Peoria is home to small, private Bradley University, but the City Council wants to find a way to lure a public university campus to the central Illinois city.
The council on Wednesday decided to make the pursuit of a public university a priority.
City manager Patrick Urich was at the meeting with council members. He said they plan to talk over the next six months with state lawmakers and other state-level officials about the idea. Council members see the addition of a public university as a key component in developing the city.
Urich said the city shouldn't expect a 4-year public university to come to Peoria any time soon.
And he said council members don't mean to diminish the importance of Bradley.