SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Board of Higher Education hopes a proposal it could adopt Tuesday could start easing the continually rising costs of going to college.

Its "Public Agenda" comes as a recent annual national report on colleges gave Illinois a grade of "F" in affordability. It also comes along just as Gov. Rod Blagojevich has asked universities to cut back on their spending this year.

Some of the board's agenda seeks changes to help low- and middle-income families better afford college. The report describes the situation as having two states of Illinois, one of which can afford college more easily than the other.

"One Illinois is pretty well educated and remains prosperous," said Judy Irwin, executive director of the state Board of Higher Education.

The panel plans to adopt the blueprint at a meeting in Chicago.

Blagojevich recently asked all public universities not to spend about 2.5 percent of the money the state had budgeted.

Tuition rates for state students have risen sharply in the past several years. Eastern Illinois University President William Perry said those increases have to level off at some point.

But with state funding unlikely to increase much, it is unclear when that could happen.

Perry said he thinks in three or four years, some kind of statewide re-evaluation of higher education will have to happen.

With the economy further stressing a state budget already full of shortfalls, Blagojevich has asked for more power to cut university budgets even further. Lawmakers have balked at giving him that power.

mike.riopell@lee.net / (217) 789-0865