Petition to Stop University of Illinois Tuition Increase

Hello SDNers,

I am an M2 at UIC, writing to let you know of some recent developments at our institution. On January 29, our administration informed us that for incoming M1s, the tuition would be raised 21%, to a total of $42,000. This will make UIC, Illinois' only public school, also its most expensive to attend.

We believe this will have a number of disturbing effects on medical education, both in Illinois and elsewhere. By raising the total cost of attendance to nearly $300,000, many more students will be priced out of careers in primary care, at a time when the healthcare system is already projected to reach a shortage of 50,000 primary care physicians by 2020. This will discourage students from underserved, poorer communities from aspiring towards becoming physicians, which inevitably means that these communities will only become increasingly underserved in the future. Here at UIC, an institution which prides itself on diversity, this will destroy one of the most unique and important characteristics of our school.

Even if you are not a student of UIC, or an Illinois resident, you should stand with us. This hike is a part of an increasing trend in public medical education to shift the financial burden of attendance away from the state, and towards the students. This defeats the purpose of state medical schools, and threatens to turn a career in medicine into a pipe dream only accessible to the richest students. It's just wrong, and we need to stop it now.

If you stand with us, please sign our petition below:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/s...ame/signatures

I'm sorry, but the money has to come from somewhere. If it doesn't come from people who are almost automatically in the top 5% of wage earners, it would be things like cutting back on unemployment or hurting people who are a lot worse off. Even with the extra $30,000 in student loans, doctors are still extremely well off and can afford it.

In before the ban, lock, or move since this is posted in multiple forums.

First of all, online petitions are useless for every purpose. You need to at least go paper for a semblance of legitimacy.

Second of all, I don't understand how a bunch of non-Illinois residents are going to be useful on a petition. At least UIC students have standings.

I'm sorry to hear about the tuition hike though.

SDN isn't for advertising your cause. Thread closed.