I understand your disappointment but if it makes you feel any better, Illinois higher ed is a mess right now. UIUC is big enough and strong enough that it going to be fine but others are beginning to struggle. We have been without a budget for 7 months and the state is not paying the money it owes to schools, hospitals, etc. Living in the state and working in higher ed here, it is a huge emotional drain on me and my colleagues, not to mention students who have not received the financial aid promised by the state. The regional schools are slashing programs and even tenured faculty are on the chopping block there. This may be a blessing in disguise, because even thought UIUC should be fairly stable over the long term, the current political atmosphere is hurting the morale of both students and educators. I wouldn’t be surprised if some UIUC faculty begin looking for greener pastures in other states.