Springfield is the first hub in the University of Illinois’ Illinois Innovation Network, as UIS as absorbed the business incubator Innovate Springfield.
Gov. Rauner calls the concept integrating the university into the economy.
“Just as Harvard and MIT have done for the extraordinary growth in the New England economy,” he said, “just as Stanford and Berkeley and Caltech have done for the West Coast, right here, we are not in second or third place on the research universities on those coasts. We’re Number One.”
But, Governor, how can you call yourself a champion of higher education when you presided over a two-year budget standoff which hurt higher education?
“Well, we’re making progress to making Illinois’ education system the best in the world,” he responded to reporters after the event. “Under our administration, we have record funding K-12, and more equitable funding K-12. We have record funding for early childhood education, and now, my next step, in the next 24 months, I want record funding for our higher education system, our university system, our community colleges.”
So, was it a mistake to build Sangamon State University way out there? UIS Chancellor Susan Koch says it really is not way out there, especially with the new Eleventh Street extension.
And Mayor Langfelder reminded everyone he was a downtown student in his college days.