HIGHER ED-PROPOSED INSTRUCTION

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3969

Introduced 2/6/2026, by Sen. Graciela Guzmán

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 205/7

from Ch. 144, par. 187

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that the Board of
Higher Education, in approving or disapproving a public institution of
higher education's proposal for a new unit of instruction, research, or
public service or in approving modifications, must take into account the
unique student demographics and needs of the particular institution.
LRB104 20738 LNS 34241 b

A BILL FOR

SB3969
LRB104 20738 LNS 34241 b
1

AN ACT concerning education.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The Board of Higher Education Act is amended by
5
changing Section 7 as follows:

6

(110 ILCS 205/7)

(from Ch. 144, par. 187)
7

Sec. 7.
The Board of Trustees of the University of
8
Illinois, the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois
9
University, the Board of Trustees of Chicago State University,
10
the Board of Trustees of Eastern Illinois University, the
11
Board of Trustees of Governors State University, the Board of
12
Trustees of Illinois State University, the Board of Trustees
13
of Northeastern Illinois University, the Board of Trustees of
14
Northern Illinois University, the Board of Trustees of Western
15
Illinois University, the Illinois Community College Board and
16
the campuses under their governance or supervision shall not
17
hereafter undertake the establishment of any new unit of
18
instruction, research, or public service without the approval
19
of the Board. The term "new unit of instruction, research, or
20
public service" includes the establishment of a college,
21
school, division, institute, department, or other unit in any
22
field of instruction, research, or public service not
23
theretofore included in the program of the institution, and

SB3969
- 2 -
LRB104 20738 LNS 34241 b
1
includes the establishment of any new branch or campus. The
2
term does not include reasonable and moderate extensions of
3
existing curricula, research, or public service programs which
4
have a direct relationship to existing programs; and the Board
5
may, under its rulemaking power, define the character of such
6
reasonable and moderate extensions.
7

Such governing boards shall submit to the Board all
8
proposals for a new unit of instruction, research, or public
9
service. The Board may approve or disapprove the proposal in
10
whole or in part or approve modifications thereof whenever in
11
its judgment such action is consistent with the objectives of
12
an existing or proposed statewide strategic plan of higher
13
education
and must take into account the unique student
14
demographics and needs of the particular institution
.
15

The Board of Higher Education is authorized to review
16
periodically all existing programs of instruction, research,
17
and public service at the State universities and colleges and
18
to advise the appropriate board of control if the contribution
19
of each program is not educationally and economically
20
justified. The Board shall annually identify and provide to
21
each public university certain programs of instruction that
22
exhibit indicators of low performance in enrollment, degree
23
completion, and relative high expense per degree. Each public
24
university shall review this information, together with any
25
other relevant information, and report annually to the Board
26
using a status rubric provided by the Board, including

SB3969
- 3 -
LRB104 20738 LNS 34241 b
1
programs to be closed or consolidated. The Board shall report
2
annually on the instructional programs offered at public
3
institutions of higher education, showing (i) the number,
4
types, and locations of instructional programs, (ii) any new
5
programs that were created, (iii) any existing programs that
6
have been closed or consolidated as a result of the review and
7
report, and (iv) other information relevant to assessing the
8
State's portfolio of programs. The report must be submitted to
9
the General Assembly and the Governor by March 15, 2026 and
10
each March 15 thereafter. The Board shall have the authority
11
to define relevant terms and timelines by rule with respect to
12
this reporting.
13
(Source: P.A. 104-292, eff. 8-15-25.)

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