Illinois Auditor General William Holland to speak at Legislative Internship Program Hall of Fame induction

Illinois Auditor General William Holland will be a featured speaker at the Samuel K. Gove Legislative Internship Hall of Fame induction Monday, November 16, 2009 at the Executive Mansion in Springfield. Holland’s remarks will be part of the induction ceremony to induct five individuals into the Samuel K. Gove Legislative Internship Program Hall of Fame: John Day, formerly of Rochester and now of Mill Creek, Wash.; Claire Eberle of Springfield; Stephen J. Pacey of Paxton; the late Lee Schwartz of Chicago; and Gretchen Winter of Chicago.

Joining Holland on the program will be Kent Redfield, retired director of the Institute for Legislative Studies and political science professor emeritus at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS). Other state dignitaries on hand to provide introductory remarks for the inductees will include former Governor Jim Edgar, former U.S. Rep. Terry Bruce, retired Secretary of the Senate Linda Hawker, U.S. District Court Judge Wayne Andersen and David Epstein, attorney and retired Court of Claims judge.

The event is sponsored by Illinois Issues magazine, the state’s leading public policy magazine. The hall of fame is named for Samuel Gove, one of the magazine’s founders and a longtime director of the internship program. Both the magazine and the Illinois Legislative Staff Internship Program are part of UIS’ Center for State Policy and Leadership. The hall was established in 1990, and new inductees are named every two years. Those newly named bring the number honored as hall-of-famers to 49. Inductees are chosen by a selection committee for their contributions to Illinois and its citizens, and in recognition of the important role public service internships play in developing public sector leadership. Other hall of fame members include Holland, Edgar, former U.S. Attorney Rodger Heaton, Sen. Kirk Dillard and the late Sen. Prescott Bloom.

The November 16 event at the Executive Mansion will include a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by the induction ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $60 per person. Reservations and payment can be made online at http://illinoisissues.uis.edu/ or by calling (217) 206-6084 no later than Monday, November 9.

Speakers Series presents Drawing Attention: Comics as a Means of Approaching U.S. Cultural Diversity

WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents Drawing Attention: Comics as a Means of Approaching U.S. Cultural Diversity. The presentation features Dr. Derek Royal, Associate Professor of English in the Department of Literature and Languages at Texas A&M University – Commerce.

WHEN: Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS
(The event will be available via live webcast and video on demand at http://www.uis.edu/technology/uislive.html)

DETAILS: Dr. Royal proposes that graphic narratives—e.g., comic books, comic strips, and graphic novels—highlight many of the issues surrounding race and ethnicity, a significant determinant of America’s contemporary cultural landscape. He will also explain how comics can be an indispensible medium when negotiating ethno-racial differences.
http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/droyal/

For more information and a list of other speakers series events visit http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries or contact Kimberly Craig at 217/206-6245 or craig.kimberly@uis.edu.

UIS Toastmasters Club welcomes 2006 World Champion of Public Speaking

WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Toastmasters Club welcomes Award-Winning public speaker Ed Hearn

WHEN: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Public Affairs Center (PAC) Restaurant

DETAILS: Edward E. Hearn was born into a large family in Springfield. His father, Major Hearn, was a functionally illiterate factory worker who played a key role in making certain that all of his children pursued hard work and education as a way of escaping poverty and hopelessness.

In January of 2006 Ed decided to compete in the Toastmaster’s International World Championship of Public Speaking, an annual contest that is billed as the “World Series of Public Speaking”. The event involves approximately 26,000 contestants from 30 different countries. Ed roused the audience as well as a panel of 20 International Judges with his gift for speaking, and walked away with the First Place Trophy!

Edward E. Hearn is living proof that failure is not final, and that we can all overcome life’s adversities, if we are willing to try. His story is motivational, inspirational, and humorous, all at the same time! His passion, love for life, and ability to touch the hearts and souls of an audience is also the primary reason Ed was crowned the 2006 World Champion of Public Speaking.

For more information contact Rachel Hasenyager at 217/206-6508 or rhase01s@uis.edu.

Speakers Series: Can the Israeli-Palestinian conflict be solved?

WHAT: The UIS Jewish Student Union presents Can the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Be Solved? The discussion features foreign journalist Yaakov Katz, military correspondent for the Jerusalem Post.

WHEN: Monday, October 26, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium is on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS
(The event will be available via live webcast and video on demand at http://www.uis.edu/technology/uislive.html)

DETAILS: Katz has covered military operations in Israel over the past decade including Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip earlier this year. His talk will focus on the motive behind the launching of the operation, its results, and the larger question of whether peace between Israel and the Palestinians is still attainable.

For more information about this event contact Bret Tate, Co-Chair of the Jewish Student Union, at 612/532-8556 or btate2@uis.edu .

This event is part of the UIS Speaker Series. For more information about the series visit http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries or contact Kimberly Craig at 217/206-6245 or craig.kimberly@uis.edu.

PAPS: Anne Feeney & David Rovics in Concert

WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield presents Political Art and the Public Sphere featuring folk singers, songwriters, and activists Anne Feeney & David Rovics in concert.

WHEN: Monday, October 5, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS

ADDITIONAL INFO: Anne Feeney and David Rovics share an interest in using their music to raise questions about social and political issues, to share with listeners some of the history of the diverse struggles of the impoverished, marginalized and exploited, and to inspire people to work together for social and economic justice.

With her conscience and consciousness shaped by the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, Anne Feeney has been called the best labor singer in North America. Rovics, who writes journalism pieces periodically as he tours the world, has been called the musical voice of the progressive movement in the US and the musical version of Democracy Now! Accomplished musicians and songwriters, both allow their music to be downloaded and shared with organizers, other activists and myriad fans.

For more information contact Richard Gilman-Opalsky at 217/206-8328 or rgilm3@uis.edu.

Speakers Series presents Paul Simon: A public career worth imitating

WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents journalist Robert Hartley discussing the political career of Paul Simon

WHEN: Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS
(The event will be available via live webcast and video on demand at http://www.uis.edu/technology/uislive.html)

ADDITIONAL INFO: The personal value system and attitudes toward government that Simon followed over 40 years in elective office were developed in large part during his service as a newspaper editor and state legislature. How those played out in terms of specific experiences will be discussed. The emphasis will be on his Illinois political years ending in 1973, with some references to his later congressional service.

Robert E. Hartley is the author of several published books and articles concentrating on Illinois politics and history. Hartley has written books on prominent political figures in Illinois, including Charles H. Percy, James R. Thompson, Paul Powell, and Paul Simon. Hartley had a long career in communication fields (newspapers and governmental affairs) from 1959 to 1999. From 1962 to 1979 he worked as an editor and columnist on newspapers in central and southern Illinois.
http://www.illinoisauthors.org/authors/Robert_E._Hartley

For more information and a list of other speakers series events visit http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries or contact Kimberly Craig at 217/206-6245 or craig.kimberly@uis.edu.

Speakers Series: Battle in Seattle

WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents Battle in Seattle film viewing followed by a discussion moderated by Richard Gilman-Opalsky.

WHEN: Monday, September 21, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS

ADDITIONAL INFO: Battle in Seattle is a 2007 film based on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference of 1999 protest activity. Thousands of activists arrive in Seattle to protest the WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999. The movie takes an in-depth look at characters during those five days in as demonstrators protested the meeting of the WTO in Seattle's streets. Protests began with a goal of stopping the WTO talks, and escalated to a State of Emergency that pitted protesters against the police and National Guard. http://www.battleinseattlemovie.com/

For more information and a list of other speakers series events visit http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries or contact Kimberly Craig at 217/206-6245 or craig.kimberly@uis.edu.

Speakers Series: State of the Recovery

WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents a State of the Recovery panel discussion on the status of the Central Illinois economy.

WHEN: Friday, September 18, 2009 at 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: Public Affairs Center (PAC) Lobby at UIS

(The event will be available via live webcast and video on demand at http://www.uis.edu/technology/uislive.html)

ADDITIONAL INFO: WUIS General Manager Bill Wheelhouse will facilitate the panel discussion featuring Jeremy Hobson, Marketplace Wall Street reporter; Tim Landis, State Journal- Register business editor; and Ronald McNeil, Dean of the UIS College of
Business & Management.

For more information and a list of other speakers series events visit http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries or contact Kimberly Craig at 217/206-6245 or craig.kimberly@uis.edu.

ECCE program focuses on poststructuralism

The University of Illinois at Springfield will be hosting its final program for the summer Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series on Wednesday, July 15 at 6 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. The program is called “This Event is Not Taking Place: Truth, Reality and History in Baudrillard’s Political Philosophy” and will be presented by Dr. Richard Gilman-Opalsky.

The lecture, followed by an open discussion, will focus on some of the central claims of the work of Jean Baudrillard and the most provocative tenets of late 20th century French social and political philosophy, especially the movement known as “poststructuralism.” Gilman-Opalsky will discuss how this movement challenges the ways we think and speak about the world in which we live. Background knowledge about Jean Baudrillard or “poststructuralism” is not needed to understand and participate in this program.

Gilman-Opalsky is an assistant professor of political philosophy in the Department of Political Science at UIS. His teaching areas and research interests include the history of political philosophy, continental and contemporary political theory, socialist philosophy, globalization, cosmopolitanism, critical theory, and poststructuralism.

For information about the ECCE Speaker Series, contact Kimberly Craig, series coordinator, at 206-6245 or e-mail speakerseries@uis.edu.

ECCE program to discuss cultural connections

The University of Illinois at Springfield will be hosting a program called “Bridging Across Cultures: Challenges and Opportunities” presented by Dr. Nithyakala Karuppaswamy on Wednesday, July 1, at 12 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus.

The event is part of the Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series at UIS.

The program will discuss why developing the skills of cross-cultural connection is not only recommended, but necessary to succeed in today’s global environment. Connecting across cultures involves understanding one’s own background, strengths and biases; being curious and learning about the others’ culture; and developing genuine connection by persisting in the face of obstacles. Karuppaswamy will address each of these steps by using cross-cultural connections between individuals from India and the U.S. as examples.

Karuppaswamy is an assistant professor of Human Development Counseling at UIS. Her areas of specialization include multicultural counseling, racial identity development, couples and family therapy, spirituality and the intersection of Western and Eastern worldviews in therapy.

For information about the ECCE Speaker Series, contact Kimberly Craig, series coordinator, at 206-6245 or e-mail speakerseries@uis.edu.

Dr. Peter Wenz to discuss political philosophies in the U.S. during ECCE presentation

Dr. Peter Wenz, University of Illinois at Springfield Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, will present a program called “How to Form Political Coalitions without Sacrificing Personal Integrity” on Tuesday, June 9, at 7 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus.

Wenz’s presentation is part of the Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series at UIS. The event is free and open to the public.

The program will examine the cultural and political division in the United States between the left wing and right wing. Wenz argues that Americans use 12 political philosophies in their thinking, not simply a dual, Republican/Democrat approach when analyzing political and controversial issues. His talk will illustrate this possibility with discussion of same-sex marriage, school vouchers, genetic engineering and other current issues.

Wenz retired from UIS in December 2004 after spending 28 years as a member of the Philosophy Department. He also had a one-third joint appointment to do research and writing in what was originally called the Center for Legal Studies, now called the Institute for Legal, Legislative, and Policy Studies.

Wenz is the author of six books, the most recent of which is titled Beyond Red and Blue: How Twelve Political Philosophies Shape American Debates. After his presentation, the UIS bookstore will be selling copies of the book, and Wenz will also do a book signing.

This program is the first of four ECCE presentations this month. Other events include a program called “V for Vendetta: A Discussion of Terrorism and Political Violence,” with a showing of the movie V for Vendetta and a discussion with Dr. Richard Gilman-Opalsky, on Monday, June 15 at 6 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, and a program about the Southwind Park Project by Diane Mathis and Butch Elzea on Tuesday, June 23, at 2 p.m. in University Hall room 2008. Marc Miller will give a second program about the Southwind Park Project that will take place at the park on Friday, June 26, at 11 a.m., when community members and UIS students are invited to plant trees and gardens.

For information about any ECCE event, contact Kimberly Craig, series coordinator, at 206-6245 or e-mail speakerseries@uis.edu.

Downstate Innocence Project awards reception will also host unveiling of new book

The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, housed at the University of Illinois at Springfield, will host Michale Callahan, former Illinois State Police Commander of Investigations, as he unveils his new book at the Defenders of the Innocent Awards Reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, May 18, at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield.

In 2000, Michale Callahan was the newly promoted Investigations Commander over a nine-county area in East Central Illinois. His first assignment was to review the fourteen-year-old Paris, Illinois murder of a young, newlywed couple, Dyke and Karen Rhoads. Randy Steidl and Herbert Whitlock were convicted for those murders based primarily on the unreliable testimony of two witnesses. Callahan quickly recognized the injustice of the convictions and called for a reinvestigation of the case, only to be told by his superiors that it was “too politically sensitive.”

The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project was one of a number of organizations that were involved in attempting to exonerate Steidl, who received the death penalty, and Whitlock, who received a life sentence. In particular, Bill Clutter, the Project’s Director of Investigations, was actively involved in critiquing the convictions and generating the evidence that was ultimately used to overturn them and to free both individuals.

In his book, Callahan tells the story about his fight against the attempts to cover up the scandal of the convictions and silence him as he attempted to reopen the investigation. Ultimately, the fight cost him his career and his belief that our system was one of fairness and justice. As stated in the release about his book: “This book is about everyone’s worst nightmare, when the cover-up of any crime becomes more important than the injustice done to the victims. This true story is a warning and foreboding example of just what can happen now that a government can muzzle its employees to cover up its criminal acts.”

Callahan will be present to sell and sign the books for those attending the awards reception. Tickets to the awards reception are $100 and will be available at the door, or make reservations in advance by calling 217/206-7989.

For more information, contact Larry Golden at 217/553-7171.

UIS Innocence Project to hold awards reception

The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, housed in the Institute for Legal, Legislative and Policy Studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield, will hold the Defenders of the Innocent Awards Reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, May 18, at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield. The event is open to the public; however, reservations are required.

The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project works to assist the wrongfully convicted by providing resources for investigation and research, and to develop policy proposals that would help prevent the conviction of innocent persons in the future. This awards reception is the second annual event to recognize individuals and organizations who have worked to help achieve those goals.

The featured speaker at the reception will be Larry Marshall, who founded the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Bluhm Legal Clinic at Northwestern University Law School. Marshall’s work on death penalty exoneration cases led to reforms in the death penalty process in Illinois.

Springfield criminal defense attorney Michael Metnick will be honored with a Defender of the Innocent Award for his lifetime achievement in the defense of the innocent. During his career, Metnick devoted pro bono representation in the defense of two clients who had been sentenced to death for crimes they didn’t commit.

In 1988, Metnick undertook the retrial of Alejandro Hernandez, who was set free in 1995 after being convicted in the high-profile murder of Jeanine Nicarico of Naperville. That case, also involving Rolando Cruz, was one of the major inspirations for the innocence movement in Illinois and the nation.

In 1992, Metnick volunteered his services in the post-conviction representation of Randy Steidl, freed in 2004, after being convicted of the murder of Dyke and Karen Rhodes in Paris, Illinois in 1989.

Bill Clutter, the Project’s director of investigations, who worked with Metnick on both cases, said, “Mike Metnick’s heart and soul went into these cases with great passion and commitment. His determination to fight for his clients’ lives is the reason they are free today. He is a true champion of justice and deserves this recognition.”

The event will also honor the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, whose charitable support was instrumental in the formation of the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project. The Dominican Sisters of Springfield have devoted themselves to work in opposition to the death penalty.

Innocence Project Director Larry Golden, who has worked with the Dominican Sisters on a number of social justice projects, noted “The Sisters have a commitment to social justice unequaled in our community. They lead through their actions as well as their teaching. While they don’t seek publicity, these awards are one way their contributions can be recognized.”

Tickets are $100 and will be available at the door, or reservations may be made in advance by calling 217/206-7989.

For more information, contact Golden at 217/553-7171.

Earth Day speaker to focus on cleaning nation's rivers

The University of Illinois at Springfield will be celebrating Earth Day on Tuesday, April 21, with a presentation by Chad Pregracke called “Making a Difference in the World: My Journey to Clean America’s Rivers.” The program will be held at 7 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. It is free and open to the public.

Pregracke is the founder and president of Living Lands & Waters, a not-for-profit environmental organization based in East Moline, Ill. The organization has involved tens of thousands of volunteers with community-based river cleanups, Riverbottom Restoration Projects, Adopt-a-River Mile Program and Big River Educational Workshops.

Pregracke has been the recipient of more than 40 national awards for his service and is the author of From the Bottom Up: One Man’s Crusade to Clean America’s Rivers, which chronicles his journey to clean up America’s rivers one tire at a time.

During Pregracke’s Earth Day program at UIS, he will discuss his experiences growing up on the Mississippi River and how it led to his unique vision to clean up the Mississippi River, from underwater shell-diving to open-air community clean-ups.

Sponsors of the event include the ECCE (Engaged Citizenship Common Experience) Speaker Series and Office of the Provost. Co-sponsors are Students Allied for a Greener Earth (SAGE), College of Public Affairs and Administration, Department of Environmental Studies and the Senate Committee on Sustainability.

For more information, contact Tih-Fen Ting, professor of environmental studies, at 217/206-7876 or tting1@uis.edu.

UIS professor emeritus to give ECCE presentation

The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series will present UIS professor emeritus of History Cullom Davis for a lecture titled “Prisoners of Conscience in the Modern Era” on April 16 at 7 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. The event is free and open to the public.

During his presentation, Davis will reflect on the lives of modern and contemporary prisoners of conscience, such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar (Burma), who has been under house arrest for much of the time since 1988 for opposing the repressive national government.

Davis served for fifteen years as founding director of Sangamon State University’s Oral History Office and helped found the university’s master’s program in Public History. From 1988 to 2000, he was also director and senior editor of The Lincoln Legal Papers. In 2008, Davis was one of thirty citizens world-wide to receive the special bicentennial edition of The Order of Lincoln, the state’s highest honor.

A dessert reception will follow the lecture in the Public Affairs Center Restaurant. The event is sponsored by the Friends of Brookens Library.

The complete schedule of ECCE speakers and topics for the 2009 Spring Semester is available at http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries. For information about any ECCE event, contact Kimberly Craig, series coordinator, at 206-6245 or e-mail speakerseries@uis.edu.

Stalking Victimization is focus of ECCE Speaker Series program

The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series will host a program called “Real Fear, Real Crime: Stalking Victimization in the United States” on Wednesday, April 15, at 4 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center, room G, on the UIS campus. The event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be provided.

A recent national report showed that 3.4 million people are stalking annually in the United States, and this program will address the realities of stalking and the role everyone can play to stop stalking.

The program’s speaker is Michelle Garcia, director of the Stalking Resource Center in Washington D.C., a non-profit program within the National Center for Victims of Crime working to raise national awareness about stalking. Garcia, a past resident of Champaign-Urbana, has more than fifteen years experience working with victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking in both rural and urban settings and advocating for victims’ rights on a local, state and national level.

The event is sponsored by the ECCE Speakers Series and the UIS Women’s Center. The complete schedule of ECCE speakers and topics for the 2009 Spring Semester is available at http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries. For information about any ECCE event, contact Kimberly Craig, series coordinator, at 206-6245 or e-mail speakerseries@uis.edu.

PAPS series to show film “Montoneros”

The third and final installment for the University of Illinois at Springfield’s spring 2009 Political Art and the Public Sphere (PAPS) series will be held on Monday, April 13, at 6 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus.

The event will offer a viewing of the film “Montoneros” with a discussion to follow. Special guest Adriana Crocker, professor of political science at UIS, will speak about her personal experience as a young child living in Argentina during the time of the Montoneros.

The Montoneros Movement was an Argentine left-wing guerrilla group active during the 1960s and 1970s. The Montoneros were dedicated to the overthrow of the government in Argentina.

Founded as a militant fighting division by General Juan Perón before his exile to Paraguay in 1955, the Montoneros remained active during his 18-year absence. When Perón returned to Argentina in 1973, he condemned the Montoneros, who in response formed a revolutionary left wing. The military government and right-wing groups suppressed the Montoneros in the late 1970s.

Political Art and the Public Sphere features a showing or performance of some kind of “political art,” followed by a group discussion of the issues it raises. “The basic idea behind PAPS is to consider how ‘art’ raises provocative social and political questions,” noted Richard Gilman-Opalsky, coordinator of the series and professor of political philosophy at UIS.

“Public spheres are the places where people come together to communicate, to evaluate, and to circulate ideas and arguments,” Gilman-Opalsky added. “In the public sphere, people form a collective political opinion and will. Ultimately and ideally, the public sphere brings the interests and demands of the public to bear on those who hold power.”

For more information about this program or the PAPS series, contact Gilman-Opalsky by phone at 217/206-8328 or by e-mail at rgilm3@uis.edu.

Speaker for Islam program at UIS changed

Due to an illness in the family, Dalia Mogahed, executive director at the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, will not present “Who Speaks for Islam?” on Monday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium on the UIS campus. Instead, Magali Rheault, senior analyst at the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, will give a presentation. The event is free and open to the public.

Rheault’s main areas of research are integration and identity of European Muslims and perceptions of African Muslims. As part of the Muslim-West Facts Initiative and in collaboration with the Coexist Foundation, she travels the world to disseminate key findings from the Gallup World Poll to inform opinion leaders about Muslims’ views.

Rheault is also a senior consultant with the Gallup World Poll, where she analyzes public attitudes toward governance and entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa.

The program is sponsored by the World Affairs Council, the International Visitors' Commission, Sister Cities, the Islamic Society of Greater Springfield and the UIS ECCE Speaker Series.

An overflow area will be available in the Public Affairs Center conference rooms C/D. The presentation will be followed by a reception in the PAC Restaurant from 9 to 10 p.m.

UIS to host showing of movie 'Milk'

The University of Illinois at Springfield will host a showing of the movie Milk on Friday, March 27, in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus.

The first showing of Milk will begin at 3:30 p.m. with an “Out in Politics” panel discussion following at 6 p.m., also in Brookens Auditorium. A second showing of the film will begin at 8 p.m. Both showings and the panel discussion are free and open to the public; UIS students will receive priority seating.

Milk stars Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna and James Franco, and tells the story of Harvey Milk and his struggles as a gay activist in the United States.

In 1977, Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be voted into major public office in America. While in office, he forged coalitions across the political spectrum. From senior citizens to union workers, Milk changed the nature of what it means to be a fighter for human rights before his untimely death in 1978. The film charts the last eight years of Milk’s life.

The “Out in Politics” panel held between film showings will consist of LGBTQ-identified (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning) politicians who will share their experiences on being out and active in the political arena.

The event is sponsored by the UIS LGBTQ Resource Office and the LGBTQ Resource Office Programming Advisory Board.

For more information, contact the LGBTQ Resource Office at LGBTQ@uis.edu.

PAPS series continues with showing of "War Made Easy"

The University of Illinois at Springfield series Political Art and the Public Sphere continues with a screening of the film “War Made Easy” at 6 p.m. Monday, March 23, in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. Both the film and the discussion session that follows are free and open to the public.

Based on the best-selling book of the same title, written by Norman Solomon, “War Made Easy” exposes various strategies used by administrations, both Democratic and Republican, to promote agendas for war, from Vietnam to Iraq. The film offers an analysis of the role of media in producing popular support and encourages viewers to think critically about the techniques of persuasion used to promote and prolong the option of war.

Each month, Political Art and the Public Sphere will feature a showing or performance of some kind of “political art,” followed by a group discussion of the issues it raises. “The basic idea behind PAPS is to consider how ‘art’ raises provocative social and political questions,” noted Richard Gilman-Opalsky, professor of political philosophy at UIS and coordinator of the series.

“Public spheres are the places where people come together to communicate, to evaluate and to circulate ideas and arguments,” he added. “In the public sphere, people form a collective political opinion and will. Ultimately and ideally, the public sphere brings the interests and demands of the public to bear on those who hold power.”

For more information about this program or the PAPS series, contact Gilman-Opalsky by phone at 206-8328 or by e-mail at rgilm3@uis.edu.

Political cartoonist visits UIS for exhibit, ECCE series and PAPS program

The University of Illinois at Springfield series Political Art and the Public Sphere (PAPS)will resume for the spring 2009 semester with an open discussion with syndicated columnist and political cartoonist Ted Rall on Friday, February 27 at 1 p.m. in the Visual Arts Gallery, located in Health and Sciences Building room 201 on the UIS campus.

Rall's collection of cartoons, called Search and Destroy, will be on display at the Visual Arts Gallery from Thursday, February 26 through Monday, March 23. He will also participated in an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker’s Series artist’s talk in the Brookens Auditorium on Thursday, February 26 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. An opening reception will follow, including food and refreshments, in the gallery from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The exhibit and both events are free and open to the public.

Rall’s first cartoons were published in the Kettering-Oakwood (OH) Times. Inspired after meeting pop artist Keith Haring in a Manhattan subway station in 1986, Rall began posting his cartoons on New York City streets.

In 1991, Rall’s cartoons were signed for national syndication by San Francisco Chronicle Features, and later moved to Universal Press Syndicate. His cartoons now appear in more than 100 publications around the United States, including the Los Angeles Times, Tucson Weekly, Willamette Week, Newark Star-Ledger, Village Voice and The New York Times.

Rall considers himself a neo-traditionalist who uses a unique drawing style to revive the aggressive approach of Thomas Nast, who viewed editorial cartoons as a vehicle for change. His focus is on issues important to ordinary working people. His work comments on un- and under-employment, the environment and popular culture, and political and social trends.

During the PAPS event, Rall’s political cartoons will be on display in the gallery, followed by an open discussion with Rall about his cartoons.

Each month, Political Art and the Public Sphere will feature a showing or performance of some kind of “political art,” followed by a group discussion of the issues it raises. The basic idea behind PAPS is to consider how ‘art’ raises provocative social and political questions, noted Richard Gilman-Opalsky, coordinator of the series and professor of political philosophy at UIS.

“Public spheres are the places where people come together to communicate, to evaluate, and to circulate ideas and arguments,” Gilman-Opalsky said. “In the public sphere, people form a collective political opinion and will. Ultimately and ideally, the public sphere brings the interests and demands of the public to bear on those who hold power.”

For more information about this program or the PAPS series, contact Gilman-Opalsky by phone at 217/206-8328 or by e-mail at rgilm3@uis.edu.

For more information about the Visual Arts Gallery, go to www.uis.edu/visualarts or contact the gallery at 217/206-6506 or gallery@uis.edu. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

UIS hosts expert to discuss “The Psychology of False Confessions”

The University of Illinois at Springfield will be hosting Richard Leo, associate professor of Law at the University of San Francisco, for a presentation on “The Psychology of False Confessions” on Monday, November 10 at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Residence Hall Great Room on the UIS campus. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Leo is an expert on false confessions and his research of police interrogation procedures has led to a movement toward the video-taping of custodial interrogations. During the event, Leo will address questions regarding why individuals would falsely confess to crimes they did not commit and discuss measures to avoid false confessions from being used in the justice system for wrongful convictions.

Prior to the event, there will be an author’s reception in the Public Affairs Center restaurant in the lower level of the PAC from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. The cost is $50, and funds raised during the reception will go to support the work of the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project. The book The Wrong Guys, which Leo co-authored, will be available for purchase, and Leo will hold a book signing after both the reception and the presentation.

The subject of Leo’s book The Wrong Guys - a group of four Norfolk, Virgina men wrongly convicted based on false confessions - is also the focus of a film called “Eight Men Out,” which the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project will be running on cable channel Access 4.

Leo’s appearance is sponsored by the UIS Speakers’ Award Committee. The lecture has been certified for 1.5 hours of credit in the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, a national organization that provides continuing legal education to lawyers.

The UIS Downstate Illinois Innocence Project is housed within the Institute for Legal and Policy Studies. Under the project, students in Legal Studies and other degree programs provide research and investigative assistance to attorneys who are helping individuals who have been arrested, tried, found guilty and imprisoned for crimes the Project believes they did not commit.


For more information, contact Rhonda Keech at 217/206-7989.

UIS political art series to screen "American Blackout"

The University of Illinois at Springfield series Political Art and the Public Sphere will conclude for the fall semester with a screening of the film "American Blackout" at 6 p.m. Monday, November 10, in Brookens Auditorium, lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. Both the film and the discussion session that follows are free and open to the public.

While much has been said about alleged voting irregularities during the presidential elections of 2000 and 2004, these incidents are nevertheless often dismissed as rumors or unintentional mishaps resulting from an overburdened election system.

Filmmaker Ian Inaba's "furious documentary" chronicles recurring patterns of voter disenfranchisement from Florida 2000 to Ohio 2004 and follows the story of Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who not only took an active role in investigating these election debacles, but found herself in the center of another controversy after publicly questioning the Bush Administration about the 9/11 attacks. New York Times movie critic Jeannette Catsoulis concluded: "'American Blackout' isn't a conspiracy rant. It's a methodical compilation of questions and irregularities that deserves a wider audience."

This fall the PAPS series focused on questions of race and class in modern American politics. Series facilitator Richard Gilman-Opalsky, assistant professor of political philosophy at UIS, said, "This is a provocative film and it should lead us into an open discussion about the disenfranchisement of African American voters one week after the 2008 presidential election, where tales of long lines, voter suppression, and vote counting questions littered the news in the preceding weeks."

Gilman-Opalsky explained that the basic idea of PAPS is to consider how "art" can raise important social and political questions. "Public spheres are the places where people come together to communicate, to evaluate, and to circulate ideas and arguments," he added. "In the public sphere, people form a collective political opinion and will. Ultimately and ideally, the public sphere brings the interests and demands of the public to bear on those who hold power."

For more information about this program or the PAPS series, contact Gilman-Opalsky by phone at 206-8328 or by e-mail at rgilm3@uis.edu.

Webcast for Campus Sustainability Day

A live interactive webcast on "Climate Realities, Challenges and Progress in Higher Education" will be open to members of the campus community (release time policy applies for staff)

1 to 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 22, in Brookens Auditorium

Made possible by the UIS Provost’s Office, Senate Committee on Sustainability, and Office of Sustainability

See a description of the program and information about the moderator and speakers

Contact Facilities and Services at 6-6530 for details.

UIS to host panel discussion of civil unions

The University of Illinois at Springfield will host an informational panel discussion on civil unions beginning at 7 p.m. Monday, October 20, in conference room C/D, lower level of the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. The event is free and open to the public.

Panelists will include Rick Garcia, public policy director for Equality Illinois; Jim Madigan, staff attorney at Lambda Legal; and Gail Clodfelter, a representative for Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) of Springfield. Discussants will also include a couple who will be directly affected by the passage or defeat of the Civil Unions Act (HB 1826), currently pending in the Illinois House of Representatives.

HB 1826, The Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act, would extend basic state-level protections and responsibilities to all adult, committed couples by recognizing civil unions. The Act also preserves the separation of church and state and ensures that religious denominations would not be forced to recognize or sanctify relationships they oppose.

Sponsors of this discussion session are the UIS Safe Zone program and Campus Health Service.
For more information, contact Campus Health Services at UIS at 206-6676.