Center News

Gary Reinbold, an assistant professor of public administration with a new part-time appointment in the Center, will be presenting a paper on inequalities and incentives in transfer and tax programs in Illinois at the American Society for Public Administration’s 74th Annual Conference. The conference will take place March 15-19, 2013 in New Orleans, LA.  Reinbold’s research, supported by a public affairs research grant from the Center, analyzes the effects of 18 different transfer and tax programs on income inequality among nonelderly, nondisabled households in Illinois and on work and fertility incentives for those households.

UIS political scientist Michael G. Miller with a part-time appointment in the Center has received a book contract from Cornell University Press for his manuscript, Subsidized Democracy: How Public Funding Changes Elections, and How It Can Work in the Future. Publication is expected in the fall of 2013. The book will focus on the manner in which state-level public funding changes both mass and elite political behavior. Using survey responses from the legislative candidate populations of 18 states in 2008, testimony of candidates in the 2006 Arizona election, and more than 20 years of elections data, Miller’s project describes how public funding alters candidates’ strategic decision-making through the course of a campaign, from the entry decision to the final hours, and how changes in their behavior produce a fundamentally different political environment. Miller has also received an advance contract from Routledge for a book , co-authored with Conor Dowling of the University of Mississippi, that provides a broad examination of how Super PACs and other organizations spending unregulated money in the wake of the 2010 Citizens United decision by the U.S. Supreme Court affect elections and political behavior.

Peter Gray has officially been named WUIS Morning Edition host. Gray, a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, previously worked as a reporter at WAND-TV and in independent film projects.  Gray had been at WUIS in a part-time role for nearly a year. In addition to hosting the local portion of Morning Edition, he will host Friday’s Illinois Edition and report on local events and the arts.

Sangamon County businesses expect tepid growth in the upcoming year, according to the Fall 2012 Sangamon County Economic Outlook Survey conducted by the UIS Survey Research Office. The biannual mail survey examines the economic perceptions and expectations of businesses and nonprofit employers in the county. Results show a decrease in expectations about the overall county economy from the Spring 2012 survey. Yet, while the overall outlook has dimmed slightly, respondents reported being positive about their own business prospects. Thirty-five percent of those completing the survey expect increases in their firm’s capital investments, 31 percent expect higher profitability, and 45 percent anticipate an increase in gross revenue over the next 12 months. In addition, for the third consecutive year, the medical/healthcare sector recorded the most positive outlook, with more than 75 percent of respondents expecting growth in the sector in the period ahead. The survey results are based on 170 responses from the private, non-profit, and government sectors.  The biannual outlook surveys are sponsored by the University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor’s Office, the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, and the Center for State Policy and Leadership.

The downgrades of Illinois’ credit worthiness by bond rating agencies have been cited as a primary reason for overhauling Medicaid and state pensions. But what do the downgrades really mean in the real world? Illinois Issues’ November edition shows that the state actually has been paying lower rates on its bond issues than in recent history, although many other states’ rates are even better.

If the murder pace continues, Chicago could end the year with more homicides than any American city. In the first nine months of this year, 403 murders occurred in the city, far outpacing New York’s total of 319. Two-thirds of the homicides took place in the city’s south and west sides, and many involve gang activity. In its November edition, Illinois Issues examines Chicago’s efforts to combat its 27 percent increase in homicides over last year, which is earning the city – deservedly or not – a label as the most violent place in America.

WUIS statehouse bureau chief Amanda Vinicky spoke on the politics of Illinois pension funding problem at a meeting of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chapter of the American Association of University Professors on October 1st.   Vinicky noted that lawmakers will likely take up a measure to reduce state employees, teachers, and university employees pensions in January, after the fall elections. But, even if a law is passed, she said, it will surely go to court. Although the state constitution gives a guarantee that pensions earned cannot be impaired, Vinicky explained that some believe a pension-reducing overhaul would be constitutionally permissible if it saves the system from collapse. Also speaking along with Vinicky were economist Fred Giertz, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs, and business administration professor Avijit Ghosh, University of Illinois vice present of technical and economic development. 

Public funding of campaigns was thrown for a loop last year when the U.S. Supreme Court decided McComish v. Bennett.  Political science professor Michael G. Miller presented a paper on the McComish case, and how to address its challenge to public funding, at the Paul Simon Institute’s Conference on Ethics and Reform in Illinois in Chicago on September 28th. McComish was a First Amendment challenge to the matching funds provisions of some state-level public election funding programs. Specifically, candidates who did not participate in Arizona’s public funding system argued that provisions in the law granting money to participating candidates based on the spending of non-participating candidates chilled their speech.  By a 5-4 vote, the Court agreed and barred this type of provision. Miller’s paper outlined the issues in McComish and described how effective, constitutional public funding reforms could be crafted in the future. Miller’s talk included findings from his forthcoming book on public election funding.  

Well-designed efforts by state government can reduce the impact of traffic accidents and the injuries and deaths that result from some accidents. To advance its agenda in improving traffic safety, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) recently awarded the Institute for Legal, Legislative, and Policy Studies 1.3 million in funding for fiscal year 2013 to continue work on three projects designed to increase traffic safety and better manage traffic risks. One grant focuses on training prosecutors, probation officers, and law enforcement in better methods for reducing and managing DUIs. Under a second grant, the Institute supports IDOT’s efforts to collect, analyze, and use data on traffic safety in the state. The third grant funds university employees who work with local police agencies to implement practices in communities around the state to improve traffic safety. 

The WUIS fall fund drive will be on the air October 11-20, with an emphasis to support an informed community by converting donors and listeners to the WUIS Calendar Club monthly giving program. The Calendar Club, which the station instituted two years ago, has resulted in increased funding through less attrition and reducing the cost to listeners of renewing their support. Thanks to current Calendar Club giving, the fall fund drive will not be on the air as often as in past drives. This is the first drive since WUIS’ broadcast programming became all news and information and its classical music programming moved to a 24/7 digital channel.

The Center sponsors a competitive public affairs research grant program, offering grants up to $15,000 to UIS faculty to support their applied research.  Ten projects were funded in 2011.  We held two, noontime brown bag forums in November, 2011 at which the faculty researchers presented their progress to date.  . [More]

More than 400 people attended the 9^th Annual Lincoln Legacy Lectures presented by the Center on October 13, 2011 at UIS.  This year’s theme was “Lincoln and the Civil War.”  The speakers were Michael Burlingame, Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at UIS, and Lucas Morel, the Lewis G. John Term Professor of Politics at Washington and Lee University.  The moderator was Cullom Davis, Professor Emeritus of History. [More]

More than 470 people attended the Lincoln Legacy Lectures on October 7, 2010 at the University of Illinois Springfield, the largest audience ever for this annual series.  There was standing room only in Brookens Auditorium and the overflow seating in the Public Affairs Center conference room spilled over into the Food Emporium where it was shown on the Campus Channel. [More]

David Racine has been named the Interim Executive Director of the Center for State Policy and Leadership (CSPL) at the University of Illinois Springfield. He succeeds Tony Halter who retired on June 15, 2010. [More]

The University of Illinois Springfield welcomed nearly 200 political scientists from around the country and the world to central Illinois during the 10th annual State Politics and Policy Conference (SPPC). [More]

WUIS/Illinois Pubic Radio has launched a new “alternative” digital radio station as part of a nearly $300,000 upgrade effort. [More]

Listeners helped set a record fundraising total for WUIS this fall as over $150,000 has been raised to support programming costs at the media outlet. The record goal was necessary to cover cuts in state arts grant funding. AFSCME Council 31 provided a challenge match to start the fund drive. Over 100 volunteers helped reach the goal. [More]

The University of Illinois Springfield’s Downstate Innocence Project held a forensic seminar on cutting edge methods of DNA testing on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 in the Brookens Auditorium. [More]

Illinois Issues, the state’s leading public affairs magazine, has launched a new program in cooperation with state legislators to promote public policy information and education through the public library system. “Issues for Citizens” was launched in September with 31 legislators providing Illinois Issues to 59 libraries across the state. [More]

Journalists from Illinois Issues magazine and WUIS/Illinois Public Radio took home six combined “Best of Statehouse Reporting” honors in a national competition. The awards were sponsored by Capitolbeat, which is made up by reporters and editors. [More]

Leading up to the Lincoln Bicentennial celebration in February, the Papers staff provided news organizations with historical information on Lincoln and gave invited presentations throughout Illinois . The staff has been involved in several television programs and documentaries on Lincoln , acting as on-air historical consultants. [more]

WUIS 91.9, the public radio affiliate based at the University of Illinois at Springfield campus, received two journalism awards in the latest competition sponsored by the Illinois Associated Press. The news station was honored with second place awards in the categories of Best Investigative Report and Best Documentary. [more]

With the November presidential, congressional, and legislative elections just around the corner, Illinois Issues magazine’s staff has been hard at work writing and producing their election issue, which looks at the prospect of an Obama or McCain presidency from a local perspective, as well as cover local government races. [more]

On Sept. 17, 2008, University of Illinois Springfield faculty, staff and students took time to reflect on one of the critical issues of the First Amendment during a panel discussion of "Freedom of the Press in 2008." Co-sponsored by the Center for State Policy and Leadership and the ECCE Speakers Series, the discussion, marking U.S. Constitution Day, was held in the lobby of the Public Affairs Center on the Springfield campus.[more]

The Certified Public Manager Program of Illinois, a professional development program offered through the Institute for Legal, Legislative, and Policy Studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield, has received accreditation from the National Certified Public Manager Consortium. [more]

Public Radio WUIS 91.9 and Illinois Issues magazine are joining together to present a special Illinois Edition focusing on autism. The program will air Friday, September 26, at 6:30 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday, September 27, at 6:30 a.m. Amanda Vinicky, WUIS Statehouse reporter, and Bethany Jaeger, Illinois Issues Statehouse bureau chief, produced the program, which takes a look at the progressive and unique life challenges that autistic children and their parents face. [more]