Illinois State Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr., said "research shows that students who live on campus have higher GPAs and when students live on campus they are more plugged-in to the campus community (D-Chicago) | Facebook
Illinois State Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr., said "research shows that students who live on campus have higher GPAs and when students live on campus they are more plugged-in to the campus community (D-Chicago) | Facebook
Sen. Elgie Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) is sponsoring legislation to provide affordable housing for students attending Illinois community colleges.
House Bill 374, which passed both houses and heads to the governor's desk, gives community colleges the right to develop affordable housing for its students.
“This is about bettering the college experience for every student in this state,” Sims wrote in a May 4 Facebook post. “Research shows that students who live on campus have higher GPAs and when students live on campus they are more plugged-in to the campus community and have more opportunities to join clubs, attend events and meet new people.”
The proposed bill amends both the Public Community College Act and the Housing Authorities Act. The current law prohibits community colleges from establishing affordable student housing and requires them to go through a local housing authority or nonprofit organization to do so, according to Sims’ website.
The bill aims to meet the needs of all community college students in Illinois through expanded housing. While community colleges have traditionally been geared toward students living close by, those who are not living within a reasonable distance from the school are suffering from both a time and financial burden.
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