Looming State Budget Cuts Set up Cultural Class at Centers for Students of Color - Alex Ortiz, Meddill Chicago

There are concerns at public universities like UIC about how cuts might affect the parts of campus that benefit diversity. In early October, the University of Illinois System announced nearly 500 recent non-instructional staff cuts could save up to $1.5 million a month. Fortunately for the U of I system, it has substantial cash reserves and large alumni networks, but the possibility of less state funding has caused some uncertainty about the future of the cultural centers. UIC has six cultural centers dedicated creating a diverse academic environment that reflects Chicago. Of UIC’s 29,000 students, 37 percent are white, 20 percent are Latino, 18 percent Asian, and 8 percent African-American as of 2015. http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/looming-state-budget-cuts-set-up-cultural-clash-at-centers-for-students-of-color/