Federation of Illinois Independent Colleges and Universities

The Federation Through the Years
When a select group of private college presidents convened in Chicago in 1904 to form the Federation, they could not have imagined where their efforts would lead. In the early years, the main activity was the annual dinner for presidents and spouses, which was an occasion for socializing, swapping stories, and discussing informally the major academic issues of the day. Now entering its 101st year, the Federation is the oldest private college association in the nation. What began as an elite social club for college presidents, is now a leading advocate for independent institutions, presidents and their students needs.

Beginning in about 1910, the Federation transformed itself into a serious forum for the study of pedagogy, curriculum and accreditation as debate on these topics roiled the waters of academe. In the 1920s, competition with the University of Illinois and the state colleges moved onto the Federation agenda. To meet this perceived threat, the Federation began to experiment with joint advertising campaigns to promote the value of a private college education. In 1921, for example, a series of advertisements were placed in the Chicago Tribune. (In that long-ago era the Federation met but once a year, and the annual dues in 1923 were $5 for full membership and $2.50 for associate membership!)

With veterans flooding college campuses after World War II, the Federation in the 1940s and 1950s turned its attention to higher education planning and government funding. At the 1947 annual meeting, the keynote topic was statewide academic planning, and two panels discussed prospects for extending federal support of higher education beyond the G.I. Bill. In the tumultuous 1960s, the Federation evolved into an active lobbying organization to take advantage of the new federal and state aid programs. Quickly its new task became twofold: to bring maximum funds to the private colleges and promote other beneficial legislation, and to put out fires to oppose harmful legislative and agency actions. To provide leadership for the lobbying effort, Pete Akers, a former editor of the Chicago Sun-Times, was hired in the late 1960s as the first president of the Federation.

With government aid programs increasing in importance, the Federations focus on lobbying intensified in the 1970s under the leadership of the Federations second president, retired Navy Admiral Albin Stormy Weber. A researcher was added to the Federation staff, and white papers were crafted to support lobbying of key legislators. In 1981, the Federation established the Institute of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities (a 501 C-3 entity) to facilitate fundraising from corporate and foundation sources.

Under new staff leadership in the mid-1980s and early 1990s, the Federation added public and media relations to its repertory of advocacy techniques to help maintain the private college share at a time of state budget restrictions. Federation staff worked increasingly with the Board of Higher Education and the Student Assistance Commission as these key agencies undertook a number of special studies and task force initiatives affecting the interests of the private sector.

Cognizant of the increasing cost crunch on member campuses in the late 1990s, the Federation launched a number of member service programs designed to take advantage of the economies of scale possible with a large group of private institutions. Principal among these were the IllinoisMentor website for student recruitment, an initiative for student health insurance, and the Illinois Educational Facilities Authority working capital program (now part of the Illinois Finance Authority).

The Challenge Ahead
For much of the last ten years, the State Legislature has been increasingly interested in the condition of the states higher education system. The Federation continues to increase our level of involvement with legislators and the Governor. In the Illinois General Assembly, some key leaders are strong supporters of private higher education, yet many other public officials still need further education about the importance of the sector. Just as the face of private college students and private colleges themselves is ever changing, so must our advocacy efforts.

The Federations success in the past has turned on its ability to adjust to changing conditions. What are the challenges that confront the private sector in the next decade and beyond? Topping the list are a gradual decreasing state commitment to overall higher education funding, intensified competition from both out-of-state and in-state public universities, a widening tuition gap for lower income students, burgeoning costs and a stumbling economy that has depressed endowments and private sources of financial support. These are problems that may be beyond the reach of traditional campus cost cutting and incremental restitution of state funding. Rather, broader, more systemic change may be needed change that may require some reworking of state fiscal policy as well as a rethinking of cost containment strategies.