A state fund in Illinois that provides scholarships to military veterans is almost out of money, and the state’s public colleges are worried that if Illinois lawmakers do nothing to close the program’s $13.6-million deficit, they will have to make up the difference for the thousands of veterans who have enrolled on their campuses, the Chicago Tribune reported this morning.
Officials at the Illinois Veterans Grant Program said it might be able to cover only 5 percent of tuition bills this spring. The program guarantees veterans a free tuition at state colleges, and it has been overwhelmed by an influx of veterans returning from service in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, and seeking to upgrade their skills to find jobs.
