Ammons to Advocate for Students, University Employees and Communities as Chair of Higher Education Committee

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, will continue her fight for affordable college, and speak up for university employees and communities that depend on them as the new chair the House Higher Education Committee.

“I plan to use the next two years to build on the progress we have made for both colleges and students, even during the darkest days of Bruce Rauner’s budget impasse,” said Ammons. “Right here in my district is one of the state’s flagship universities that needs to be attracting new leaders and not worried about shutting their doors and suddenly ending students’ education.”

Ammons previously served as vice-chair of the committee, and will now take over as its chair. As a member of the committee, she fought back against Rauner and his nearly three-year budget impasse that devastated Illinois’ colleges. With her new leadership role, Ammons will work to increase funding for those institutions, provide tuition relief and college affordability for students, and build upon new laws that passed last year, like the Student Loan Bill of Rights, so students aren’t stuck with vast sums of debt.

“We all have the chance to make meaningful changes that will make college more affordable and accessible, and I hope we seize the opportunity that has been given to us,” said Ammons. “Our state cannot afford another disastrous budget impasse that abandoned our colleges and students.”