Collaboration Success

The moment the Illinois “stay at home” order went into effect on March 21, the wheels were turning in Bruce Sommer’s head. Sommer, UIS’ Director of Economic Development and Innovation knew businesses would have questions on how to handle the temporary shutdown, so he gathered a team of experts to field those questions online.

“In the beginning, there were so many questions and so many things going on,” Sommer said. “People were concerned, so our first webinars were about the relief programs for businesses, how to take your business online and the economic impact of a shutdown. No one was providing them that information.”

Sommer used his own personal Zoom account for the first free webinar which limited his capacity to 100 attendees. Those spots filled within the first minute. The next week he used a UIS Zoom account, and attendance surpassed 100.

Since that time, Sommer and his rotating team of experts have hosted nearly 1,500 attendees with weekly webinars on business, education, health and the economy. Some topics came about as suggestions from frequent flier attendees.

“The amazing thing is that, for many of the panelists, I’ve asked them to participate on very short notice and no one has turned me down. We typically have five panelists each week. The collective collaboration around this has been my greatest reward,” Sommer said.

The weekly webinars are a collaboration between the UIS Office of Economic Development and Innovation, Innovate Springfield, and the UIS colleges of Business and Management and Public Affairs and Administration. Community partners include The Community Health Round Table, SIU School of Medicine, local businesses and state and local government officials.

“When I moved back to Springfield, people in social impact circles within the community felt like UIS was an underutilized resource,” Sommer said. “Through these webinars, we have inserted UIS into the conversations. We have incredible researchers and teachers and the community is craving that leadership."

Sommer said the success of the webinars is directly attributable to the layers of knowledge around the Springfield community and UIS campus. That is what Innovate Springfield, the first hub in the Illinois Innovation Network is about, bringing local resources and collaboration together.

“People came together in a time of crisis,” Sommer said. “It’s a great example of IIN’s goal of working collaboratively at all times.”

Moving forward, webinars will alternate between a business and health focus. Older webinars can be accessed on the UIS Academic Affairs website.

UIS Model Illinois Government Delegation Wins Outstanding Large Delegation at 2020 MIG

The University of Illinois Springfield Model Illinois Government delegation was named the Outstanding Large Delegation at the 2020 Model Illinois Government simulation at the Illinois State Capitol.

The delegation also took home three individual honors. Mackenzi Matthews, of Springfield, was named Outstanding Member of the House, Collin Moseley, of Flora, was named Outstanding Committee Chair in the House and Aislinn Diaz, of Chicago, was named Outstanding Committee Chair in the Senate.

Four UIS students were elected to leadership positions within MIG. Kallie Matthews, of Springfield, who served as the Speaker of the House this year, was re-elected to that position for 2021. Mackenzi Matthews was named Majority Leader, Joseph Partain, of Iuka, was named Minority Leader and Collin Moseley was named Majority Whip.

Each year, students from more than 20 colleges and universities around the state gather at the Illinois State Capitol to serve as legislators, staffers, lobbyists, journalists and officials of the executive branch.

Through committee actions, a regular legislative session and a veto session, participants learn the legislative process by actively participating in the simulation.

MIG members start preparing legislation during the fall term, polish their parliamentary skills and organize membership into a delegation for the spring conference.

The UIS delegation is led by Kenneth Owen, MIG faculty advisor and UIS associate professor of history.

UIS Professor to present research on “Preventing the Next State Budget Crisis” at a Federal Reserve Conference

University of Illinois Springfield Professor Beverly Bunch, Ph.D., will serve on a panel during a one-day conference by the Volcker Alliance and Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

The conference, “Preventing the Next State Budget Crisis: Improving Budget Transparency to Bolster Fiscal Sustainability,” will discuss strategies for avoiding a state budget crisis, including long-term forecasting, stress-testing, and management of fiscal reserves and physical assets.

The conference is expected to draw attendance from government officials, academia, business leaders, public policy analysts and the media.

Bunch will participate on a panel that will address, “Deferred Infrastructure Maintenance: How to Measure It, How to Finance It.” She will share information obtained from her participation in a national study of the fifty states’ budget processes sponsored by The Volcker Alliance.

Bunch is a full professor in the UIS Department of Public Administration and in the Center for State Policy and Leadership. She is currently leading a team of researchers as part of a national state budget project administered by the Volcker Alliance.

“Preventing the Next State Budget Crisis: Improving Budget Transparency to Bolster Fiscal Sustainability” takes place all day on September 17, 2018, at the Chicago Federal Reserve.

UIS students win awards and offices at Model Illinois Government simulation

Several University of Illinois Springfield students were honored during the annual Model Illinois Government (MIG) simulation at the Illinois State Capitol this weekend.

Two UIS students were elected to statewide office within the Model Illinois Government organization. Caitlin Osborn of Edwardsville will serve as treasurer and Donnie Lewis of Decatur will serve as comptroller.

Three students were named to leadership spots within the house and senate. Keith Williams II of Chicago was named assistant majority leader in the senate, David Wilson of Illinois City was named minority whip in the senate and Cole Moriarty of Algonquin was named majority whip in the house.

Payton Raso of North Liberty, Iowa was named the Outstanding First Year Delegate. Austin Mehmet of Springfield and Nathan Hoffman of Springfield reached the finals of the Moot Court competition.

Each year, students from more than 20 colleges and universities around the state gather at the Illinois State Capitol to serve as legislators, staffers, lobbyists, journalists, and officials of the executive branch. Through committee actions, a regular legislative session and a veto session, participants learn the legislative process by doing it.

MIG members get started in the fall term preparing legislation, polishing up parliamentary skills, and organizing the membership into a delegation for the spring conference.

For more information, contact Kenneth Owen, UIS assistant professor of history at 217/206-7439 or kowen8@uis.edu.

Leadership lived: New student trustee has big plans for the future

It’s fair to say that Nathan Hoffman is busier that your typical college undergraduate. At 21, the University of Illinois Springfield political science major is managing a state representative’s political campaign and representing UIS students, as student trustee, on the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

“Time management has probably been the biggest thing I’ve learned as a leader,” said Hoffman. “In all the different roles I have as a student leader, as a community leader, there’s never a night where there’s not something going on.”

On the Board of Trustees, Hoffman is responsible for making sure that UIS students have a voice. He is also charged with making decisions that will impact the future of the entire University of Illinois system.

“For the system as a whole, my focus is going to be making sure we’re making the right kind of financial decisions, considering the tight state budget times we’re in right now,” he said.

At UIS, Hoffman is a member of the Mock Trial and Model Illinois Government Moot Court teams. He is the former president of the College Republicans at UIS.

Off campus, Hoffman is working full-time for the Illinois Republican party managing Rep. David Welter’s run for the 75th Legislative District. Previously, he worked in U.S. Congressman Darin LaHood’s Springfield office where he assisted municipalities and other groups seeking federal funding.

“My plan immediately upon graduation is to go to law school,” he said. “I’m studying for the LSAT on top of all of this right now and I will take that in September.”

Hoffman ultimately hopes to become a lawyer and plans to run for a public office. He says UIS has given him and many other students the skills necessary to succeed.

“You can’t walk to the state capitol, you can’t walk to many places in Washington, D.C. and not find a UIS alumnus. I think I definitely made the right choice.”

Five to join the Illinois Legislative Internship Hall of Fame at UIS

The Samuel K. Gove Illinois Legislative Internship Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois Springfield will honor five individuals who have served as legislative interns at the state capitol. Phil Lackman, State Senator Julie Morrison, Tim Nuding, Becky Patton and Donovan Pepper will be inducted during a ceremony at the Old State Capitol on Monday, February 29, 2016. Inductees are selected based on their contributions to Illinois and its citizens. The Hall of Fame is also recognition of the important role that public service internships play in developing public sector leadership.

Phil Lackman serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of IL). Prior to his appointment as CEO, he served as Vice President of Government Relations for the IIA of IL, the Illinois Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA IL), Illinois State Association of Health Underwriters (ISAHU) and the Illinois Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (IAMIC). Prior to joining the IIA of IL, Lackman held the position of Director of Legislative Affairs for the Illinois Life Insurance Council from 1991 until 1995. Prior to that, he was Secretary of State Jim Edgar’s Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs from 1985 to 1991. Lackman began his career in Springfield as a Legislative Analyst with the Senate Republican Leader James “Pate” Philip. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science/speech communication from Illinois State University and completed a graduate seminar in political studies at the University of Illinois Springfield and was a member of the Illinois Legislative Staff Internship Program class of 1982-83.

State Senator Julie Morrison was elected in 2012 and serves the 29th district, which includes many of Chicago’s northern suburbs. She was a member of the Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program class of 1978-79. She was born in Beardstown, Ill. and earned a bachelor’s degree from Knox College. Morrison started her career at the Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America as a federal energy regulations analyst in Chicago. She also worked for Congressman John Porter as his Field Director in the 10th Congressional District, and was appointed by both Governor Thompson and Edgar to the Department of Children and Family Services Advisory Council. After serving on the DCFS advisory council, she took the position of supervisor of West Deerfield Township, which she held for 15 years. As a member of the General Assembly, she is an advocate for improving child welfare, water safety and transparency in state government.

Tim Nuding has spent 26 years working in state government. He currently serves in Governor Bruce Rauner’s Administration as the Director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget. Nuding has spent most of his career working in the legislature for the Illinois Senate Republican Staff, serving most recently as Chief of Staff to Illinois Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno. He’s also worked as a budget analyst and as the Director of the Senate Appropriations Staff. He is widely respected under the Capitol dome and has established a solid network of relationships with key players in government from both political parties. Nuding graduated from Illinois State University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in Finance. He was a member Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program class of 1990-91.

Becky Patton is Chief Legal Counsel for the Illinois Auditor General. A member of the Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program class of 1983-84, she says the program helped her obtain a position as a legislative analyst on the Senate Majority Staff, assigned to the appropriations committee, where she worked for four years. She later returned to school, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a juris doctor degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After law school, she briefly served as a legislative analyst on the Senate Majority Staff assigned to the judiciary committee. In 1992, she began working in her current role with the Auditor General’s Office.

Donovan Pepper is the National Director of Local Government Relations for Walgreen Co. He oversees local legislative and advocacy efforts for Walgreen Co. at the municipal, county and other units of governments in all 50 states. Prior to this position, Pepper served as the Director of Government Relations for the Illinois Restaurant Association. He has worked for Illinois’ leading telecommunications provider, SBC (now AT&T), the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Amtrak, and served on the Appropriations and Substantive Committee Staff for Illinois Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan, where he focused on the areas of transportation, higher education and consumer protection. Pepper currently serves on the Board of directors of the Civic Federation, the Magnificent Mile Association, Keep Chicago Beautiful, Chicago-Cook Workforce Partnership, Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Schaumburg Business Association and the HFS Chicago Scholars Program. Pepper is the immediate past co-chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s Business Council and past board member of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, where he served at chair of the Advocacy Committee. Pepper earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political studies from the University of Illinois Springfield and was a member of the Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program class of 1994-95.

The Hall of Fame is hosted by the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The Hall of Fame is named for the late Samuel K. Gove, founding director of the internship program and one of the founders of Illinois Issues magazine. Established in 1990, the Hall of Fame, including this year’s inductees, now numbers 64 individuals, among them a former governor and several former and current state and federal legislators. The names of the Hall’s members are inscribed on a plaque that hangs on the fourth floor of the Statehouse.

The event on February 29 will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, followed by the induction ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $65 per person and may be purchased online at http://go.uis.edu/GoveHoF2016. The deadline to register is February 22, 2016. Reservations are required. For more information on attending, call 217/206-7163.

Leadership lived: Student gets a taste of political life as SGA President

Josh Lawson wants to be a lawyer and possibly run for political office one day. At the University of Illinois Springfield, the Legal Studies major is getting a taste of political life as the President of the Student Government Association (SGA).

“I decided to run for Student Government President because I really wanted to help out the students. I’ve found this is the best way to do that,” he said.

As SGA President, he runs regularly scheduled meetings and organizes town hall forums where students can express their concerns about campus issues.

“It’s important to have these sorts of meetings because it develops a relationship between the Student Government Association and the students,” he said. “It makes the students aware of who their student government leaders are, so if they have an issue they know what to do.”

Lawson is also president of the Mock Trial team, a member of the Model Illinois Government Moot Court, the Tau Sigma Honor Society and the Pre-Law Society. He also serves his country as a Sergeant in the Illinois Army National Guard.

“UIS has really taught me a lot about leadership,” he said. “The SGA as a whole goes to a leadership conference every year in St. Louis and they really develop and hone in on your leadership skills.”

Lawson says he’s found it easier to get involved at UIS because of the size of the campus.

“I feel that getting involved in Student Government has been a lot easier here at UIS than it would be at other universities, given the small size of the campus,” he said.

Following graduation, he plans to apply to law school. He knows the opportunities he’s received at UIS will benefit him in his future career.

“At the very least, it will definitely help with the leadership skills,” he said.

Leadership lived: UIS student lands job with Illinois House of Representatives

Senior political science major Garrie Allen credits the opportunities he’s been given at the University of Illinois Springfield for helping him land a full-time job with the Illinois House of Representatives before graduation.

Allen began his career in state government working on the House floor as a page and was recently promoted to a Committee Clerk.

“Right now, I’m a transcription editor, so we transcribe what happens on the floor and we write it down for people to be able to read,” said Allen. “I work on that, as well as taking the records for committee action.”

At UIS, he’s president of the College Democrats, Student Government Association External Vice President, a Resident Housing Association Senator and a member of Model United Nations and Model Illinois Government (MIG).

He was recently elected Speaker of the House during the Model Illinois Government simulation at the Illinois State Capitol in March 2015. MIG served as a gateway for helping him land his first job with the Illinois House of Representatives.

“After spending a year in Model Illinois Government, the (House) Sergeant at Arms actually asked UIS for help because he was so impressed by how we conducted ourselves. So, he asked us for help with paging and other things and we responded,” said Allen.

After he earns his bachelor’s degree in May 2015, Allen plans to earn his master’s degree in political science at UIS. One day he may consider a run for political office.

“I really want to serve my community and help in any way I can,” he said. “If that means running for political office, then I’ll do that; if that means standing behind the scenes and whispering to the guy who ran for political office that’s what I’ll do.”

Allen knows he wouldn’t be working at the capitol without the education he’s received at UIS and says it has completely changed his world view.

“Education opens your eyes to all types of different opportunities and ways of looking at the world, so I highly recommend UIS to anyone who’s considering coming here,” he said.

UIS professor explores the corporate monopolization of the global food supply in a new book

Ali Nizamuddin, associate professor of Political Science at the University of Illinois Springfield, has published a new book entitled The Patenting of Life, Limiting Liberty, and the Corporate Pursuit of Seeds.

The book investigates the corporate dominance of the world’s seed supply. The seed is nature’s gift and the first link in the food chain. This life form is becoming the exclusive intellectual property of the corporation. The advent of genetically modified seeds and strict patent protection accorded to them enable companies to own the seed even after the farmer has bought, planted, and harvested the seed.

Nizamuddin explores how multinational corporations have a monopoly control over seeds and the accompanying pesticides which is leading to monocultures in the food system and the disappearance of traditional methods of farming. Local producers are forced to buy seeds each year, thereby fostering a feudalistic relationship of perpetual dependence. An imbalance of power has emerged and farmers are transformed from producers to consumers by these new arrangements.

The leap to embrace biotechnology and genetically modified foods has been quite swift and conducted without the public’s knowledge. The food that our stomachs ingest may be increasingly bad for us. Case studies from four developing countries are presented for consideration.

The book was published by Lexington Books, an import of Rowman & Littlefield, and is available for purchase online. For more information, contact Ali Nizamuddin at 217/206-8424 or aniza2@uis.edu.

UIS students win awards and offices at Model Illinois Government simulation

Several University of Illinois Springfield students were honored during the annual Model Illinois Government (MIG) simulation at the Illinois State Capitol this weekend.

Five students won individual awards for their involvement in MIG. Garrett McAlister was honored with the Outstanding Contribution to MIG award, Michael Dahmane won Outstanding Member of the Senate, Duane Malany won Outstanding Journalist, and Andrea Carlson and Austin Mehmet won the award for Outstanding Moot Court team.

Additionally, four UIS students were elected to statewide office within the Model Illinois Government organization. Marc Reiter was elected governor, Nathan Piper was re-elected president of the senate, Garrie Allen IV was elected speaker of the house, and David Wilson was elected treasurer.

Each year, students from about 30 colleges and universities around the state gather at the Illinois State Capitol to serve as legislators, staffers, lobbyists, journalists, and officials of the executive branch. Through committee actions, a regular legislative session and a veto session, participants learn the legislative process by doing it.

MIG members get started in the fall term preparing legislation, polishing up parliamentary skills, and organizing the membership into a delegation for the spring conference.

For more information, contact Kenneth Owen, UIS assistant professor of history at 217/206-7439 or kowen8@uis.edu.

Kent Redfield named Illinoisan of the Year by the Illinois News Broadcasters Association

Kent Redfield, emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield, was awarded the Illinoisan of the Year award at the Illinois News Broadcasters Association (INBA) fall conference on Oct. 4 in Marion.

Redfield was voted by past presidents of the INBA as Illinoisan of the Year in honor of his contributions as a political scientist at UIS and his work with the Sunshine Project, a political campaign finance research project. Redfield is a frequent contributor to news stories on Illinois politics, and a well-known presence in Springfield. He delivered a keynote address at the award ceremony.

Redfield has been engaged in research on the financing of political campaigns in Illinois and political ethics since 1991. The results of that research have been presented in numerous research reports, a series of articles in Illinois Issues, a 1994 book on financing legislative elections in Illinois, which is entitled Cash Clout and a 2001 book on the role of money in Illinois politics entitled Money Counts. Redfield has been director of the Sunshine Project since 1997. The project focuses on the role of money in politics, particularly in Illinois. The extensive databases and analysis of campaign finance in Illinois produced by the project can be accessed on the website of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform at www.ilcampaign.org.

Past recipients of the Illinoisans of the Year award include Attorney General Lisa Madigan (2011), Governor Jim Edgar (2009) and former press secretary and director of the Paul Simon Institute, Mike Lawrence (2008). Other winners include U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald (2006), State Representative Barbara Flynn Currie (2001), Senator Paul Simon (1995), and economists Saul Bellow and Milton Friedman (1977).

UIS professor releases new book exploring The Communist Manifesto

Richard Gilman-Opalsky, associate professor of political philosophy in the Department of Political Science at the University of Illinois Springfield, has published a new book titled Precarious Communism: Manifest Mutations, Manifesto Detourned.

Precarious Communism is a book-length study of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels' The Communist Manifesto of 1848. In Precarious Communism, Gilman-Opalsky critically considers the enduring relevance of the most famous political manifesto ever written. He argues that, only in the absence of ideological reaction to the original manifesto, can we assess where Marx was right and wrong in his analysis of capitalism, history, and revolution.

To accomplish this work, Gilman-Opalsky applies a methodology known as "détournement." Détournement has typically been used by artists and activists to repurpose existing materials in text and image to make them say something else. In Precarious Communism, Gilman-Opalsky performs a book-length détournement of The Communist Manifesto, which means that he reads and rethinks the original text line by line, in light of 165 years of political history and philosophy. This process allows Gilman-Opalsky to explore the ongoing applicability of The Communist Manifesto, as well as its failures, from within the form and content of the original.

Precarious Communism is a book that rethinks Marx and Marxism in relation to capitalism and evolving social, political, and economic crises today. Partially as a result of its methodology, Gilman-Opalsky’s new book reads like a mutant manifesto of its own, which argues that communism in the 21st century must be understood and theorized as precarious communism.

The book was published by Autonomedia/Minor Compositions and can be purchased online at Amazon.com or directly from the publisher’s website.

Gilman-Opalsky has authored two other books, Spectacular Capitalism: Guy Debord and the Practice of Radical Philosophy (2011) and Unbounded Publics: Transgressive Public Spheres, Zapatismo, and Political Theory (2008).

UIS professors' books recognized by The American Library Association

The American Library Association has named two books by University of Illinois Springfield professors to its 2014 Over the Rainbow List: 71 LGBT Books for Adult Readers.

Both books were listed in a group of nineteen books in the non-fiction category. The first book is Same-Sex Marriage in Latin America: Promise and Resistance, edited by Jason Pierceson, Adriana Piatti-Crocker (both associate professors in the Political Science Department) and Shawn Schulenberg of Marshall University. It was published by Lexington Books in 2012.

Also listed was Pierceson's Same-Sex Marriage in the United States: The Road to the Supreme Court, published by Rowman & Littlefiled in 2013.

According to the ALA, the list is for books “that exhibit commendable literary quality and significant authentic GLBT content.”

The full listing of the books may be found at www.glbtrt.ala.org/overtherainbow/archives/457.

Tradition of bipartisanship continues at UIS

Republicans and Democrats often struggle to work together, but not at the University of Illinois Springfield. At UIS, it’s become a tradition for the head of the College Democrats and College Republicans to live together.

Since at least 2010, the presidents of both organizations have voluntarily decided to live together on campus. The tradition took a brief break in 2012 when the leaders of both parties were of the opposite sex and couldn’t live under one roof.

Now the tradition is back! Marc Reiter is president of the UIS College Democrats and Jeff Wilhite is chairman of the UIS College Republicans. Both are junior political science majors and roommates in a campus townhouse.

“Sometimes we have ‘polite’ discussions on a variety of issues, and sometimes we get a little loud,” said Reiter.

Living together has its advantages. The roommates are right across the hall from each other and can easily communicate different ideas and begin projects at home.

“Anytime we want to have a meeting, we can just open the door,” said Reiter.

The bipartisan household is prone to heated discussions, especially on issues such as taxes, but they don’t limit their debates to politics.

“Sports, politics, anything,” said Wilhite.

The pair has even gotten their fellow roommates involved in their passion for politics. They attend both Reiter’s College Democrats meetings and Wilhite’s College Republican meetings just to be fair.

Reiter and Wilhite have learned a lot from being politically involved and heading the organizations has giving them great experience for the future.

“Most people don’t realize how involved they could be in politics if they wanted to,” said Wilhite. “Just by joining one of these clubs you can meet the Lieutenant Governor, Tom Cross, Congressmen. There are so many chances to network and connect with people.”

The two groups helped with the recent “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” event on campus, as well as held a voter registration drive. Next, they’ve got their eyes set on a fundraiser and hosting a debate or two.

“We’ll both tell you that we do a lot of stuff on campus, we co-sponsor, and we keep it pretty active. There’s always stuff to do,” said Reiter.

Story by Paige Heiser, UIS Marketing

UIS professor explores the impact of public election financing on campaigns in new book

University of Illinois Springfield Assistant Professor of Political Science Michael G. Miller examines the impact of state-level public election financing on political campaigns through the eyes of candidates in a new book.

In the book, Subsidizing Democracy: How Public Funding Changes Elections and How It Can Work in the Future (Cornell University Press, 2014), insights are drawn from survey data obtained from more than 1,000 candidates, elite interview testimony, and twenty years of election data.

The presence of publicly funded candidates in elections, Miller finds, results in broad changes to the electoral system, including more interaction between candidates and the voting public and significantly higher voter participation. He presents evidence that by providing new candidates with resources that would have been unobtainable otherwise, subsidies effectively manufacture quality challengers. Miller describes how matching-fund provisions of “Clean Election” laws were pervasively manipulated by candidates and parties and were ultimately struck down by the Supreme Court.

Miller wrote the book in the wake of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) case, which ruled corporate and union spending was allowed in elections. The Supreme Court later declared the matching funds feature of so-called “Clean Election” public financing laws unconstitutional, but there has been no strong challenge to the constitutionality of public funding as such. Subsidizing Democracy concludes with an evaluation of existing proposals for future election policy in light of his findings.

Miller holds a Ph.D. in Government from Cornell University. At UIS, he holds a joint appointment in the Department of Political Science and the Institute for Legal, Legislative, and Policy Studies.

The book is available for purchase from Cornell University Press. For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Michael G. Miller at 217/206-7220 or mmill24@uis.edu.

Five Join Legislative Internship Hall of Fame at UIS

The Samuel K. Gove Illinois Legislative Internship Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois Springfield will honor five individuals who have served as legislative interns at the state Capitol. U.S. Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, Scott Kaiser, Mona Martin, Scott Reimers, and David Sykuta will be inducted during a ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion on Thursday, November 21, 2013. Inductees are selected based on their contributions to Illinois and its citizens. The Hall of Fame is also recognition of the important role that public service internships play in developing public sector leadership.

Bustos, originally a journalist, used her pen to help her community. She uncovered numerous stories of corruption and greed in government, winning state and national awards for her work on behalf of the public interest. Twelve years ago, she left journalism to work for one of the nation’s largest non-profit health care systems. In 2007 Bustos was elected to serve on the City Council in East Moline for two terms and made her top priority economic development, which led to her founding the East Moline Downtown Revitalization Committee. In 2012, she was elected to represent Illinois’ 17th Congressional District. Bustos earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Maryland College Park and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois Springfield. She also attended Illinois College in Jacksonville, where both her parents and son graduated.

Kaiser served as a legislative analyst on the senate republican staff from 1988-1996 working on welfare and healthcare issues and funding for human services agencies. During his eight years on staff, there were four years in the minority and four years in the majority under Senator Pate Philip. From 1997-1999 he served as deputy director of legislative affairs for Governor Jim Edgar, working primarily as the governor’s liaison to the Senate. In 1999, Kaiser and his wife Julie moved to Carbondale where he became assistant to the president of Southern Illinois University. His responsibilities included government affairs, and community and media relations. In July 2004, he was elected assistant secretary of the senate for the remainder of the 93rd General Assembly. He has been re-elected assistant secretary of the senate for the 94th, 95th, 96th, 97th and 98th General Assemblies. Kaiser is active in the American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries (ASLCS), where he is currently serving as national vice president. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Illinois Springfield.

Martin is an independent, contract lobbyist who owns her own consulting firm in Springfield. Prior to consulting, she worked at the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs/Economic Opportunity for 4 years where she served as the deputy director of policy development, planning, and research and was charged with developing the programmatic structure for the $12 billion Illinois FIRST program. Her career in government began as an intern in 1989 with the house republican staff. She later staffed the House Revenue Committee, and in 1993, became the director of research, in addition to later adding the responsibilities as the director of appropriations.

Reimers currently serves as chief of staff for the house republican leader in the Illinois General Assembly, a position he has held since 2011. He began his career in state government through the Illinois Staff Legislative Internship Program with the house republican staff in 1994 as a substantive and appropriations committee staff member working specifically with the human services and insurance committees and analyzing agency budgets. In 1999, Reimers was promoted to director of research and later deputy chief of staff for public policy prior to being named chief of staff. He also coordinated several political campaigns for house republican seats. In his current role, Reimers manages over 100 employees, including staff members for legislative research, communications, technology, policy, appropriations, legislative assistants, and support staff, and provides policy advisement for the house republican leadership team and caucus on state policies and legislation. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Northern Illinois University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Illinois Springfield.

Sykuta started his career with the Senate Republican staff in 1973, specializing in industrial relations. He was hired as a full-time legislative consultant for the Illinois senate republican staff in July 1974. During his tenure on the Senate staff, he took several leaves of absence to organize and manage political campaigns. In April 1976, Sykuta joined the Illinois Petroleum Council as associate director and in 1986 he was appointed executive director of the Illinois Petroleum Council. In the fall of 1996, he co-founded the Partnership for Environmental Progress, a coalition of more than 80 businesses, labor unions, agricultural groups, trade associations, corporations and scientific groups whose common goals are a cleaner environment, economic growth and sound public policy. He also serves at the pleasure of Illinois’ governor on the Illinois Environmental and Regulatory Review Commission. Sykuta retired from the Illinois Petroleum Council last December and continues to work on special projects for the oil industry as a part time contractor. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Illinois State University in in 1972. He also attended graduate school in Public Administration at Illinois State and the University of Illinois Springfield.

The Hall of Fame is sponsored by Illinois Issues, the state’s leading public policy magazine, and the University of Illinois Alumni Association. The Hall of Fame is named for the late Samuel Gove, one of the magazine’s founders and a longtime director of the internship program. Established in 1990, the Hall of Fame, including this year’s inductees, now numbers 59 individuals, among them a former governor and several former and current state legislators. The names of the Hall’s members are inscribed on a plaque that hangs on the fourth floor of the Statehouse.

The event on November 21 will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Governor’s Mansion at Fourth and Jackson Streets, followed by the induction ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $65 per person and may be purchased online at http://illinoisissues.uis.edu/. The deadline to register is November 18. Reservations are required. For more information on attending, call 217/206-6084.

Leadership lived: UIS student may be youngest elected official in Illinois

At the age of 22, Melissa Sanchez decided it was time for a change. Algonquin Township trustees decided to increase property taxes, while giving themselves a raise. She decided to run for office in an effort to keep that from happening.

After a competitive campaign, she was elected as a trustee in February 2013. In the process she became one of the youngest, if not the youngest, elected official in Illinois.

“People don’t really expect me, a college student still, to be an elected official,” said Sanchez. “I saw a problem and I wanted to fix it, so I just followed my heart.”

The senior political science major at the University of Illinois Springfield used what she was taught in the classroom as a motivating force to help her succeed.

“If you want something done, you should try and change it yourself,” she said.

At UIS, Sanchez is secretary of the College Republicans, and a member of the Pre-Law Society, Catholic Student Organization, and the Organization of Latin American Students.

“I love the opportunities that UIS gives me,” said Sanchez. “I’ve had some great experiences with internships and working on campus.”

Following graduation from UIS, Sanchez plans to enter law school and continue her political ambitions by possibly seeking higher offices.

“People have their eye on me and I hope that I don’t disappoint,” she said.

Sanchez has seen many students, such as herself, succeed and grow at UIS. Out of the many leadership lessons she’s learned, there’s one she believes is most important.

“No matter how small or insignificant you think you are, you make a difference,” she said.

UIS professors publish book on teaching gender and sexuality in the university classroom

University of Illinois Springfield faculty members Michael Murphy and Elizabeth Ribarsky have published a new book entitled Activities for Teaching Gender and Sexuality in the University Classroom. The book, published by Rowman and Littlefield Education, is available in paperback and electronic formats.

“This is the first interdisciplinary collection of activities devoted entirely to teaching about gender and sexuality,” said Murphy, a UIS assistant professor of women and gender studies. “It offers both new and seasoned instructors a range of exciting exercises that can be immediately adapted for their own classes, at various levels, and across a range of disciplines.”

Activities are self-contained, classroom-tested, and edited for ease of use and potential to remain current. The book is designed to serve as a desk-reference for gender studies and sexual communication educators.

“Each activity is thoroughly described with a comprehensive rationale that allows even those unfamiliar with the material/concepts to quickly understand and access the material, learning objectives, required time and materials, directions for facilitation, debriefing questions, cautionary advice, and other applications,” said Ribarsky, a UIS assistant professor of communication.

For the reader’s benefit, each activity is briefly summarized in the table of contents and organized according to themes common to most social science classrooms: Work, Media, Sexuality, Body, etc. Many activities also include handouts that can be photocopied and used immediately in the classroom.

The book is available for purchase on Amazon.com and the publisher’s website. For more information, contact Murphy at mmurp4@uis.edu or Ribarsky at eriba2@uis.edu.

UIS professor publishes timely book on same-sex marriage and the Supreme Court

University of Illinois Springfield Associate Professor of Political Science Jason Pierceson has published a new book, Same-Sex Marriage in the United States: The Road to the Supreme Court, with Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

The e-book is now available and the print version will be available in a few weeks. The publication of the book coincides with the Supreme Court oral arguments on two same-sex marriage cases in late-March 2013 and the decisions that are expected to be announced in June.

This book explores the legal, political, and cultural setting of the movement for same-sex marriage and its opposition in the United States, setting the stage for the first genuine engagement of the issue by the Supreme Court. In particular, the book examines the history of the movement, the philosophical and religious debates surrounding the movement and the opposition, developments around the world to put the U.S. movement in the proper context, state-by-state analysis of legal and political developments, and recent federal litigation paving the way to action by the Supreme Court. In doing so, the book highlights the role played by religion, political parties, and federalism, while arguing that litigation for same-sex marriage has achieved significant results, as well as creating a powerful backlash that will limit the national recognition of same-sex marriage in the short-term.

Reviewers have called the book a “superb account of how the question of same-sex marriage has become one of the preeminent civil rights issues of our time” and “an engaging and richly informative history of the struggle for marriage equality in the United States,” noting that it “has something for everybody.”

“The general public will appreciate Pierceson’s accessible prose and penchant for story-telling. Sociolegal scholars and scholars of LGBT rights will prize both the way Pierceson revisits and re-envisions key historical moments in the battle for marriage equality and his exploration of marriage equality politics in states and localities across the nation,” said Ellen Andersen of the University of Vermont.

For more on the book, visit https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442212046. Pierceson is also available for media inquiries and interviews, public lectures, and book signings. Pierceson can be contacted at 217/206-7842 or jpier2@uis.edu.

UIS professors publish book on Same-Sex Marriage in Latin America

University of Illinois Springfield Associate Professors of Political Science Jason Pierceson and Adriana Piatti-Crocker are co-editors, along with Shawn Schulenberg of Marshall University, of a new book, Same-Sex Marriage in Latin America: Promise and Resistance.

Chapters explore the role of public opinion, political parties, courts and other institutions on the shaping of policies recognizing same-sex couples in the region. The volume also includes specific chapters on Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay.

The book was published by Lexington Books, a division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. The book is a follow-up volume to Same-Sex Marriage in the Americas: Policy Innovation for Same-Sex Relationships also published by Lexington in 2010.

In addition to editing the book, Pierceson and Crocker authored individual chapters. Crocker’s chapter is entitled, “Diffusion of Same-Sex Policies in Latin America,” and Pierceson’s chapter is entitled, “Variations in the Judicialization of Same-Sex Marriage Politics in Latin America.”

Reviewers have called the book a “terrific follow up to Same-Sex Marriage in the Americas [that] presents an incisive and comprehensive picture of the evolution of the issue across Latin America” and note that it “assembles some of the most innovative authors working on LGBT politics in Latin America.”

More information can be found at https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739167021 or contact Jason Pierceson at 217/206-7842 or jpier2@uis.edu.