Redfield in NYT: Blagojevich may have tripped over ambition

Kent Redfield, UIS professor emeritus of Political Science, was among those asked to comment on Governor Rod Blagojevich's arrest on federal corruption charges for an article that ran in the December 10, 2008, New York Times.

Redfield noted that while Blagojevich "had clearly come into office believing he was destined for bigger things," he may have tripped up on his own ambition.

"The combination of arrogance and stupidity…is just stunning," said Redfield. "There's no feedback loop or reality check."

Download a pdf file of the article
20081210-NYT-BlagojevichArrest.pdf

Barricaded workers are a symbol

The laid-off workers of now-defunct Republic Widows and Doors who have taken over the Chicago factory and are refusing to leave until they receive assurances of promised severance and vacation pay have put a face to the reality of hard economic times.

Kent Redfield, UIS professor emeritus of Political Science, noted in a Chicago Tribune article that, while the case is classic politics, "politicians who… have something to offer are rightly intervening.

"It becomes a metaphor for what's going on in the larger economy," Redfield said.

Download a pdf file of the article, published on December 8, 2008.
20081208-CT-WorkersareaMetaphor.pdf

First-generation college students face challenges

Students who are the first members of their families to attend college can face challenges beyond those confronting other freshmen. At UIS, 11 percent of the current freshmen class belongs to this group.

Read a profile of some of first-generation, college-bound high school seniors that appeared in the December 7, 2008, State Journal-Register
20081207-sjr-SomeCollege-boundKids.pdf