[Peace] Time Sensitive ACTION ALERT for Illinois Residents: Stop Passage of Bill Restricting Academic Freedom

Tue Mar 4 20:54:20 UTC 2014

*Hello everyone,*

*A few weeks ago legislators tried to pass a bill in New York that would
cut funding to state universities and institutions that endorse the boycott
of Israel. This bill basically makes boycotts (a right that is protected by
the first amendment) illegal. People were able to get this bill tabled by
calling their senators. *

*Now they're trying to pass another anti-boycott bill HERE in Illinois.
There could be a hearing for this bill as early as TODAY, March 4. Please
call your senators and tell them to kill the bill. *

*WHAT CAN YOU DO?*

*1) Contact your State Senators that are members of the Higher Education
Committee.*

See a list of Committee members' contact information and Talking Points
below.

   - If you don't know your State Senator, click here and type in your
   address <http://www.elections.il.gov/districtlocator/addressfinder.aspx> to
   find out.

*2)  **If your State Senator is not in the Higher Education
Committee, contact, in this order:*

·         *FIRST:  State Senate President, John Cullerton (D). **CALL (217)
782-2728*.

·         *SECOND: Chairman of the Higher Education Committee, Senator
Michael W. Frerichs (D).**CALL* *(217) 782-2507**.*

*3) Help spread the word.*

·  Share this message as widely and as quickly as you can!

·  Try to get this information to people throughout the state...it
important that this be a state-wide effort.

·  Send a letter to the editor in your local paper to express your
opposition to this legislation.

*TELL STATE SENATORS:*

I am calling to oppose the Higher Education Committee Amendment 1 to Senate
Bill 3017.

*This amendment proposes that the legislature defund an Illinois state
university which provides funds for membership, travel or lodging for any
employee to attend activities of an academic entity which has issued a
public resolution or statement supporting boycotting a country which is a
member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
or higher education institutions in that country.*

   - This bill is unconstitutional because the Supreme Court has ruled that
   boycotts are protected First Amendment activities.
   - The State cannot deny funding to universities because certain
   legislators don't like the views that faculty and staff are expressing
   through protected First Amendment activities like boycotts.
   - Legislative intrusion in academic decision-making undermines
   academics' abilities to associate and exchange views with their colleagues.
   - It is fiscally irresponsible and unconstitutional to condition
   funding for the Illinois university system on the university's censorship
   of academic associations' political viewpoints.

*MEMBERS OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION:*

*Illinois Senate Higher Education
Committee:http://www.ilga.gov/senate/committees/members.asp?CommitteeID=1219
<http://www.ilga.gov/senate/committees/members.asp?CommitteeID=1219>*

*Chair: Senator Michael W. Frerichs (D) *52nd District  *(note: former
teacher)*

CALL Springfield Office (217) 782-2507

District Office: 45 E. University Avenue, Suite 206 Champaign, IL  61820

*Vice Chair: Senator Pat McGuire (D)* 43rd District *(**note: former
teacher and school board member)*

CALL Springfield Office (217) 782-8800

District Office: 2200 Weber Road Crest Hill, IL  60403

*Senator Daniel Biss* (*D) *9th District  *(note: lives in Evanston -
former U of C math professor)*

CALL Springfield Office (217) 782-2119

District Office: 3706 Dempster Street Skokie, IL  60076

*Senator Melinda Bush* (D) 31st District

CALL Springfield Office (217) 782-7353

District Office: 10 North Lake Street, Suite 112, Grayslake, IL  60030

*Senator Dan Kotowski* (D) 28th District

CALL Springfield Office:  (217) 782-3875

District Office: 350 S. Northwest Highway, Suite 300 Park Ridge, IL  60068

*Senator Kimberly A. Lightford* (D) 4th District

CALL Springfield Office:  (217) 782-8505

District Office:  10001 West Roosevelt Rd Suite 202 Westchester, IL  60154

*Senator Andy Manar *(D) 48th District

CALL Springfield Office:  (217) 782-0228

District Office 103 West Main Street P.O. Box 33 Staunton, IL  62088

*Senator John M. Sullivan (D) *47th District

CALL Springfield Office:  (217) 782-2479

District Office 926 Broadway, Suite 6 Quincy, IL  62301

*Senator Chapin Rose (R) *51st District

CALL Springfield Office: (217) 558-1006

District Office 510 S. Staley Road, Suite D Champaign, IL  61822

*Senator David S. Luechtefeld (R*) 58th District *(note: former teacher)*

CALL Springfield Office:  (217) 782-8137

District Office 700 North Front Street Okawville, IL  62271

*Senator Wm. Sam McCann* (R) 50th District

CALL Springfield Office:  (217) 782-8206

District Office: 221 Dunlap Court Jacksonville, IL  62650

*Senator Kyle McCarter* (R) 54th District

CALL Springfield Office:  (217) 782-5755

District Office: 310 W. Gallatin Vandalia, IL  62471

-- 
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
*Students for Justice in Palestine *
*University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign*
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