that will be happening over the next year through the budget. If you think about all the great things that exist now — whether technology, all kinds of things that the United States has been in the forefront of — it has come in partnership with basic research that wasn't just looking out six months, but looking out six years and six decades. We cannot afford to lose that. 'The lesson is to know that we have not always told our story, we have not always understood how fragile the ecosystem is, and that we shouldn't ever make that mistake again.' What was your take on the hearings with the university presidents? 'I cringed. I think at the moment, it was a surprise for everyone there. They thought they were having one conversation and they were having a different conversation, perhaps the conversation we should have been having all along, and certainly the conversation we're going to have to continue to have.' RELATED SIU med school dean urges resistance to Trump executive orders, by Daniel Nuccio for The College Fix THE BUZZ BIG MOVE: Mayor Johnson loses his chief operating officer, John Roberson, to Obama Foundation — not the CTA: Roberson is joining the Obama Foundation as executive VP for the Obama Presidential Center, which is under construction in Jackson Park. Roberson is 'the most seasoned and savvy member of Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration. … Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett knows Roberson well, having served with him in the administration of former Mayor Richard M. Daley,' writes the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman. Roberson had been considered to head the Chicago Transit Authority, but that potential appointment drew criticism from transportation advocates. His exit from city government leaves Johnson's administration without any old-school City Hall bureaucrats among his top advisers, by the Tribune's Alice Yin, A.D. Quig and Jake Sheridan. If you are John Roberson, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@ WHERE'S JB No official public events WHERE's BRANDON No official public events Where's Toni No official public events Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@ BUSINESS OF POLITICS — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Congresswoman Robin Kelly has been endorsed in her bid for the U.S. Senate by Congresswoman Lucy McBath, a Georgia Democrat and a native of Joliet. The two lawmakers have led efforts to support gun-safety measures and to oppose the gun lobby. THE STATEWIDES — Illinois joins lawsuit against U.S. over triggers that can make semiautomatic rifles fire faster: 'Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said he would continue to enforce the ban on the devices through Illinois law that prohibits owning them and other devices — such as bump stocks — that can make semiautomatic rifles fire faster,' by the Sun-Times' Violet Miller. — Gov. Pritzker prepping for House committee showdown with help from top Biden attorney Dana Remus, by the Sun-Times' Tina Sfondeles — Judge denies Michael Madigan's motion for new trial, setting stage for high-stakes sentencing Friday, by the Tribune's Jason Meisner — Terminally ill Lombard woman continues push for medical 'aid in dying' bill, by the Daily Herald's Alicia Fabbre CHICAGO — Not your grandparents' City Council: Chicago aldermen less aligned with 5th floor: 'The shift follows the demise of Chicago's infamous machine politics. It also tracks with the ascension of the aldermanic Progressive Caucus and the 'Common Sense Caucus' formed in part to oppose it, both shifting groups that bring more ideological force into debates,' by the Tribune's Jake Sheridan. — Did Chicago cops help ICE during mass arrests? City leaders call for investigation: 'Ald. Andre Vasquez wants to investigate whether police violated the Welcoming City ordinance during an ICE operation last week. Chicago police officials said officers were on the scene to preserve public safety and did not violate the ordinance,' by the Block Club's Francia Garcia Hernandez. — Some denounce Trump travel ban, but it's business as usual at O'Hare, by the Sun-Times' Elvia Malagón and WBEZ's Michael Puente — Chicago cracks down on nearly 200 illegal trash pickups in first months of enforcement effort, by WTTW's Nick Blumberg TAKING NAMES — State Sens. Lakesia Collins and Laura Fine and state Reps. Mary Beth Canty, Terra Costa Howard and Suzanne Ness will be honored today with the Champion of Youth Award by the Illinois Collaboration on Youth during its annual member meeting in Naperville. The award is recognizing their efforts to help make liability insurance more accessible for child welfare and youth service providers. Advocate James McIntyre will also be recognized. Reader Digest We asked what warrants the National Guard being brought in? Lucas Hawley: 'When the said state cannot or will not control mob acts of violence and destruction on private or public property.' Jim Lyons: 'Jan. 6, 2021.' Timothy Thomas: 'As U.S. law states, when it's necessary to repel invasion, suppress a rebellion or if the president is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.' Steve Weiss: 'Blocking freeways, burning vehicles and assaulting police officers (LAPD et al.) is a reasonable motive for bringing in the Guard.' NEXT QUESTION: When did politics dictate how your purchase decisions? KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION — Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin led 12 of their Illinois delegation members in criticizing the Trump administration's cancellation of the Digital Equity Act Competitive Grants Program, which would have provided more than $23.7 million to Illinois organizations across the state to equip households with the tools needed to use high-speed internet, according to Duckworth's team. Their letter is here. — Durbin spoke on the Senate floor Monday to criticize the budget legislation known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Durbin called it 'a big, beautiful betrayal.' Here's the video THE NATIONAL TAKE — RFK Jr. to fire all members of the CDC's vaccine advisory committee, by POLITICO's Sophie Gardner and Lauren Gardner — ActBlue says GOP investigation might be a partisan violation of the Constitution, by POLITICO's Jessica Piper — Gavin Newsom: Trump is 'unhinged,' speaking like an 'authoritarian,' by POLITICO's Melanie Mason and Christopher Cadelago — 'A self-fulfilling prophecy': How the clash in LA could explode, by POLITICO's Katy Murphy and staff TRANSITIONS — Adam Collins is now chief communications officer at Reddit, the social media and news aggregation website. He was chief communications and corporate affairs officer at Molson Coors Beverage Company. Politicos know him for his work leading various political communications operations. He was communications director for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, communications director for the Chicago Police Department and press secretary for Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, among others. — Chelsea Blink is now legislative director for Rep. Lauren Underwood. She was director of farm animal legislation at the ASPCA. — David Shapiro has been named executive director of the MacArthur Justice Center, a civil rights law firm with offices in Chicago, New Orleans, St. Louis, Oxford and D.C. He starts Aug. 1. He's currently executive director of the Chicago Lawyer's Committee. EVENTS — Thursday: 'The Calumet River and Its Toxic Islands' is the subject of a tour. Details here — Friday: 'The State of the Media' is the subject of a panel at the Rainbow Push 'People's Conference.' Details here — June 17: Ald. Nicole Lee will be feted at a fundraiser. Details here — July 10: The 47th Ward Democrats are having a fundraiser by the river. Details here TRIVIA MONDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Jim Nowlan for correctly answering that the late former state Rep. Webber Borchers took on the Chief Illiniwek role when he was a University of Illinois student. TODAY's QUESTION: Who were the two Illinoisans who served as personal secretaries to President Abraham Lincoln? Email skapos@ HAPPY BIRTHDAY Former first kid Sasha Obama, Circuit Court Judge Dominique Ross, former state Sen. Jim Oberweis, former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, Bowman Consulting's Brian McPartlin, political consultant Eli Brottman, Cook County Commission on Human Rights Chair Sufyan Sohel, AJ Capital Partners HR Manager Marissa Schanbacher, HUD nominee Ben DeMarzo and Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg -30-
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
University of Illinois System launches pilot program to boost community college transfers
The University of Illinois System announced Wednesday the launch of a pilot program aimed at increasing the number of students transferring from community colleges to four-year universities. The program aims to lower barriers and provide targeted career advising to low-income and first-generation college students wanting to transfer to four-year schools. While 81% of community college students say receiving a bachelor's degree is their goal, only 31% of students transfer to a four-year institution to attain it. This program aims to increase that number. In collaboration with One Million Degrees, a Chicago-based nonprofit supporting community college students, the program will 'unlock opportunities that will fuel our state's workforce and economic future,' the University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen said in a news release. 'We are highly motivated to build on the momentum that we've created with Illinois' community colleges, expanding opportunities for students to not only access higher education but to thrive in rewarding careers,' Killeen said. The pilot will begin by serving 240 students from select community colleges. Students will be provided with academic and career support through their transfer to University of Illinois campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. The first cohort of students will begin in spring 2026, and the second will begin in spring 2027. The University System is working to select participating community colleges. Researchers have found that transferring from community colleges to four-year universities is one of the 'most powerful tools' to improve opportunities, especially for first-generation and low-income students. Josh Hoen, interim CEO of One Million Degrees, said in a news release, 'we cannot allow these pathways to become bridges to nowhere' for students taking the risk to transfer. 'This is about ensuring that when students bet big on themselves by pursuing a college degree, they see a powerful labor market return that will dramatically increase their career and earning potential,' Hoen said. To ensure a smooth transition into four-year institutions, One Million Degrees will provide students with support including academic coaching, financial assistance and career services. The U. of I. system will assess the pilot over the next four years and may consider expanding it beyond the initial participating community colleges to help more students, according to the news release.
Chicago Tribune
02-04-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
University of Illinois System launches pilot program to boost community college transfers
The University of Illinois System announced Wednesday the launch of a pilot program aimed at increasing the number of students transferring from community colleges to four-year universities. The program aims to lower barriers and provide targeted career advising to low-income and first-generation college students wanting to transfer to four-year schools. While 81% of community college students say receiving a bachelor's degree is their goal, only 31% of students transfer to a four-year institution to attain it. This program aims to increase that number. In collaboration with One Million Degrees, a Chicago-based nonprofit supporting community college students, the program will 'unlock opportunities that will fuel our state's workforce and economic future,' the University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen said in a news release. 'We are highly motivated to build on the momentum that we've created with Illinois' community colleges, expanding opportunities for students to not only access higher education but to thrive in rewarding careers,' Killeen said. The pilot will begin by serving 240 students from select community colleges. Students will be provided with academic and career support through their transfer to University of Illinois campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. The first cohort of students will begin in spring 2026, and the second will begin in spring 2027. The University System is working to select participating community colleges. Researchers have found that transferring from community colleges to four-year universities is one of the 'most powerful tools' to improve opportunities, especially for first-generation and low-income students. Josh Hoen, interim CEO of One Million Degrees, said in a news release, 'we cannot allow these pathways to become bridges to nowhere' for students taking the risk to transfer. 'This is about ensuring that when students bet big on themselves by pursuing a college degree, they see a powerful labor market return that will dramatically increase their career and earning potential,' Hoen said. To ensure a smooth transition into four-year institutions, One Million Degrees will provide students with support including academic coaching, financial assistance and career services. The U. of I. system will assess the pilot over the next four years and may consider expanding it beyond the initial participating community colleges to help more students, according to the news release.
Forbes
02-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
University Of Illinois To Pilot New Community College Transfer Program
The University of Illinois system is planning to pilot a new program aimed at increasing transfer ... More rates by community college students. The University of Illinois system will team up with One Million Degrees, a Chicago-based nonprofit that supports community college students, to pilot a multiyear program aimed at increasing transfer rates from community colleges to four-year universities. The program will focus on first-generation students across Illinois. Plans call for the pilot to serve as many as 240 students initially in two cohorts from Illinois community colleges selected by the university. The first cohort will be recruited this fall for a pilot beginning spring 2026, and the second cohort will start in spring 2027. The initiative will provide eligible students a comprehensive suite of wraparound support services — including academic coaching, financial assistance and career advice — as they transfer to University of Illinois System campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. The U of I system will evaluate the pilot to assess the possibility of later scaling the program beyond the initial pilot partners. The ultimate goal is to increase transfer and bachelor's degree completion rates, preparing the participants for careers in high-growth fields. 'We are highly motivated to build on the momentum that we've created with Illinois' community colleges, expanding opportunities for students to not only access higher education but to thrive in rewarding careers,' said Tim Killeen, president of the University of Illinois System, in a press release. 'Fulfilling the promise of college access and degree completion requires strong, accessible transfer pathways that connect Illinois' 48 public community colleges to our universities. This initiative will unlock opportunities that will fuel our state's workforce and economic future,' Killeen added. Like many other states, Illinois currently offers several transfer options, but historically the community college to four-year pathway has not proven to be as successful as hoped. Nationally, 81% of students who enter community college point to a bachelor's degree as their goal; however, only 31% ultimately transfer to a four-year institution. The timing of the pilot comes at an interesting time. Expanding the reach of the state's community colleges has been an aim of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who announced in his February state-of-the-state budget address that he supported legislation that would authorize Illinois community colleges to offer selected four-year degrees in fields that address local needs. "By allowing our community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees for in-demand career paths, we are making it easier and more affordable for students to advance their careers while strengthening our state's economy," Pritzker said at the time. That authorization is contained in HB 3717, which would amend the Public Community College Act and allow the board of trustees of a community college district to establish and offer a baccalaureate degree program if certain conditions are met. But that bill has hit snags in the state legislature, primarily in the form of resistance from four-year institutions who view it as an encroachment on their territory and a threat to their efforts to maintain enrollment numbers in a highly competitive environment. The U of I system's effort offers an alternative strategy — providing a comprehensive set of services that it hopes will help community college students transition smoothly into existing degree programs at four-year institutions rather than creating new baccalaureate degrees. "Transferring from community college to a four-year university is one of the most powerful strategies we know for advancing multigenerational upward mobility. But we cannot allow these pathways to become bridges to nowhere for the students who make the leap to transfer — or even enroll and complete — without progressing into a career that fully capitalizes on their unique talents and abilities,' noted Josh Hoen, interim CEO of One Million Degrees, in a press statement.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
University of Illinois System and Chicago-Based Higher Education Nonprofit Team Up to Bridge Community College Transfer Gap
A multiyear initiative will offer holistic support to help Illinois community college students transfer to bachelor's degree programs and prepare for careers in high-growth industries CHICAGO, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- One Million Degrees and the University of Illinois System, the flagship public higher education system in the state of Illinois, announced an agreement to launch a new multiyear pilot program aimed at further increasing transfer rates from community colleges to four-year universities, with a focus on first-generation students across Illinois. The comprehensive support program for low-income community college students will lower barriers to the transfer process and provide targeted career advising to help more community college transfers earn the degrees required to access careers in high-growth industries. "We are highly motivated to build on the momentum that we've created with Illinois' community colleges, expanding opportunities for students to not only access higher education but to thrive in rewarding careers," said Tim Killeen, president of the University of Illinois System. "Fulfilling the promise of college access and degree completion requires strong, accessible transfer pathways that connect Illinois' 48 public community colleges to our universities. This initiative will unlock opportunities that will fuel our state's workforce and economic future." The new One Million Degrees partnership is an extension of the longstanding commitment to improving college transfer by the University of Illinois System and the state of Illinois. Illinois offers several transfer initiatives, such as the Illinois Articulation Initiative and guaranteed transfer admission pathways aimed at streamlining credit transfer between community colleges and universities, while tools like iTransfer and Transferology make it possible for institutions to identify common and equivalent courses across multiple campuses. Education researchers and higher education leaders have long viewed transfer as one of the most powerful tools for improving upward mobility, particularly for students from first-generation and low-income backgrounds. In the past year, transfers from community colleges to four-year institutions surged by 7.7%, suggesting that more students are intent on earning bachelor's degrees. However, while 81% of students who enter community college cite a bachelor's degree as their ultimate goal, just 31% end up transferring to a four-year institution. To help close the community college transfer gap, the U of I System will partner with One Million Degrees, a Chicago-based nonprofit whose evidence-based holistic student support model has been found to significantly improve student persistence, retention and career outcomes. OMD provides a comprehensive system of wraparound support — including academic coaching, financial assistance and career services — helping community college students transition smoothly into four-year institutions and reinforcing existing programs with an emphasis on student support. "Transferring from community college to a four-year university is one of the most powerful strategies we know for advancing multigenerational upward mobility. But we cannot allow these pathways to become bridges to nowhere for the students who make the leap to transfer — or even enroll and complete — without progressing into a career that fully capitalizes on their unique talents and abilities," said Josh Hoen, interim CEO of One Million Degrees. "Ultimately, this is about ensuring that when students bet big on themselves by pursuing a college degree, they see a powerful labor market return that will dramatically increase their career and earning potential." The initiative will launch as a pilot program serving a total of 240 students in two cohorts from select Illinois community colleges, providing additional targeted academic and career support as they transfer to University of Illinois System campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. The universities are working to identify their community college partners at this time. The first cohort will be recruited this fall for a pilot that starts in spring 2026, and the second pilot cohort will begin in spring 2027. Over the next four years, the university system will evaluate the pilot and consider scaling the program beyond the initial community college partners with the goal of helping significantly increase transfer and bachelor's degree completion rates, paving the way for participants to secure high-paying jobs in growing fields. About One Million Degrees: One Million Degrees accelerates community college students' progress on career pathways to economic mobility by providing wrap-around supports to highly motivated community college students to help them succeed in school, in work, and in life. From tutors and coaches to financial assistance and professional development, OMD offers the support that empowers scholars to transform their lives and those around them for generations. OMD currently serves 871 community college scholars from under-resourced neighborhoods at 10 Chicago-area community colleges, including all seven City Colleges of Chicago. OMD partners with employers across industries to build on-ramps to in-demand jobs through new apprenticeship and credentialing programs. About University of Illinois System: The University of Illinois System is among the preeminent public university systems in the nation and the largest comprehensive system of higher education in Illinois. Composed principally of its three best-in-class universities in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield, the U of I System is a powerhouse for education and discovery, and is widely recognized as among the most innovative university systems in the world. The U of I System boasts leading graduate and doctoral research centers, two medical schools, two law schools, world-class engineering and business colleges, top liberal arts colleges, an urban hospital system, regional health science campuses, and educational programs available to residents of all 102 Illinois counties. View original content: SOURCE One Million Degrees Sign in to access your portfolio
