Garrett, May drop out of tuition-waiver program

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Updated: February 21, 2012 8:39AM

State Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest, and Rep. Karen May, D–Highland Park, said Thursday that they will not participate in the General Assembly tuition waiver program that lets legislators waive state college tuition for a number of students in their districts.

“We are proud of the open, independent and community-based manner in which our offices have awarded General Assembly tuition waivers in the past, but due to the funding cuts our state colleges and universities have faced in recent years, it is no longer appropriate to continue the program,” May said.

The two join a growing number of Lake County lawmakers who have decided to turn down the controversial free tuition scholarships at state universities for collegians in their legislative districts. Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno of Lemont announced Thursday that all members of the Senate Republican Caucus would be opting out of the legislative scholarship program.

The General Assembly Tuition Waiver program allows lawmakers to provide free tuition to a limited number of students in their district to attend any state university. The state budget does not provide a line item for the tuition waivers, possibly resulting in higher tuition for other students.

“We are confident that the independent citizens’ committees which have awarded the tuition waivers for us have always done so solely on the basis of merit and financial need. However, we have decided that we can no longer participate in a program,” Garrett said.

Legislation to end the General Assembly tuition waiver program has been proposed in Springfield, but has not yet mustered the votes to pass. Garrett and May said they will advocate for its passage this year.