High schoolers, parents are wary of Illinois colleges as budget crisis hits schools - Dawn Rhodes, Chicago Tribune

But college officials across the state can't help wondering whether Chicago State is a sign of what they will face soon, and they say they are routinely fielding anxious questions from families wondering whether a state school is a wise investment. "My overall concern is the tarnishing of the brand of higher education in the state of Illinois that this budget impasse is creating," Illinois State President Larry Dietz said. "Every day, every month that we have this uncertainty is another day and another month that tarnishes that brand." Losing students to financial instability — or even the perception of it — would be a double whammy of taking away tuition dollars, which comprise a greater share of university income than state allocations. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-college-budget-crunch-met-20160331-story.html