Editorial says professor's arguments are correct regarding ethics in state

The State Journal-Register ran an editorial on July 31, 2009, calling for modifications to the state ethics bill.

The editorial mentions Charlie Wheeler, director of the public affairs reporting program at UIS, who argued recently in Illinois Issues magazine that the legislature did its job extinguishing the ethical fires disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich left within the executive branch. The article says that Wheeler's opinions are correct.

Download a PDF of the article
20090731-SJR-ethicsbill.pdf

UIS student heads to Switzerland for Global Model United Nations Conference

Kelsey Quinn, senior at UIS, is spending the weekend of August 1 in Geneva, Switzerland, where she will be portraying a United Nations delegate from Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Global Model U.N. Conference.

Quinn and her trip to the conference was the subject of a feature story in the July 28, 2009, Daily Chronicle.

Download a PDF of the article
20090728-DailyChronicle-KelseyQuinnUN.pdf

UIS professor explains changes in governors' offices

The state is already looking ahead to the next gubernatorial race, and UIS political science professor Chris Mooney was recently interviewed by Chicago Public Radio about the change in the governors' offices.

Listen to the interview here or download a PDF of the story's synopsis
20090730-ChiPublicRadio-governor.pdf

UIS mentioned in national article about online learning and technology

The world is getting smaller and smaller with the emergence of new technology every day, and the Web provides countless opportunities for online learning.

Technology and online learning was the topic of an article in the August 2009 Chief Learning Officer magazine, which mentioned UIS' online learning and degree programs.

Download a PDF of the article
200908-ChiefLearningOffice-onlinelearning.pdf

Professor weighs in on large mammoth bone found

Comments from Dr. Dennis Ruez, professor of environmental studies at UIS, were featured in a WICS news story about the finding of a large mammoth bone in Illinois. Dr. Ruez says the find will be instrumental for research and learning and is important for Illinois.

Watch the video clip here:
http://www.wics.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wics_vid_233.shtml

Capital spending plan criticized for giving money to private entities

When Gov. Pat Quinn signed a $31 billion capital spending measure this month, he and lawmakers who approved the bill touted the many state benefits the plan would create, not to mention jobs.

But a system in which party caucuses divvy up millions of dollars for private entities such as theaters, veterans groups, museums and zoos is not a good system, according to others, including Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's comments on the topic were featured in a July 26, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090726-SJR-capitalspending.pdf

Global Campus renamed "e-Learning Initiative"

The Global Campus Initiative, an e-learning effort that will expand educational access to other student populations, has been renamed "e-Learning Initiative." It was discussed during a meeting of the UI Chancellors and Provostial Committee.

UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen said the primary goal was a “grass roots faculty movement” to provide the support and innovation e-LI needs. The budget requested for e-LI was $3.8 million over 3 to 5 years, helping to compensate for an anticipated 4,000 new students, Ringeisen said.

Ringeisen's comments were featured in a July 23, 2009, article in the Daily Illini about the new initiative.

Download a PDF of the article
20090723-DI-elearninginitiative.pdf

Furlough days a possibility for U of I

A message from University of Illinois President B. Joseph White and the chancellors at the three U of I campuses went out alerting staff and faculty that unpaid furlough days may be considered as a way to alleviate any budget deficits.

The topic was featured in a July 22, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the story
20090722-SJR-furlough%20days.pdf

Lawmakers also played big part in U of I admissions scandal

The uproar over the admissions policy at the University of Illinois has focused mainly on campus officials, but state lawmakers pulled the majority of strings that set off the crisis over money and political influence.

A call from a legislator carries clout, according to Kent Redfield, a professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's comments were featured in a July 20, 2009, Associated Press article about the U of I admissions process.

Download a PDF of the article
20090720-AP-UIadmissions.pdf

Surprise item for UIS shows up on capitol projects plan

From the $31 billion in capital projects approved this week by Gov. Pat Quinn, UIS is supposed to receive $209,126 to “plan and begin construction of a supercomputing applications
facility.”

But the news comes as a surprise to UIS, which is not aware of any construction like that.

The surprise item was featured in a July 15, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090715-SJR-computerfacility.pdf

Quinn calls off tax hike vote for now

In calling off any tax hike vote for at least five months, Gov. Pat Quinn could be minimizing
the potential political fallout for himself and lawmakers who side with him.

But it also may be that it's a "reflection of the natural human propensity to put off hard decisions until the last minute," said Christopher Mooney, professor of political science at UIS.

Mooney's remarks were featured in a July 14, 2009, article in the Chicago Daily Herald about the budget.

Download a PDF of the article
20090714-DailyHerald-Budgetdelay.pdf

Governor job and Senate position are up for grabs

With Roland Burris' announcement to not seek a full Senate term and Lisa Madigan wanting to stay put in the Attorney General position, the Senate and Governor's jobs are the
top two up for grabs.

But UIS political science professor Chris Mooney says the two are very different jobs, and he thinks the Senate seat is more "winnable" because current Governor Pat Quinn is a stronger candidate than Roland Burris.

The topic was featured in a news story for WJBD Radio.

Download a PDF of the story
20090709-WJBDRadio-Madigan.pdf

Burris won't seek full Senate term

Senator Roland Burris, whose was appointed by Rod Blagojevich to fill Barack Obama's vacant seat, announced he would not seek a full term in 2010.

A former Illinois attorney general and the first black elected to statewide office, Burris would have been the weakest candidate in next year's Senate race in the state, said Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's quotes were in a July 10, 2009, article on Reuters.

Download a PDF of the article
20090710-Reuters-BurrisSenate.pdf

Springfield Enterprise Index predicts slow economy

The Greater Springfield Enterprise Index, a University of Illinois at Springfield index, indicates “below normal” local economic activity for April and projects lagging growth for the rest of 2009.

Compared to previous indexes, this is the first time a major slowing of the economy has been seen, according to Patty Byrnes, professor of economics at UIS.

The index was the feature of a July 9, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090709-SJR-SEIeconomy.pdf

Lisa Madigan wants to stay in current position

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that she wants to stay in her current position instead of pursuing a Senate seat or the seat of the governor.

Lawmakers who have long expected Madigan to successfully challenge current Governor Pat Quinn in a primary had little reason to listen to him previously when dealing with the budget, but being stuck with Quinn might change some things, according to Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's remarks were featured in a July 8, 2009, story in the Daily Herald.

Download a PDF of the article

20090708-DailyHerald-LisaMadigan.pdf

Different governor but same stand-off at Capitol

Pat Quinn took over as governor amid high hopes for a new, more cooperative attitude at the state Capitol. But old attidues have emerged as leaders tried to decide how to dig the state out of an $11.6 billion budget hole.

During Blagojevich’s last few years in office, lawmakers got used to working around him because his relations with them had grown so frosty. Now, some see that attitude carrying over to the new governor because Quinn doesn’t have the political muscle to change it, according to Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's remarks were featured in a July 6, 2009, article in the Galesburg Register Mail.

Download a PDF of the article
20090706-GalesburgRM-budgetgridlock.pdf

UIS names new head athletic trainer and assistant trainer

UIS has named a new head athletic trainer and an assistant trainer. Les Mitkos has been named the head trainer, and Debra Fitzl will be the assistant. They will begin their duties July 16.

The topic was featured in a July 1, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090701-SJR-newathletictrainers.pdf