University of Illinois trustees have approved a plan to open a new public-private medical school at the Urbana-Champaign campus.
The unanimous vote on Thursday means the university and Urbana-based Carle Foundation hospital will negotiate the details of the hospital's pledge to provide $100 million to the project over 10 years.
The school's startup costs are estimated at $100 million. It will open in 2017.
The plan was recommended by university President Robert Easter. He said the new school will help university research and teaching while providing a potential model for public-private funding as government support of higher education dwindles.
Gov. Bruce Rauner has proposed a state budget that sharply cuts funding for public universities. The school will be independent of the existing College of Medicine in Chicago.
