Higher Education

Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg will suspend adult education classes Jan. 1 because of the state budget crisis.  College President Lori Sundberg says the state-funded adult education, English as a second language, and literacy programs are up in the air because lawmakers in Springfield have been unable to agree on a spending plan. Sundberg says the school is the "sole provider''; there are no other places in the area for coursework. Sandberg remains a testing site for the GED.  

The lack of a state budget is putting stresses on Illinois' public universities that still aren't receiving money from the state. Larger schools such as the University of Illinois are faring better than smaller schools where enrollment has fallen, or fundraising is harder. Those schools have seen layoffs and furloughs, funding cut for athletics, and cash reserves raided. Alan Phillips, chief financial officer at Northern Illinois University, says it would be ``very difficult'' to get through a full year without state funding.

County health officials have confirmed that a Northern Illinois University student has mumps. University officials say they're working with the DeKalb County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health to provide more community information. Illinois' outbreak has centered on the University of Illinois' Urbana-Champaign campus, where more than 100 cases have been confirmed. Two cases were confirmed last month at Eastern Illinois University.  Nearly 30 have popped up at various schools in Bloomington Normal.

The presidents of Illinois' nine public universities are urging Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and leaders in the Democrat-controlled General Assembly to end the ongoing state-budget stalemate. The presidents said in a letter to the governor and lawmakers on Thursday that uncertainty over how much state money the schools will get this fiscal year and when they'll get it is beginning to damage their ability to teach and do research.

An American kestrel that the University of Illinois used as an educational bird of prey has been found after escaping last week. The bird, named Thistle, has one eye and can't survive in the wild. She escaped Sept. 23 from a handler at the University of Illinois Wildlife Clinic.

The clinic said Tuesday that Thistle was found in west Champaign and entered her travel crate ``to eat a meal hungrily.'' The Wildlife Medical Clinic and the College of Veterinary Medicine posted online that staff are ``rejoicing'' in Thistle's return and are grateful for the community's help finding her.

Illinois Wesleyan University is getting set to name its next President. The school in Bloomington has announced a news conference Monday to unveil the selection to replace Richard Wilson. The search has been ongoing since Wilson announced in December of last year that he would retire when a successor was named.

The number of students enrolled at Northern Illinois University has dipped slightly, but retention rates are improving. The university reported an enrollment of 20,130 students, a decrease of about 2.3 percent from last year. NIU President Doug Baker says: "We are not where we want to be, but there are encouraging signs of progress." The one-year retention rate for last year's freshmen increased 1 percentage point, to 72 percent. Baker says the university also has been recruiting higher-achieving students.