S&B Global Ratings upgraded four Illinois universities and took 3 others off of their watch for potential downgrade, after the state finally ended the standoff over the budget, which left schools reeling from the loss of financial aid. The legislature’s decision earlier this month to override Governor Bruce Rauner’s veto, to enact the 1st full budget in over 2 years, lifted the financial threat to the state’s public colleges. Those universities have been forced to lay off employees, slash spending and shutter programs that coped with the funding delays. An S&B analyst stated on Monday, that these universities immediate liquidity risks as a result of the state’s failure to provide timely payment of operating appropriations are mitigated with the recent passage of the fiscal 2018 budget and finally a retroactive payment for the 2017 fiscal year. Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and Governors State University had their ratings lifted by one level to BB+, which is one step below investment grade. Northeastern Illinois University and Eastern Illinois University were upgraded by one step for B+, which is four levels below investment grade. All four were finally moved from negative to stable outlooks.