Tuition increases at Illinois public universities are running rampant and financial aid grants are unable to keep up.

An April 2 report from the Illinois Student Association states there are two major sources of financial aid for Illinois students.

The Federal Pell Grant program and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission Monetary Award Program (MAP) are “unable to effectively compensate for the large and rapid public university tuition increases,” the report stated.

“It would be nice if the state could put the money into higher education that it should (put in). Somebody’s got to pay the freight if NIU is going to maintain its programs,” said Jerry Augsburger, director of the NIU Student Financial Aid Office.

Data from the report showed the Pell grant covers only 66 percent of tuition and fee costs. Ten years ago, the Pell grant could completely cover tuition and fee charges.

MAP Grants lost 31 percent of their purchasing power during the 1980-1989 period, according to the report. Corresponding data show tuition and fee charges increased twice as much and nearly twice as fast as grants.

Augsburger said as tuition goes up, financial aid will increase the standard student budget to determine financial aid eligibility. Students able to get financial aid might get increased financial aid dollars, he said.

However, Augsburger said part of what an average student gets from financial aid is being filled with student loan dollars, which are state funded, because of tuition increases.

“While financial aid increases to meet the needs of students, the unfortunate thing is those increases tend to be covered by loan dollars,” he said.

Illinois is still striving to provide higher education at a low cost, but there does not seem to be state support, Augsburger said.

e said he wants to see more and better financial aid programs for Illinois universities.