UIS Perspectives, Robert W. Smith: Your vote makes a difference

The following is an excerpt from a column by University of Illinois Springfield Dean of the College of Public Affairs and Administration, Robert Smith. The column appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 27, 2020.

Tuesday, Sept. 22, was National Voter Registration Day. At UIS, our Volunteer & Civic Engagement team spent the day encouraging the UIS community to take the important step of registering to vote for the upcoming Nov. 3 election. The importance of voting cannot be understated, and I wanted to share insights from my UIS colleagues on some key questions at the core of the 2020 presidential race.

“President Trump has gone against many of the norms and traditions of the presidency for sure. During his first term, the degree of separation that is supposed to exist between the president and the Department of Justice has diminished. Whether it be his decision to fire former FBI Director Comey, or his reaction to former Attorney General Session’s decision to recuse himself from the Mueller investigation, his interactions with the Department of Justice have been well documented and critically scrutinized," political science Professor Matthew Geras said.

“Voters need to make themselves aware of four major social justice issues. First, voters need to be aware of the social justice implications of COVID-19. Due to structural racism and other forms of prejudice, historically marginalized communities have been disproportionately negatively affected. What sort of protections do we want to mitigate disproportionalities in infection rates and deaths? Second, voters study the causes and effects of police brutality and killings, which disproportionately affect Black persons, indigenous persons, and persons of color. What do we want departments to do to promote fairness and justice? Third, voters should be aware of changes to LGBT workplace protections, such as the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Bostock v. Clayton Country. Per Title VII, an employer cannot fire someone solely for being LGBT. How do we enact the provisions of this ruling, and what forms of workplace discrimination still need to be addressed? Fourth, as predicted by climate scientists, global climate change has led to a deadly year of storms, wildfires, and inequities in resource availability and usage. What policies do we need to create cleaner, safer energy to protect current and future generations? These four issues have long divided voters. Some will argue that these issues are not issues, and some will deny that these issues exist," explained Sean McCandless, professor in the Department of Public Administration.

Before you vote this year, commit yourself to consuming a healthy diet of balanced and factual news. Democracy works best when you do.”

As you can see, there’s a lot to consider this Election Day. No matter who you vote for, my colleagues and I cannot emphasize enough how much your vote matters at the local, state and federal levels. And in 2020, your vote makes a difference more than ever in determining the future of this country and the institution of Democracy.

Go vote!

Read the full column online.

Susan Koch: Resolving to pursue a graduate credential

The following is an excerpt from a column by University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Susan Koch. This column appeared in The State Journal-Register on December 21, 2019. 

With the first day of January just a few days away, the time-honored tradition of making a New Year’s resolution may be on the minds of SJ-R readers. For the nearly half of Americans who make a resolution each year, self-improvement — including the decision to enhance one’s educational attainment — is among the most likely commitments. For more and more adults who have a bachelor’s degree, that commitment results in the pursuit of a graduate credential — a master’s degree, doctoral degree or, perhaps, a graduate certificate.

The graduate education experience can also build new skill sets and accelerate both professional networks and personal growth. Today, the highest percentage ever of American adults (more than a third of the adult population) has at least a bachelor’s degree and about 13.1 percent also have an advanced degree. The trend toward increasing educational attainment is evident at UIS where this year about 37% of our students are pursing graduate work in one of more than 20 areas of study.

What are the benefits of earning a graduate credential? What are the opportunities at the University of Illinois Springfield to do so? I recently had an enlightening conversation with several graduate program leaders about who pursues a graduate degree and why it can be a valuable investment. 

Among the most robust graduate programs at UIS are the master’s and doctoral programs in Public Administration. According to Professor Adam Williams, who directs the MPA, the program is one of the top five such programs in the country — with applicants not only from Illinois but also from across the United States.

“State and local government are our main areas of focus,” says Dr. Williams, “and we typically have about 200 students pursuing their degree either on campus or online.” “Our location in the state capital provides unique access to a community of public affairs scholars and practitioners,” adds Williams, “and the master’s program as well as specialized certificates in areas such as labor relations, community planning, nonprofit management, public procurement and child advocacy are especially useful for working professionals who need to gain more knowledge for efficiency and effectiveness in their current jobs and to advance in their careers.”

Som Bhattacharya, Dean of the College of Business and Management, is fond of saying he came to UIS from Florida almost a year ago for two reasons. He wanted to live where he could experience all four seasons and, more importantly for this discussion, he saw a “lot of potential in the College of Business and Management.”

“For students coming to our MBA program with professional experience,” says Dean Bhattacharya, “we no longer require the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) – which has ceased to be a good predictor of success in MBA programs. We are also creating graduate micro-credential programs in areas like data-analytics, cyber-security and negotiations to better serve local and regional employers.”

According to research on human behavior, a New Year’s resolution (with commitment behind it) can present a real opportunity for self-improvement. With so many options available at UIS, earning a graduate credential presents a prospect for self-improvement that is a valuable investment.

For Charlie Wheeler, 50 years watching what happens in Springfield as a reporter, educator is enough

Charlie Wheeler has forgotten more about the Illinois Legislature than most reporters will ever know — and he hasn’t forgotten much, least of all the time an ill-tempered state senator purposely dumped a bowl of hot soup on him.

Longtime readers of the Chicago Sun-Times might remember Wheeler by his elegant byline, Charles N. Wheeler III, matched by the equally elegant writing style he used to explain the legislative complexities in a way everyone could understand.

More recent readers might know him for his insightful comments, offered from his perch as director of the public affairs reporting program at the University of Illinois Springfield, where he has helped mold a generation of top young journalists.

Wheeler, 77, is retiring this summer after an amazing 50-year run as a close observer of the Springfield scene — the first 24 years with the Sun-Times, the last 26 running the reporting program. 

More than 700 students have come through the program since it was started in 1972 by the late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon between stints in public office. Many former students went on to distinguished careers in newspaper, radio and television newsrooms across the country, creating an accomplished alumni roster I won’t even try to list to avoid leaving somebody out.

The hands-on experience and training under the close supervision of professional journalists have made the PAR program so successful.

When Wheeler joined academia in 1993, the Illinois Senate passed a resolution in his honor. “Throughout the course of his reporting on the General Assembly, one thing you could always say: Charlie reported it accurately because he actually did read the bills, more than what we do sometimes,” former state Sen. Emil Jones of Chicago observed that day. It is indeed one of Wheeler’s golden rules: Read the bill. It seems simple. But you would be amazed how often reporters and lawmakers alike don’t do that in the crunch of a legislative session.

Wheeler says the reporting program he’s leaving will continue. A search for his successor is underway.

This article appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times on May 31, 2019.

Read the entire article online.

Illinois House speaker gives student journalists rare access

House Speaker Michael Madigan doesn't make a lot of media appearances, but Monday morning, he talked with student journalists who are covering the Statehouse in a graduate school program.

In his visit with the Public Affairs Reporting program class at the University of Illinois-Springfield, Madigan, D-Chicago, said legislative committees in control of budget appropriations have taken Gov. J.B. Pritzker's proposed levels of spending in next year's budget and "ratcheted them down" in case measures supporting that spending do not pass.

Those supporting measures include legalizing recreational marijuana and sports betting, which Madigan said he's "hopeful" will pass but are "not guaranteed today," although Pritzker is relying on them for more than $400 million in new revenue.

Long-awaited language for a marijuana bill was released Saturday. Madigan said that although he was not yet familiar with it, he does know "there are some very controversial aspects to the proposal," including the expungement of criminal records and other provisions requested by caucuses representing minority interests.

On the other hand, Madigan said, passing sports betting will require the cooperation of many interests, including gaming CEOs, racetracks, video poker representatives and more. "It's always been very contentious," he said. "It's no different this time than any prior legislative session."

This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 7, 2019.

Read the entire article online.

C-SPAN bus coming to Springfield next week

A 45-foot customized C-SPAN bus will be in Springfield Tuesday and Wednesday as part of the public affairs channel’s “50 Capitals Tour.”

The tour began in September 2017 and is scheduled to be completed in November.

At each capital city, the bus is opening its doors and also gathering viewpoints on politics.

On Tuesday, the bus will be open to the public from 9:30 to 11 a.m. outside the Statehouse on Capitol Avenue, near Second Street.

Earlier that day, state Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, will be interviewed aboard the bus for the channel’s “Washington Journal” program.

The bus also will be at Springfield High School in the afternoon.

On Wednesday, the bus will be open to the public while parked near the Student Union at the University of Illinois Springfield from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The bus will be at Grant Middle School earlier in the day.

The bus is equipped with a TV production studio, a smart TV and classroom area for conversations with students and teachers, and a D.C.-themed selfie station where visitors can share their bus experiences through social media.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 14, 2018.

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Samuel K. Gove Illinois Legislative Internship Hall of Fame inducts new members

Four people who have successful careers in and around government are being inducted into the Four people who have successful careers in and around government are being inducted into the Samuel K. Gove Illinois Legislative Internship Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois Springfield.

Mark Denzler, Marcilene Dutton, DeShana Forney and David Joens will be inducted in a ceremony March 12 at the Old State Capitol.

Gove was founding director of the internship program.

With the four new members, the hall, established in 1990, will include 68 people. Their names are inscribed on a plaque on the fourth floor of the Statehouse.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on February 28, 2018.

Read the entire article online.

Save the date for governor’s race primary debates

There are many ways to convey information and news to readers — the printed page, audio and online, for starters.

Sometimes, though, a newspaper also can inform by hosting community events, such as candidate debates and forums.

With the election filing period having just concluded, we’re turning our attention to ways to help readers learn as much as possible about candidates’ positions.

I’m pleased to announce that the SJ-R will partner with News/Talk 94.7 and 970 WMAY and the University of Illinois Springfield to host debates in the 2018 governor’s primary elections.

The Democratic primary debate will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at UIS. All six candidates who have filed petitions to run in the Democratic primary — state Sen. Daniel Biss, Bob Daiber, Tio Hardiman, Chris Kennedy, Dr. Robert Marshall and J.B. Pritzker — have agreed to participate in the event.

Our three organizations also have invited the two Republican candidates — incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner and state Rep. Jeanne Ives — to debate the night before, on Feb. 20, also at UIS.

Ives has accepted our invitation, and we certainly hope that the governor will do the same. For those who can’t attend in person, the debates will be broadcast live.

“We are honored to once again host such an important event,” said Joan Sestak, director of UIS community relations. “This is a great example of what it means to be public affairs university that is committed to developing students who will be engaged citizens.”

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on December 9, 2017.

Read the entire article online.

UIS names new dean of College of Public Affairs

University of Illinois Springfield has named the new Dean of the College of Public Affairs.

Robert Smith previously served as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Savannah State University, and Chair of the Political Science Department at Kennesaw State University.

He is scheduled to start on July 16 and said he's excited about his new position.

This story aired on WICS Newschannel 20 on April 3, 2017.

Watch the story online.

Public affairs hall welcoming Springfield, Chicago, KC trio

Three journalists from Springfield, Chicago and Kansas City will be inducted into the Public Affairs Reporting Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois Springfield on March 6, the school announced recently.

Kansas City Star reporter Scott Canon, Chicago Tribune reporter Michael Hawthorne, and former State Journal-Register editor and reporter Mike Kienzler all graduated from UIS's public affairs program.

Canon, a 1982 alumnus, has covered local and international events and produced investigative pieces at the Star since 1989. He started his journalism career at the Champaign News-Gazette and the Santa Barbara News-Press.

Hawthorne, a 1989 graduate, is an investigative reporter at the Tribune. He and two colleagues were Pulitzer Prize finalists in 2013 for a series on the tobacco and chemical industries’ collusion to minimize safety standards in household furnishings. He has also worked at the Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch, Champaign News-Gazette and Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Kienzler, part of PAR’s first graduating class in 1973, spent close to 40 years with the Journal-Register, the state capital's daily newspaper, mostly overseeing government and election coverage as the metro editor. He retired in 2013, but continues to work on the Illinois State Historical Society Advisory Board.

This story appeared in the Sangamon Sun on February 27, 2017.

Read the entire article online.

Bernard Schoenburg: Journalism Hall of Fame

An induction ceremony will be held March 6 to honor three new members of the Bill Miller Public Affairs Reporting Hall of Fame.

The PAR master's degree program at the University of Illinois Springfield - led for 19 years by the late Bill Miller - has alums who after working in their Statehouse pressroom internships have gone on to great success across the country and beyond.

One of the three inductees is Mike Kienzler, 68, of rural Athens, who was in the first PAR class in 1973. He retired in 2013 after nearly 40 years with The State Journal-Register, most of it spent as metro editor and deputy metro editor - with not a small part of that time spent answering my questions, because his is a great mind. His involvement in local history includes being founding, and current, editor of SangamonLink.org, the online encyclopedia of the Sangamon County Historical Society.

Also being inducted is Michael Hawthorne, 50, of Chicago, a 1989 PAR intern and investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune, focusing on public health and environmental issues. Hawthorne participated in a story about harmful, ineffective flame retardants, promoted by tobacco and chemical industries, used in household furniture.

The third inductee is Scott Canon, 56, of Kansas City, Missouri, a 1982 PAR intern who has worked on the Kansas City Star since 1989, covering stories including the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City, the school shooting in Columbine, Colorado, the start of the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan in 2001, and tsunami recovery in Sri Lanka.

The induction ceremony, sponsored by the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership, includes a 5:30 p.m. reception and 6:30 p.m. program March 6 at the Inn at 835, 835 N. Second St., Springfield.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on February 8, 2017.

Read the entire article online.

UIS presenting seminar on effective lobbying

Lobbying doesn't have a great reputation, but the University of Illinois Springfield hopes to help change that Friday, with a seminar teaching the ins and outs of the practice. The day-long seminar "The Third House: State Lobby Essentials" will have speakers ranging from lobbyists to university faculty.

Barbara Van Dyke-Brown, director of legislative internships and advocacy programs at UIS, expects the $300 seminar to attract both beginners and experienced lobbyists who are looking to master their craft.

"Generally, we attract people who are getting into it for the first time or have been lobbying on their own," Brown said. "There's a variety of folks who attend, like general citizens who are part of organizations or even people who want to know how it all works."

Brown said it was important for the seminar to feature an array of speakers from different political backgrounds to show that lobbying is important no matter the political viewpoints. "It's important to have a balance reflected on the agenda," she said. "We try to line it out and talk about the basics on what it means to lobby, then we go into strategies and tactics, and it's all lobbyists who are presenting. It's very practical."

This marks the first time in six years that UIS has presented the seminar, but Brown hopes to have the campus host it annually. "We do have a focus at the university on public affairs," she said, "and it's a good fit and makes sense."

Polly Poskin, executive director of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault and one of the speakers, said lobbying is an essential way for a person's voice to be heard.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on January 26, 2017.

Read the entire article online.

UIS adds six degree programs

The University of Illinois Springfield has added six new majors to its curriculum that are in high demand among incoming students.

Half of the new programs, including biochemistry, are connected to the health field. Students graduating with a degree in biochemistry would be in a good position to pursue careers in medicinal chemistry and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields. For some of the students holding that degree, their first post-college job could be in Springfield.

The six new programs bring the total number of bachelor’s degrees offered at UIS to 31 and the number of master’s degree programs to 20. The university also has one doctoral program.

In addition to biochemistry, the other new bachelor’s programs are in exercise science, theater, public administration and public policy. The sixth new program is a master’s degree in data analytics, which has applications in the medical field and other areas.

All of the new majors started this fall except for theater, which starts next fall.

James Ermatinger, UIS interim vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost, said the university typically adds about one new program each year.

“A few years ago we looked at our data and noticed that students were requesting certain majors,” Ermatinger said. “We created a task force that identified several new majors. Departments on their own also produced proposals for new majors.”

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on October 31, 2016.

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Students say DCFS scholarships have changed their lives

When Gabriella White was 11 years old, “she had never met a book,” said her mom, Shannon O’Donnell.

O’Donnell and her husband, Joseph White, adopted the now 18-year-old Gabriella in 2008. “She just blossomed,” O’Donnell said proudly as she talked about her daughter’s accomplishments.

White worked hard, her mother said. And it paid off. She graduated from Normal Community West High School in the spring with a 4.49 GPA out of 5.0.

White will study psychology and criminology at the University of Illinois-Springfield in the fall with a full tuition waiver provided by the youth scholarship program of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

The story was reported by the Chicago Sun-Times on July 22, 2016.

Read the story online.

Osprey chicks from Virginia introduced to central Illinois in 'translocation' project

The 12 osprey chicks from Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay that were banded, marked and examined here Friday morning were successfully transported to protected sites near Shelbyville and Canton later in the day.

The 6-week-old ospreys — fish-eating hawks with distinctive brown and white coloring — are considered endangered in Illinois. The dozen birds from Virginia are part of a “translocation” project begun in 2013 to re-establish a population of ospreys in the Land of Lincoln.

A major goal is to have at least some of the ospreys return to Illinois for breeding after they migrate south, sometimes as far away as South America, said Tih-Fen Ting, associate professor of environmental studies at the University of Illinois Springfield.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on July 9, 2016.

Read the story online.

UIS professor working to relocate endangered birds to Illinois

A University of Illinois Springfield professor and the Illinois Audubon Society are partnering to relocate endangered birds to the state.

UIS says twelve 6-week-old ospreys were transported to Decatur from Virginia this week.

The university tagged the birds at the Illinois Raptor Center in Decatur today.

They will later be released near Lake Shelbyville and along the Illinois River near Canton.

We're told, ospreys are fish-eating birds of prey that are listed as endangered in Illinois.

"I am so excited. This has been a long week. We finally get to this place where we can just finish and band the birds, make sure they're all healthy and happy and let them go," said Tih-Fen Ting, professor at UIS.

The Illinois Audubon Society is contributing $3,000 to transport the birds.

The story was reported by Fox Illinois on July 8, 2016.

Watch the story online.

Lawmakers look to recruit young leaders

Some kids dream about becoming doctors; others becoming teachers. But, if you dreamed of working in state government, a proposed piece of legislation might help.

The bill's goal is to get more young people engaged and employed in state jobs. It also creates a council of eleven people who are experts on issues affecting young people.

Senior Andrea Carlson is a political science and legal studies major at the University of Illinois-Springfield. She's headed to law school at UI next fall.

"I'd like to work in regulatory and administrative law." Carlson says she could eventually see herself working in state government.

The goal is to get more people, ages 18 - 25, employed in state jobs. Jobs which could turn into careers when current state workers retire.

"There's a ton of essential services that are provided by devoted public employees. The people who were out over the weekend, out plowing the roads, the people who are prison guards, the people who are child abuse investigators," said Charlie Wheeler, director of the UIS Public Affairs Reporting program.

The story was reported by WCIA-TV on March 2, 2015.

Watch the story online

UIS graduate staying at school as campus police officer

Destiny Skaggs is having a couple of graduations this summer.

She participated in the University of Illinois Springfield commencement exercises May 17, where she received her degree in criminal justice, and then will graduate from the Illinois State Police Training Academy in September as likely the first black woman to be hired for the UIS Campus Police force.

Skaggs, 26, shared the graduation stage earlier this month with her sister, Natalia, who got her degree in social work. They are the first members of their family to graduate from college.

That family connection is important to Skaggs, who was born in Plano, Texas, but moved to Edinburg in time for the sixth grade.

She applied for a position on the campus police force because it was one of the first law enforcement jobs she heard about. She got the letter offering her the campus police job on her birthday.

“And, it was in Springfield!” she said. “My mom, brother and sister are all here, and I wanted to be around them. I'm very family-oriented.”

Skaggs got an associate degree from Lincoln Land Community College before completing her bachelor's degree at UIS.

Skaggs was featured by The State Journal-Register on May 28, 2014.

Read the article online

Student joins UIS police force before graduation

It's that time of year for pomp and circumstance and diplomas.

More than 1,300 students at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) will be college graduates Saturday. But at least one didn't think graduating from college was a realistic dream.

"It's going to be amazing," said 26-year-old UIS student Destiny Skaggs. "I'll probably be all smiles up there."

Destiny is one of 732 who will be walking across the stage at the Prairie Capital Convention Center and receiving a diploma--finally earning her college degree after years of hard work.

"Just last semester, I worked 60 hours, I worked two jobs and then I had five classes to take care of," said Skaggs. "It's a lot of work and I wanted to do well with my grades."

Making the grades is exactly what she did.

"My lowest grade since 2009 was an A-," said Skaggs.

She's the first to earn a bachelors degree in her family, and now graduating with honors in the criminal justice program at UIS. Like many soon-to-be graduates, Skaggs was set on landing a job, so she applied to the university's police force.

The story was reported by WICS-TV 20 on May 16, 2014.

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College students take page out of LaHood’s bipartisan playbook

The following is a portion of an op-ed written by Ed Wojcicki, associate chancellor for constituent relations at UIS. It was published in the Peoria Journal Star on February 9, 2014.

"Six college student leaders have broken free from a trap that is polarizing America. That’s not enough to eradicate a great national toxin, but it’s a start.

Three of the last five years, the presidents of two student organizations — College Democrats and College Republicans — have been roommates at the University of Illinois Springfield. In day-to-day living, they have learned valuable lessons about civil conversations and common ground.

Two are from the Peoria area. It’s as if they have absorbed the attitude of Ray LaHood, the former congressman and U.S. transportation secretary who preaches that bipartisanship is part of the rich history of central Illinois, going back to Abraham Lincoln. LaHood unsuccessfully led an effort to restore civility to Congress in the late 1990s. He carried on, but the political toxicity and hyperpartisanship in the nation’s capital and in many states have only become more odorous.

Meanwhile, at UIS the unusual living arrangement began in 2009, when Democrat Matt Van Vossen of Oak Lawn and Republican Ryan Melchin of Hoffman Estates chose to be roommates in their junior year. They had been friends since they were freshmen and that was more important than their political leanings."

Read the full op-ed on the Peoria Journal Star website

State's supreme court gets second woman chief justice

With more than 30 years of experience in the judicial system, Justice Rita B. Garman will accept a new role as chief justice for the Illinois Supreme Court.

She's broken down barriers that no man or woman has ever been able to in Illinois. She is the first person to serve on all levels in the state's court system.

"This really opens up the legal profession. I would hope in the eyes of these young students and allows them to dream big," Gwen Jordan said.

Attorney Gwen Jordan teaches at the University of Illinois Springfield. She says she can relate to Justice Garman. She dealt with similar struggles while climbing her ladder to success.

"Unfortunately it still exists for women of color it's worse. So this does matter to have women in the top level positions, to change those maybe more settle biases," Jordan said.

Jordan was featured by WICS-TV 20 on September 12, 2013.

Watch the story online