SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — As the Illinois General Assembly continues its yearly budget negotiations, state Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin, D-Matteson, is pushing for increased funding for Governors State University, which serves thousands of students in Chicago’s south suburban area.

“Governors State University plays an essential role in the education of students in the Chicagoland area, and makes higher education more affordable and accessible for many students across the region and around the world,” Meyers-Martin said. “Illinois is a state that values higher education and the increased opportunities it brings, and Governors State University is no exception to this rule.”

Governors State University received the lowest total operational appropriation from the state of Illinois in comparison to the state’s other public universities. The appropriation remained stagnant at around $23.4 million in fiscal years 2022 and 2023. The proposed appropriation for fiscal year 2024 only increases the university’s appropriation by a mere 7 percent.

“Governors State University deserves more state support that it receives, plain and simple,” Meyers-Martin said. “As a state, we can do much better by this institution so it can continue to provide its students with a high quality education, and its faculty and staff with valuable employment.”

“When we choose to invest in higher education, we’re choosing to invest in the people of this state,” said state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago. “Governors State is a gateway for opportunity, and by securing additional resources we can help more people achieve the future they want and deserve.”