In January, Public Agenda, one of the most respected polling firms in the nation, conducted a national survey for the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education sampling the attitudes of Americans on a wide-ranging array of issues concerning colleges and universities. Illinois was among six states that commissioned an over-sample to gauge public opinion on a statewide basis. The Illinois survey reveals important findings for the state and its higher education community. The principal conclusion is that there continues to be compelling public support for the goals of The Illinois Commitment and the policies the Board of Higher Education is pursuing to achieve them. The survey found strong backing for higher education to help sustain economic growth, to work with education partners to better prepare students for college, to keep the cost of college affordable, to ensure access to a college degree and more diversity on campuses, to bolster the quality of academic programs, and to increase productivity and accountability.
Citizens worry about the cost of college and want measures to keep it affordable.
Almost three out of four respondents also believe that it is more difficult to pay for a college education than it was ten years ago. The public wants quality academic programs. Those responses were double the proportion that said controlling costs and keeping tuition down were the most important goals for a college to achieve. The public wants colleges and universities to do more to curtail rising costs. Citizens appreciate the unique role colleges play in the development of students.