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Bush proposal would divert GEAR UP funding to new initiative
Springfield GEAR UP project in last year, would not be affected

By Tom Cronin - Public Affairs Reporter

A federal program made up of local partnerships designed to help low-income high school students prepare for college would lose all federal funding under President George W. Bush’s fiscal year 2006 budget proposal, but the proposal would not affect a local project affiliated with the program because the project is in its last year.
According to a summary of the budget proposal on the U.S. Department of Education’s Web site, $306.5 million in federal funding to the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs initiative would be reallocated to help fund a new $1.5 billion High School Initiative and several projects associated with the No Child Left Behind Act.
Larry Stonecipher, dean of the College of Education and Human Services, said in an e-mail message to The Journal that the Springfield Public Schools Partnership began a GEAR UP project in 1999 that targeted a cohort of low-income seventh graders at Washington Middle School. The partnership still offers the services of the project to these students, who are now seniors at Lanphier High School.
Involved in the Springfield GEAR UP partnership are UIS, Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield School District 186 and the Springfield Urban League.
At press conference held on Feb. 1 at UIS, the SBC Foundation awarded the Springfield Partnership two $50,000 to support GEAR UP programs. The first grant was designed to help enhance teaching and learning through instructional technologies at Lanphier High School. The second grant aimed to fund after-school and summer academic enrichment programs in math, science, reading and technological literacy at the high school.
Stonecipher said that the partnership has received the funds and will use them during the 2005 calendar year. Although the current GEAR UP project will end following the completion of the academic year, Stonecipher said that partnership members have been discussing strategies “to sustain the successful components of the original GEAR UP grant at Lanipher and possible expansion into Franklin Middle School and Southeast High School.”
The partnership would need support from the community and the Springfield Chamber of Commerce to successfully implement the GEAR UP components, he said.
“We’ve certainly stepped back and taken a look at this, and said, ‘What have we learned as a result of this partnership?’” said Sue Dole, deputy superintendent of Springfield School District 186. “… What we’ve learned is that if we do start talking to students very early on about their expectations [for the future], that can make a difference, and that students and their families who really haven’t thought about a variety of options are now thinking about them.”
Of the cohort of Lanphier High School seniors currently served by GEAR UP, over 55 percent have applied to college, Stonecipher said. Last year, only 12 percent of these students applied to college.
The summary of the budget proposal on the Department of Education’s Web site said that the administration’s new High School Intervention Initiative would provide a more comprehensive approach to improving high school education and increasing student achievement than GEAR UP. The summary also stated that data were not available to measure progress toward the long-term goals of GEAR UP.
Stonecipher said that he hopes the proposed initiative, if implemented, would satisfactorily make up for the elimination of GEAR UP funding, but he said it was discouraging to see that a program that has shown signs of success is being proposed for elimination in the future.

SGA decides spring election timeline, selects new representative

By Jason Satek - SGA/General Assignment

   The Student Government Association held its latest meeting Sunday night, beginning the session with nine members present and achieving a voting quorum before the addition of a tenth member minutes into preliminary business.
President Tyson Roan began Standing Committee reports by outlining three possible scenarios for a spring election timeline to determine the SGA for the next year. Taking into account the ramifications of the nearness of the elections, Roan proposed that the current SGA dedicate their next scheduled meeting (March 6) largely to the business of solidifying Constitutional bylaws and begin an hour earlier than normal to ensure it receives the required time.
Secondly, Roan spoke about the student representative/Illinois Board of Higher Education meeting to be held on this campus on Feb. 24 at 12 p.m. The stated purpose of the gathering is to unify Illinois schools in their efforts to collectively lobby against rising costs, with Roan encouraging the representatives to attend and spread the word among other students.
The report of the Budget Review Committee was given by Treasurer Jason Kennedy, who stated that the monies spent to this point were less than half of the total budget, in accordance with the plan to have a larger amount available for spring activities.
Under Special Committee reports, Kennedy spoke again about the actions of the Greek Life Committee in regards to its efforts to generate a school debate on the possible inclusion of the social organizations and to what degree it might be fostered.
This “educational phase” of debate will feature upcoming articles examining the diversity of organizations, their relation to alcohol and drug abuse, and the feasibility of inclusion. A student survey will follow afterwards to measure campus attitudes and those results will be put together into a SGA report to aid in the decision-making.
The agenda was then rearranged to facilitate pressing business, as two students were present, hoping to fill the Representative at Large position vacated at the last meeting. Jáhnette Coleman and Kevin Parker both presented short biographical histories of themselves and then answered questions by the members. A motion to close the session and debate who would be chosen carried, and the chamber was emptied.
Thirty-one minutes later, the session was reconvened. The decision was made more difficult by the fact that Representative from Liberal Arts & SciencesAshkat Agarwal had sent his resignation in earlier this month, and upon its acceptance, there were in fact two positions open, but only one was an “At Large” slot and neither of the prospective members were from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Determined to maintain the spirit of diversity of university representation, it was determined that only the At Large position could be filled, and that Jáhnette Coleman had been chosen.
Roan praised Parker as an “excellent candidate,” noting his involvement on campus and encouraged him to run in the upcoming elections as proof of his caliber and worthiness for office. Coleman was then confirmed and joined the proceedings.
The three election timetables were brought up for consideration under new business, and after some debate, the second of the options was passed by motion. The timeline accepted is as follows: March 21- Applications for Executive Officers Available, April 3- Applications due, mandatory candidate meeting, campaigning begins, April 13 & 14- SGA elections, April 15- Results Announced.
Assistant Dean of Students Jim Korte advised the SGA that the tabulation of the vote totals might be subject to availability of university resources and a proposal was put forth by Representative Liz Moran to have applications be available via the internet, if possible, to facilitate involvement.
Motions to grant funds for the Alumni Association Etiquette Dinner, the IBHE meeting, and the Conference of Student Government Associations school exchange passed, and the meeting adjourned.

Bush proposal would divert GEAR UP funding to new initiative

SGA decides spring election timeline, selects new representative