ISAC Adds Seventh Public Hearing On MAP Grant Cuts

Champaign, Ill.—The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) announces the addition of a seventh public hearing on the Monetary Award Program (MAP) at the University of Illinois' Urbana-Champaign campus.  The hearing will take place 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 7, in the Pine Lounge at the Illini Union following Governor Pat Quinn's noon MAP rally.

The hearing is the first of three in the coming week.  In addition to the UIUC hearing, ISAC will host public hearings at Loyola University's lake shore campus 10:30 a.m. Friday, October 9, in addition to an 11 a.m. hearing at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Monday, October 12.  A student rally is also planned for 12:30 p.m. October 15 at the Illinois Education Association in Springfield.

Students, parents, community organizations and higher education leaders are welcome to participate in the meeting, provide public testimony and ask questions pertaining to state student financial aid.  Previously, the Commission heard testimony June 26, 2009, at University of Illinois at Chicago; September 18, 2009, at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; September 25, 2009, at Illinois State University; and October 2, 2009, at Carl Sandburg College.

"We know the statistics; the hearings put a face to those statistics," said ISAC Executive Director Andrew Davis. "Each hearing, the amount and quality of testimony grows.  We look forward to hearing the stories of some of the 13,000 MAP recipients that attend UIUC—in addition to those that will attend the hearings at Loyola and SIUC—and engaging in a meaningful dialogue."

The specifics of the remaining ISAC MAP hearings are as follows: 
Oct. 7 1:00 p.m. Pine Lounge, Illini Student Union   University of Illinois 
Oct. 9 10:30 a.m. Mundelein Center Auditorium, 1020 W. Sheridan Rd. Loyola University
Oct. 12 11:00 a.m. Student Center Auditorium, 1255 Lincoln Drive  Southern Illinois Univ. Carbondale

 "The saveillinoismapgrants.org Web site is an excellent resource to utilize as a source of accurate information regarding the Monetary Award Program," continued Davis.   "Check out the events section for further information on the upcoming hearings as well as what you can do to help restore MAP funding. Help us help you!"

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission provides students of all ages and backgrounds with the resources and support to obtain financial aid for higher education. A state agency, ISAC has paved the path to post-secondary education with innovative programs for over 50 years. Last year alone, ISAC continued its mission to make college accessible and affordable for Illinois students by issuing 186,000 grants and scholarships totaling nearly $431 million.  

The Commission provides educational funding with student loans, as a loan guarantor and via numerous public programs such as the Monetary Award Program (MAP), the Illinois Veteran Grant and College Illinois!® 529 prepaid college tuition program. For further information about MAP grants and efforts to restore funding to the program, please visit the saveillinoismapgrants.org Web site.