FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: November 4, 2002

Contact: Donna McCracken, 206-6716

UIS presents Politics and Policy Series 2002-2003

SPRINGFIELD – “The General Election 2002: What Happened, Why, and What It All Means,” the first program in the Politics and Policy Series 2002-2003 presented by the University of Illinois at Springfield, will be held from 6:45 to 8 p.m. Monday, November 11, in Brookens Auditorium, located on level one of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. The forum is free and open to the public and will be broadcast live on WUIS (91.9 FM) and taped for later broadcast on Illinois Public Radio and Illinois Public Television. A reception will immediately follow the forum.

Politics and Policy is a series of public forums on important issues currently facing Illinois policymakers and citizens. The series brings together public officials, journalists, and academics to analyze events and share insights and perspectives with more depth and reflection than is sometimes possible in everyday life. The format includes brief presentations by panel members, followed by discussion and questions from the audience.

The first session, “General Election 2002,” will present a critical discussion and analysis of the November 5 general election results in Illinois and their implications for state politics and policy in 2003 and beyond.

Speakers and their topics will be Dave McKinney, Chicago Sun-Times, “Statewide Races”; Christi Parsons, Chicago Tribune, “State Legislative Races”; and Bernie Schoenburg, State Journal-Register, “Implications of the Election for the Future.” Christopher Z. Mooney, director of the Institute for Legislative Studies at UIS, will moderate.

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Future sessions will examine “The Illinois State Budget: New Governor and Old Problems” (February 13) and “The Death Penalty Debate in Illinois” (March 13).

UIS sponsors of the Politics and Policy series are the Institute for Legislative Studies, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Center for Governmental Studies, Illinois Issues magazine, Political Studies program, and Speakers’ Series Committee.

For more information, contact Mooney by phone at (217) 206-6574 or e-mail at mooney.christopher@uis.edu, or visit http://ils.uis.edu.

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