Demanding Democracy: Elected Board for CCC

Oak Park, IL — May 21, 2025 — Standing outside Illinois Senate President Don Harmon's district office, a coalition of Chicago City Council members, educators, and community advocates held a passionate rally to demand action on Senate Bill 1693. The bill would establish an elected Board of Trustees for the City Colleges of Chicago, currently the only community college system in the state where leadership is appointed rather than elected.

“We are here today to demand democracy,” declared Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez. “City Colleges should not be the exception. Every community college system in the state of Illinois has an elected board, except ours.”

City Council members lined up beside members of the Cook County College Teachers Union and grassroots organizations, including the Alliance for Community Services and Northside Action for Justice. They called attention to the fact that SB 1693 has the backing of 41 co-sponsors in the Illinois Senate, nearly 70% of the chamber, yet remains stalled without a committee hearing.

“Today, we are delivering our message directly to the doorstep of Senate President Don Harmon. But let’s be clear: this is bigger than one person. This is a call for all senators who represent the city of Chicago to stand with us and help move this legislation forward," said Troy Swanson, CCCTU Legislative Chair. "Our students and our communities deserve accountability. They deserve a voice."

The rally underscored the urgency of the issue. Speakers described how the lack of democratic oversight has left students and faculty disconnected from decisions affecting their futures. Several emphasized that elected leadership would bring transparency, community input, and responsiveness to a system that has too often operated behind closed doors.

"We are seeing the collapse of old democratic structures, and our job here in Illinois is to defend those structures and to expand them and create more opportunities for people to have a voice and to have a say," said Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez. "And we know we need to trust our community. We need to trust people. And our elected school board is going to make City Colleges better."

As the rally concluded, members of the City Council delivered a formal letter to Harmon’s staff. Signed by 17 alderpersons, the letter urges Harmon to allow SB 1693 to proceed through the legislative process and calls the current lack of progress “deeply concerning.” The letter reads: “City Colleges is the only community college district in Illinois where leadership is not elected by the people it serves. SB 1693 offers a long-overdue correction.”

The rally’s message was clear and unified: Chicagoans deserve the same democratic rights as every other community in Illinois when it comes to governing their colleges. The crowd dispersed with chants and signs calling for equity, accountability, and a seat at the table.

SB 1693 Letter.pdf

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