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Civic Education: We Can Do Better Institute Honors Trailblazing CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN LAUNCHES WOMEN IN POLITICS SERIES Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd This was Whitman’s second visit to Whitman told an Institute audience that Carbondale in four years, having participated more women should run for political offices in an Institute panel discussion in 2007 on the and that they will have to work harder than future of moderates in American politics. Her men to win them. book, “It’s My Party, Too,” made the New York Whitman, a Republican and a former Times best sellers list. EPA administrator for President George W. While on campus this fall, Whitman Bush, spent three days on the SIUC campus spoke to numerous classes and student groups, as part of the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship met with a bi-partisan group of southern Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd sponsored by the Council of Independent Illinois women leaders and delivered a keynote Whitman kicked off the Institute’s Women in Colleges. continued on pg. 9 Politics Series. CIVIC EDUCATION: INSTITUTE HONORS TRAILBLAZING LEGISLATOR WE CAN DO BETTER THROUGH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM Gery Chico, the chairman of the Illinois Honoring the director. “An internship in his honor will be a State Board of Education, told a group of legacy of a trailblazing living legacy for him that can inspire and help about 100 southern Illinois educators and African American our students -- and provide a service to the school officials that more must be done to student at SIU community and policy makers today.” provide civics education to students in the Carbondale has led The Institute is more than halfway state. Chico, a Democrat and one of the to the creation of a to raising the $150,000 for the endowed state’s leading Latino officials, keynoted the legislative internship internship. The first internship award will Institute’s first civics conference. for students. likely be in spring 2013, said Matt Baughman, “It’s interesting, one of the most Alexander Lane, the Institute’s associate director who is frequently asked questions I get as I travel the first black male to attend what was then spearheading the fundraising drive after seeing around is from people about, ‘Why aren’t a fledgling teacher’s college, was born in pre- a display of Lane at the university’s Morris you teaching more civics in our schools,’” said Civil War Mississippi to a slave. Thanks to Library during Black History Month. Chico. “Basically, today we’re suffering from a SIU’s early commitment to a diverse student “I was immediately drawn to the lack of civic knowledge.” body, Lane, who enrolled in 1876, went on to Alexander Lane story and moved by the idea He cited a national report showing that become an educator, a physician and a state our University could have such an impressive two-thirds of all American students scored legislator. and compelling account of its first black male below proficiency on the subject of civics. “Not only is Alexander Lane an student that was just waiting to be widely continued on pg. 8 important, and overlooked, part of SIU shared,” Baughman said. history, but he serves as a role model for our continued on pg. 10 students today,” said David Yepsen, Institute Contributions of any amount to the Alexander Lane Internship More information on the internship endowment drive and the endowment are welcomed. A Founding Members Club will honor program is available at paulsimoninstitute.org, or by contacting those making a major gift or pledge by Dec. 31, 2011. Matt Baughman at 618/453-4001 or [email protected]. A MESSAGE FROM DAVID YEPSEN It seems like This Institute – his living legacy – can’t every other day run for office, but we can help. As I said • To inspire students, Matt Baughman there’s news of in my note to you last year, a good public led the charge creating a statehouse another ethics policy institute is one that brings together internship in honor of Dr. Alexander scandal in Illinois. students, academics and practitioners to study Lane, the first African American male There were the Rod problems, make change and develop leaders. student at SIU. Blagojevich trials We did a lot of that in 2011 and more is on • Dr. Linda Baker organized the 9th and convictions. tap for 2012: annual Leadership Weekend for Then came abuses young African American males in the of public pension • Our annual public opinion polls of East St. Louis region to provide them systems by a few people. Stories pop up about Illinois and southern Illinois voters leadership training and a sense of local officials using their position for personal measure sentiment about reform opportunity. gain. efforts and ideas. We believe that helps • Dr. Charlie Leonard is organizing It makes you heartsick. Is our civic life reformers and policy makers craft the first of what we hope are annual still defined by that motto columnist Mike good policy to clean up the state. student tours of the nation’s capitol, Royko coined: “Where’s mine?” Illinois is • We’re planning a conference on also something we hope inspires the taking a beating on the late night talk shows Illinois’ ethical problems in September students who work and volunteer and citizens are angry and turned off. While at the Union League Club in Chicago. at the Institute to pursue careers in the vast majority of public employees and We’ll bring together academics, experts public service. public officials in Illinois are doing a good, and practitioners to discuss the causes • And in case anyone wants to know honest job, they are unfairly tarred by the of corruption and unethical behavior “What would Paul think,” Dr. John actions of a few. in Illinois and fashion some cures. Jackson has compiled an anthology of Worst of all, it hurts Illinois’ efforts at • Law student Joseph Cervantez is Simon’s most memorable writings. The economic development. This isn’t a joking completing research on a paper SIU press plans to publish it in 2012. matter anymore. After all, who wants to examining whether the new citizen- locate or expand a business in a state with based redistricting plans in California There’s lots more. You can check it out on the financial and ethical troubles we have? and Florida could serve as prototypes our website. It’s ambitious work but rewarding Corruption raises the cost of government. for a new system in Illinois in ten years. work. We thank you for the financial support Business leaders don’t know what the tax • We conduct leadership training in you give us that makes it all possible. burden is going to be and they don’t like doing Springfield and here at the Institute business in a state with a reputation for “pay to help the next generation hone its to play.” political skills. It’s discouraging to sit in Paul Simon’s • To help area educators, we also old chair and wonder what he’d think about partnered with the McCormick it. First of all he wouldn’t throw up his Foundation, Mikva Challenge and hands. He’d get to work. He’d dig out that regional school superintendent Marc old typewriter and crank out one of those Kiehna to hold our first civic education trademark editorials or columns of his. He’d workshop to support teachers in their take on corruption in the state he loved for work. years. He’d be running for office or working for good candidates. Issue 20/Fall 2011 Review & Preview is Connect with the Institute printed for contributors to and friends of the Paul via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube! Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois facebook.com/paulsimoninstitute twitter.com/psimoninstitute University Carbondale. Some content provided youtube.com/user/PaulSimonInstitute by University Communications. All photographs by University Communications and Institute staff unless otherwise noted. Paul Simon Public Policy Institute - Mail Code 4429 Tel: 618/453-4009 Southern Illinois University Fax: 618/453-7800 1231 Lincoln Drive Email: [email protected] Carbondale, IL 62901 Web: paulsimoninstitute.org 2 INTERNSHIP PAID OFF FOR CLAYTON BLACK STUDENTS MAKE When Clayton in southern Illinois working to enhance GREAT VOLUNTEERS Black had the broadband technology capabilities in rural opportunity to serve areas. The Institute is delighted to as a Vince Demuzio From that, he was given the chance to provide meaningful experiences Intern through the move to Springfield to work on a similar, to a number of student volunteers, Simon Institute, statewide-focused project. As an “e-Team including this semester the service of he didn’t foresee coordinator” for PCI, Black is overseeing the two law school and two social work how valuable the implementation of broadband plans in 10 students. experience would regions of the state. “It’s all been an amazing Not willing to accept the grueling be. opportunity,” reflected Black. “I am very schedule of law classes, research and But he sees it now. fortunate.” writing as enough to fill their days, “Were it not for the Demuzio Internship Named for the late state Sen. Vince Joe Cervantez and Nate Rice are my junior year, I would not have been given the Demuzio (D-Carlinville), the program has volunteering at the Institute on efforts opportunity I now have with the Partnership provided funding for more than five dozen related to Illinois government. for a Connected Illinois,” said Black, who SIUC juniors and seniors to serve internships Cervantez is comparing Illinois graduated this past May with a bachelor’s with government agencies and offices across redistricting laws to other states, such degree in political science. “Without it, I’m southern Illinois.
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