I want to thank the administrators at my daughter's college, Illinois Wesleyan University, for alerting Illinois MAP grant recipients about this tremendous loss of funding.

My daughter, one of approximately 430 at IWU and of 137,000 statewide, was awarded the highest amount a student could receive. This was based on need. That need has not changed.

It's my opinion that if she applied and was awarded state aid for this college year that we should receive all that was promised us. Not half. I am especially grateful for IWU's presence at the recent Illinois Student Assistance Commission hearing and have no doubt they will do whatever it takes in Springfield's General Assembly to lobby lawmakers to restore this important funding.

Karen Hanrahan

Bloomington