Gov. Pat Quinn spoke positively that the MAP grant will receive funding for the 2010 spring semester.

Speaking to a crowd of about 200 people in the Holmes Student Center Gallery Lounge on Friday, Quinn emphasized unity behind this issue.

“We have to band together, not for profit but for this cause,” Quinn said.

Quinn described the funding of the MAP grant as mandatory and that higher education is necessary in order to create higher paying jobs.

Quinn said the issue will be addressed when the General Assembly returns for the veto session in October.

A veto session is held when the General Assembly reconvenes to consider the governor’s vetoes.

“We’ll keep calling special sessions if we have to,” Quinn said.

While Quinn has voiced his support for restoring the $200 million cut from the program for this semester, there are questions about how it will be funded. Senior criminology major Adam Hunt gave one suggestion as to how Illinois could raise the money.

“I don’t understand why we don’t just cut politician’s pay and expenses,” Hunt said. “The money would be doing better in MAP grants than in their pockets.”

Sophomore philosophy major Austin Quick suggested having Chicago withdraw its bid for the 2016 Olympics.

“If our state is in such financial [uncertainty], why are we asking for the Olympics, which causes more problems financially?” Quick said.

Funding for the MAP grant program was initially cut in half over the summer during what Quinn described as “tough budget year.”

When asked, Quinn said he was in favor of putting a tax on cigarettes, or raising the income tax.

“Everything should be in consideration,” Quinn said.

Quinn spoke to the assembled crowd as a choir of about 20 students stood behind him. Among the students were Student Association President Robert Sorsby, student trustee Matthew Venaas, along with other students who were affected by the cut.

One student, history major Jorge Rios, spoke of how the MAP grant would have fully covered his tuition this year. He shared with the audience about how he worked full-time and went to school part-time to keep as much of the financial burden off his family.

“No matter how much I try to take the burden off my family, it always falls apart on them,” Rios said, adding that he believed education should be free.

Another student, freshman French major Gina Collura shared with the crowd of how she worked to get where she was, and that she had to cut costs anyway she could, like eating Ramen noodles, which caused some in the audience to laugh.

If funding to the MAP grant is not restored, she said, she would have to take out loans that will total to $90,000.

“It was once said that once you stop learning, you die,” Collura said. “So save college students from death.”

Despite the weight of the issue, many students who were present for the speech left feeling optimistic. Jocelyn Landa, sophomore elementary education major, was one of them.

“I believe him. I met him before and he promised things for my family and he came through,” Landa said.

Sophomore communications major Isabel Castro expressed similar sentiments, saying that her doubts were rested for now.

“I hope he comes through for the MAP grant,” Castro said.

Andrew Bogda, senior geography major and chairman of NIU College Republicans, said he felt it was irresponsible to raise taxes on businesses and families that already have financial hardships.

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