Two weeks ago, we warned that approving a bare bones budget would devastate Illinois' Monetary Award Program (MAP), which provides $384 million in interest-free, need-based tuition grants to 145,000 students across the state. While the General Assembly is scheduled to return to the negotiating table in Springfield this week -- and Gov. Pat Quinn is already hinting that he would veto any plan that required roughly $4.5 billion in cuts --  their failure to pass a balanced budget on time forced the hand of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, which voted Friday to eliminate the entire MAP program for the spring 2010 term. The Chi-Town Daily News explains the reasoning:

In addition, the commission voted to cut funding for students already approved for fall grants. Some 137,000 students across the state, including tens of thousands in Chicago, will get need-based grants this fall, but at a rate of only about $850 for every $1,000 originally promised. [...]

The budget hasn't yet been signed into law. But because the commission’s next regular meeting isn’t until September and grants must be handed out before then, the commission had to act based on the worst-case scenario, commission chairman Donald McNeil said.

Hardworking students reliant on the grants must now find help elsewhere or leave college altogether. This should serve as a wake-up call to all lawmakers as they head back to the Capitol. Failing to act has real consequences for real people.

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user JanetandPhil.