It's not just social service providers that are getting the shaft from a deadbeat state government; state universities are owed $735 million in state payments. Officials at some Illinois campuses have already been forced to implement unpaid furlough days, freeze hiring, and make other cuts. Now, a group of university presidents and chancellors are asking Gov. Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes to set a payment schedule for the cash that's owed.

One possible solution would be to allow public universities to borrow (with interest) against the money appropriated by the state but not yet paid. A bill to do so is currently in the state senate and is favored (with reservations) by Southern Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Western Illinois, and Illinois State universities.

But structural funding changes are needed. Remember, while research last month from the Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University shows (PDF) that between FY 2008 and FY 2010, state funding on higher ed jumped 3.1 percent (an an additional 3.2 percent if the stimulus plan is factored in), that modest growth doesn't actually keep up with inflation. It also comes after years of virtual neglect from lawmakers in Springfield. And the MAP grant program controversy was "solved" last month only because lawmakers were not forced to identify a permanent funding source.

As a result, parents and students can expect higher bills in 2011. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) says that new students will pay about 7 percent more in the fall than those who enrolled in 2009. The University of Illinois system will jack up tuition by 9 percent. The Peoria Journal-Star calls it "a hidden tax hike on families of college kids." It's also a problem in need of a sustainable solution.