Two state senators are trying to block NIU’s bid for a Hoffman Estates center.

State Sens. Howard Carroll, D-Chicago, and Virginia Macdonald, R-Arlington Heights, introduced a resolution Wednesday that was spurred by administrators at Roosevelt University who oppose NIU’s expansion in Hoffman Estates.

“Our main intention is to show it is not just Roosevelt University fighting NIU—there are other people too,” said Constance Zonka, senior director of University Relations at Roosevelt.

The resolution was presented to the General Assembly, which, if passed, will form a task force on Illinois Higher Education.

The task force will consist of 15 members. The Governor, the president of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Senate minority leader and the House minority leader each will appoint three.

The task force “will develop a comprehensive master plan for higher education that addresses unmet needs in Illinois and that makes the most efficient use of all higher education resources,” the resolution stated.

Also, the General Assembly is “strongly encouraging both public and private higher education institutions to refrain from initiating new off-campus capital construction until the task force makes its recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly.”