NORMAL -- Students at local campuses are mobilizing opposition to state cuts made to a popular tuition-assistance program.

By Wednesday, Illinois State University student leaders had collected about 3,600 student signatures on a petition aimed at legislators, said Scott Preston, a member of ISU's student government.

"We're trying to put names, stories and faces with the statistics," he said.

More than 155,000 Illinois students will be affected by the cuts to the need-based Monetary Assistance Program announced this fall. That includes students at ISU, Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College, Eureka College, Lincoln College and Lincoln Christian University.

Under this year's state budget, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, which distributes the grants, only received half its funding. So, student recipients received fall awards, but were told no money will be available for spring semester.

The 3,600 signatures at ISU "represent how many students here get MAP funding - about one of every six ISU students," he said.

ISU President Al Bowman has said the MAP cuts translate to more than a $6 million loss for ISU students. For some, it could mean having to drop out of college, he said. Bowman has asked lawmakers to revisit the topic during the legislature's October session.

Just north of ISU, Heartland Community College student leaders had gathered more than 600 signatures for a similar petition as of Wednesday, said Kate Venn, Heartland board student trustee.

"That's about 10 percent of our student body," she said.

Nearly 900 Heartland students had MAP grants in 2008-2009; leaders there estimate a loss of about $415,000.

Both Venn and Preston plan to be among a throng of collegiate faces converging Oct. 15 in Springfield for a lobby day about the issue. Each has helped with the petition drives on their campuses.

On Tuesday, state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, told a crowd at ISU that Gov. Pat Quinn and other lawmakers are discussing possible solutions to the cuts.

"That's a step in the right direction," Preston said of the lawmakers' attention.