James Dunlap Nowlan, The Politics of Higher Education. University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Ill. 109 pp. $2.95

General Assembly taking on policymaking role for higher education

IN HIS EXCELLENT monograph. The Politics of Higher Education, James D. Nowlan casts a discerning eye on the relationships of Illinois lawmakers and the academy of higher education. His reactions are based on personal experience, extensive interviews and questionnaires circulated among members of the General Assembly and those concerned with administration of the state's colleges and universities. Nowlan served as a state representative (R., Toulon) from 1969 to 1973, a period of dramatic shifts in the relationships of the General Assembly and institutions of higher learning.

The author cites far-reaching effects of student unrest and violence on campuses in 1969-70; the still existing uncertainties among legislators about the roles of trustees, the Board of Higher Education (BHE), and the Bureau of Budget; and a new sense of responsibility in the General Assembly to play the role of policymaker for higher education. Until the era of campus violence broke out, the legislature had played only a passive role in higher education, approving from 1945 to 1970, for example, "only a bit less than 95 per cent" of the expanding budget requests of the University of Illinois. "Scores of new masters and doctoral programs were approved for burgeoning and status-seeking universities; [and] a massive system of community colleges which would blanket the state was launched in 1965." Nowlan credits the campus unrest with igniting vigorous legislative interest in higher education. Primary indicators were 32 bills introduced in January of 1969 to impose new penalties or clarify existing statutes for those guilty of campus disruption.

This impetus, coupled with increasing strains on state finances, brought about greater alertness to what was happening in the institutions of higher learning and a harder look at budget requests, even though submitted with approval of the BHE. A further contributor was the fact that the legislature faced new issues such as financing community colleges, making state funds available to private higher education, and reacting to increasing tuition levels. To become better equipped for this new role the legislature has increased auxiliary staffs, manning them with people trained to understand university budgeting as well as policy recommendations.

Nowlan concludes that the governor remains the most important single decision-maker, largely because of his broad and strong veto powers. "The Illinois General Assembly is nonetheless becoming a more important factor in higher education policymaking," Nowlan says. He sees the need for "informational initiatives" by the universities and suggests short-term administrative fellowships for legislators and service by experienced college officials on key legislative committee staffs. "Both lawmakers and the Academy must recognize the changing relationships of the past few years, and yet build upon the substantial consonance of attitudes and perspectives which exist between the two worlds." 

Fraud and welfare Chicago's "Welfare Queen," Linda Taylor, was sentenced May 12 by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Mark E. Jones to two to five years in prison for bilking the public aid system. Convicted on March 17 of theft and perjury, Taylor is reported to have obtained over $150,000 tax free from medical and cash assistance and food stamps. Sen. Harbor Hall's assertion of a great number of illegal recipients on state unemployment insurance rolls was met by an angry rebuttal May 25 by the Illinois Department of Labor. The department pointed out the effectiveness of its special fraud investigation unit which uncovered 832 cases of illegally collected benefits. Sen. Hall (R., Bloomington) was corrected on the maximum number of weeks a person may collect benefits — 52, not 65.

July 1977 / Illinois Issues / 17

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