Illinois State University College Democrats and College Republicans host annual debate
On Oct. 28, the Illinois State College Democrats and College Republicans had their annual debate Students gathered in the Brown Ballroom of the Bone Student Center to watch three representatives from each party go head-to-head. Nine questions were asked, the topics ranged from national to local issues. Some of the topics included criminalization of abortion, bans on assault weapons and campus safety. “I don’t think women should be prosecuted for the crime of abortion. I think criminalization should fall on the responsibility of the doctor. They know better. They know what abortion entails. They understand that life begins at conception, but they perform abortions for profit [and] political gain,” ISU College Republicans member Braiden Gonzalez said. While Gonzalez strongly expressed his opinion on the topic of abortion, ISU College Democrats representative Delaney Reynolds opposed. “The College Democrats stands with women and trusts their choices for their own bodies...First, I really want to address the separation between church and state. [The] First Amendment says [that] government should not impose religious beliefs on any individual. Many who oppose abortion do so based on personal or religious views. But our laws must reflect the diverse beliefs of the citizens in the United States,” Reynolds said. One topic both parties agreed on was student teachers’ wages. “Absolutely, we should be paying student teachers to ensure that we attract more diverse and more educated student teachers to benefit our future generation,” Reynolds said. Campus safety was covered, referencing an incident on campus this past August where a hate crime was reported. It was one of several incidents reported at ISU. The representatives were asked how they feel ISU should handle these situations. “We have to be proactive. We can’t have a hate crime incident occur...I want to stress the importance of ISU administrators being proactive and transparent. We’ve had issues with that in the past,” ISU College Democrats Alex Duffy said. Duffy also condemned the racism occurring, especially on the social media platform known as Yik Yak, following the recent “pop-up party” shooting. Both parties stated their desire to encourage students to get out and vote. “The purpose [of this debate] is to educate people, but I think more so this year is heavily important. We were seeing this almost as a final push to students on campus [to vote]. If you don’t know who you mare voting for, this is a great way to see who and what party you are voting with,” Reynolds said.
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- Ewing Manor to hold annual tour this weekendEwing Manor will host its annual architecture tour from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 5. Tickets cost $25 per person. Those interested in rich history are encouraged to attend. The tour will be available at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. Reservations are required. Space is limited to 12 people per tour. Guides will show all 44 rooms of the manor. The tour will last approximately two and a half hours. All details can be found here.
- How students might be impacted by a possible UFISU strikeStudents could be affected by the possibility of the United Faculty of Illinois State University (UFISU) beginning to strike as early as Friday, April 4. Here is a full rundown on how a strike might impact students: Classes Unless notified otherwise, students should still attend classes and are advised to check their ISU email inbox and Canvas for updates. Some classes may be modified, moved online or canceled for a short period during the strike. The University stated on its Frequently Asked Questions website that it prioritizes academic continuity and expects students to complete their coursework. According to ISU’s website, the University might also implement substitute instructors or combine class sections if needed. Students will earn course credit at the end of the semester regardless of a strike. The departmental units and supervising faculty will assign grades accordingly for each course. Summer classes are intended to run as scheduled. Graduation Seniors and graduate students graduating in May will still be able to participate in spring commencement. The strike will not affect spring graduating students receiving their degrees. Housing and dining services/events Housing and dining services will be unaffected by a strike. Performances, productions and similar events will be reviewed individually to determine whether they can continue. How to support UFISU Those interested in supporting UFISU are encouraged to follow the union’s Instagram and Facebook accounts for updates. UFISU also regularly updates its website with bargaining updates and other information. Students can write a letter to President Aondover Tarhule to bring in a fair agreement in support of UFISU. Attending future rallies is another way to support the faculty. According to their website, UFISU’s next rally will be at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 3, starting at the Old Main Bell on the Quad. Additional information is available on ISU’s website or by contacting StrikeQuestions@ilstu.edu.
- The Fight for Fairness: The breaking pointFrustration grows, and a strike is imminent as demands remain unmet. On Friday, Special Education Associate Professor Mark Zablocki and assistant history professors Taylor Soja and Camille Cole collaborated to provide updates on the United Faculty of Illinois State University (UF). At the end of February, UF announced that there would be discussions of striking due to the slow progress in reaching an agreement. Some members displayed signs outside their office doors indicating their readiness to strike. Significant steps have been taken toward action. In early March, Cole said UF had taken a strike authorization vote, which authorized their table team to file with the Illinois Labor Relations Board. “There was another mediation session immediately after, where the administration made a little bit of movement but really not the kind of movement that we need to see,” Cole said. “After, the table team did choose to file it with the board this past Monday.” UF members are currently undergoing the state-mandated 10-day cooling-off period. According to Soja, the earliest potential strike date would be April 4. Cole added to the discussion by reminding that UF will continue to hold sessions throughout this period. Sessions sometimes last for hours, with one even being held during bad weather. “The last mediation session, they were there for 11 hours–that day of the tornado–they all had to go inside the building. That's just to say that however long they would need to be in that room, that's what we're gonna do,” Cole said. In the event of a strike, students should anticipate that a professor participating in the strike will not conduct classes, update Canvas, check their email, do service work for the University or engage in other related activities. “There are also people who teach classes who are not part of our unit, so people who are non-tenure track faculty are not allowed to strike because of the way that U.S. labor law works. Those classes presumably will still happen,” Cole said. On Friday, a University-wide email was sent to all students and faculty. The response included tentative agreements reached by the parties during the session on Friday. It was stated that these agreements pertained to non-economic issues. “We're just focusing on the bargaining and on trying to make movement for the faculty at the table,” Cole said. According to the email, negotiation sessions are now scheduled for April 1-4. As a strike looms, rallies increase in numbers. On Thursday, over 200 individuals attended the UF rally on the Quad. Pressure was applied to the University as members chanted and marched around campus, continuing to demonstrate their willingness to fight for a fair contract. Illinois Representative Sharon Chung and Illinois State Senator Dave Koehler attended the rally to show support for UF. They gave speeches alongside many others who were there in support. “What really stuck out to me is what Camille was talking about: how this has kind of gotten people from different departments together who normally wouldn't get together,” Zablocki said. “For the past four years, we've been having conversations with people all across campus. We tried to talk to every single faculty member–650 of them–so we made every attempt to talk to everybody. I think yesterday was really a show of unity," Zablocki continued. Zablocki, Soja and Cole agreed that they have seen more interest from students due to the rallies growing in numbers. “I think a lot of faculty have been talking to students outside of class and answering the questions that they come to us with about what the union is and how it all works, but also what we're fighting for,” Soja said. “And I can speak for myself and say that, when I've talked to students outside of class, there's real frustration. I feel like they're very much in it with us," Soja continued. Cole said that students are able to contribute to UF’s efforts in numerous ways. Students can write to President Aondover Tarhule through the link on UF’s Instagram to urge him to direct his table team to work on an agreeable offer for everyone. “Follow us on socials… But also, talk to your friends, talk to your parents. The more that the community knows and that people who have a stake in the University, and the more that those people are also reaching out to the administration, the more likely it is that they settle a fair contract with us,” Cole said. At the end of the discussion, the three shared a few thoughts that summarized the emotions within UF. Zablocki shared that among the frustrations, he felt uplifted by the interest from students. “I teach pre-service teachers, and most of them will join a union. Talking more about unions and what they mean for the country has made me feel pretty good,” Zablocki said. Soja agreed with Zablocki’s statement and said the feeling was mutual. Cole also shared similar feelings. “I feel similar. Tired, frustrated, a little bit anxious. But I am also ready; I am ready to fight if that's what they're gonna insist on,” Cole said.
- Illinois State University and Heartland Community College to host Southeast Asian Cultural FestivalIllinois State University and Heartland Community College (HCC) will be hosting the Southeast Asian Cultural Festival from April 1 through April 4. These events are free and open to the public. Here is a full schedule of events being held: Tuesday, April 1 at HCC Main Campus There will be a guest lecture with speaker Robby Anggriawan from 9:30-10:45 a.m. in the Welcome Room of the Workforce Development Center (WDC). There will be a religious panel discussion with monk Bhante Rahula from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Leadership Room of the WDC. Lunch from Dang and Thai House will be served during the Le Hien Minh documentary showing and nail salon from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Multicultural Room of the WDC. A presentation titled “Empowering Young Entrepreneurs: The Role of Education and Support Systems in Vietnam” will be given by Mai Nguyen Lisovich from 12:30-1:45 p.m. in the Leadership Room of the WDC. There will be a Muay Thai boxing event from 2-3:15 p.m. in the Welcome Room of the WDC. There will be a guided meditation session from 2-3:15 p.m. in the Multicultural Room of the WDC. There will be a screening of the “Cirque du Cambodia” film and director Q&A from 6-8 p.m. in Rooms 1406 and 1407 of the Community Commons Building (CCB). Wednesday, April 2 at HCC Main Campus There will be a Muay Thai boxing event from 9:30-10:45 a.m. in the Welcome Room. A presentation titled “Empowering Young Entrepreneurs: The Role of Education and Support Systems in Vietnam” will be given by Mai Nguyen Lisovich from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Leadership Room. Lunch from Dang and Thai House will be served during the Le Hien Minh documentary and nail salon from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Multicultural Room. A presentation will be given by Professor Katherine Bruhn titled “Global Art and Visual Culture (Indonesia)” from 12:30-1:45 p.m. in the Welcome Room. Thursday, April 3 at ISU Vrooman Center There will be a yoga and breathwork workshop from 9-10 a.m. in the Marilyn M. Boyd International House. A presentation titled “Batik Art & Indonesian Traditional Games” will be given by Robby Anggriawan from 10-11 a.m. in the Eleanor Kong Room. There will be a lunch reception with a presentation from The Grand Cafe from 11:15 a.m. to noon in The Jaime Escalante Room. RSVP is required. A presentation titled “Empowering Young Entrepreneurs: The Role of Education and Support Systems in Vietnam” will be given by Mai Quynh Nguyen from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Jaime Escalante Room. There will be a Muay Thai boxing and Burmese Lethwei Martial Arts demonstration with Band of Brothers Martial Arts from 2-3 p.m. in the Eleanor Kong Room. A presentation titled "Balikbayan: A Photographer's Connections to the Philippines" will be given by Jason Reblando from 3-4 p.m. in the Jaime Escalante Room. There will be a Tinikling Dance Performance by the Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC) Student Organization from 4-5 p.m. in the Marilyn M. Boyd International House. There will be a dinner reception with a presentation from Dang Boba, Poke and Banh Mi from 5-6 p.m. in the Jaime Escalante Room. RSVP is required. There will be a screening of “Cirque du Cambodia” with Director Joel Gershon from 6-8:30 p.m. in the Jaime Escalante Room. Friday, April 4 at ISU Vrooman Center There will be a guided meditation and mindfulness workshop with Jim Almeda from 9-10 a.m. in the Marilyn M. Boyd International House. A presentation titled “Global Art and Visual Culture [Indonesia]” will be given by Katherine Bruhn from 10-11 a.m. in the Eleanor Kong Room. There will be a lunch reception with a presentation from Thai House of Bloomington from 11:15 a.m. to noon in the Eleanor Kong Room. RSVP is required. There will be a violin performance by Chona Noble from noon to 1 p.m. in the Eleanor Kong Room. There will be a Muay Thai boxing and Burmese Lethwei Martial Arts demonstration with Band of Brothers Martial Arts from 2-3 p.m. in the Eleanor Kong Room. More information can be found here.
- Additional negotiation sessions between UFISU and ISU will lead into April ahead of possible strikeThe United Faculty of Illinois State University (UFISU) and Illinois State University reached three tentative agreements on Workload, Assignment of Duties and Identification of Union Representatives during a negotiation session on Friday. During this session, two additional sessions were added alongside the previously scheduled Wednesday, April 2, and Friday, April 4, sessions. The new sessions will be held on Tuesday, April 1, and Thursday, April 3. The negotiation session lasted around 13 hours from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. UFISU described the three tentative agreements as a “huge win” on its website. “We have been in discussion about paths to agreement on these topics for weeks (or, over a year if you count that we submitted the original proposal in our first bargaining session on February 28, 2024,” the UFISU website said in its bargaining update post. In an email sent to students, faculty and staff, ISU Media Relations said almost all non-economic issues have been resolved with these three tentative agreements, with focus shifting to economic issues like compensation and parental leave. Friday’s negotiation session had no involvement with a federal mediator. The choice not to involve a federal mediator follows the implementation of a March 14 Executive Order that decreased the size of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and “ended support to public-sector negotiations.” “While good progress was made with the mediator’s support, the University believes the parties have developed a productive working relationship that will allow negotiations to continue without the involvement of a mediator as Illinois State and the Union move toward contract resolution,” ISU said in its email. In the tentative agreement for Assignment of Duties, employees will receive more support from ISU in considering their course teaching preferences and earlier notification of what courses they teach in upcoming semesters. Department teaching loads were also discussed with Workload. Departments will develop workload policies according to their standards and service requirements. Employees with “sufficient scholarly and creative productivity, and assigned institutional and departmental service responsibilities,” will not be assigned over 18 teaching credit hours. UFISU and ISU continue to have economic discussions. ISU proposed an updated economic offer, involving base and promotional salaries. UFISU has described these “off-the-record” economic discussions as “intense.” On Monday, UFISU filed a Notice of Intent to Strike. If an agreement is not met between UFISU and ISU for a fair contract in the next negotiation sessions moving into April, the faculty union may strike as early as Friday, April 4.
- A complete timeline on negotiations between UFISU and University administrationThe United Faculty of Illinois State University (UFISU) filed its Intent to Strike notice earlier this week. Over the past year, University administration and UFISU have bargained back and forth, seeking fair wages for all faculty. Here is a definitive timeline on the negotiations dating back to February 2024: Spring 2024 The first bargaining session took place on Feb. 28, 2024. ISU faculty expressed feelings of isolation within their schools and departments through spokesperson and associate professor Ashley Farmer. UFISU presented University administration with copies of a proposal based on the Bargaining Pillars of the union. University administration has been led by Mark Bennett of Laner Muchin Ltd. After questioning different aspects of the proposal, Bennett assured that the University would have counterproposals by the next meeting. During a four-hour session in March, the ISU administration did not have counterproposals or sign any tentative agreement. Testimonials from staff were a focal point during the spring sessions. Xiaoying Zhao, an international faculty member, shared that ISU’s management of the immigration process was slow and complex, with a lack of on-campus help. Zhao also revealed that several of the fees included were paid out of pocket, a surprising detail for some administrators. UFISU revealed that ISU had the lowest salary for its professors in the state of Illinois. Bennett presented a short proposal during the final session in March. The proposal said that the University believed that no fundamental change was needed at that time. In April, UFISU rejected several proposals from ISU administration and submitted counterproposals, highlighting the need for change and fair compensation. Union faculty and ISU administration signed their first tentative agreement on April 29, 2024, regarding the economic availability of the final agreement. Summer 2024 A movement in tentative agreements was seen over the summer during the first session on May 16, 2024. UFISU and University administration signed three proposals, among them being No Strike No Lockout, stating that union members are not authorized to strike after signing the contract. Proposals for non-discrimination and workplace bullying were two key topics discussed in May. On June 5, 2024, both parties signed their sixth tentative agreement on union dues. During the June session, University administration heard presentations from Director of Environmental Health and Safety Adam McCrary and Executive Director of Facilities Services Kristie Toohill. Both discussed their areas and responsibilities in terms of their current projects on campus. This led to the conversation on health, safety and facilities, where the UFISU expressed concern over the lack of locks on doors across campus in the event of an active shooter. Administration said the concern was unnecessary to bring into the bargaining agreement. UFISU and ISU administration signed a tentative agreement on July 31, 2024, which focused on academic freedom. The proposal enabled faculty to select materials and develop assignments within their individual courses and assign additional materials if needed in their courses. In August, union faculty revisited the need for door locks in buildings across campus. Administration also made progress on all-gender restrooms on campus. Fall 2024 Both parties had their first session of the fall semester on Aug. 23, 2024, where a Memorandum of Understanding on Facilities Improvements was agreed upon. This included a commitment from ISU administration to install locks on all classroom doors within five years and solidified progress on all-gender restrooms. On Aug. 28, 2024, two additional agreements were signed, relating to health and safety and facilities. Until this point, no economic proposals were made by the administration. UFISU members had waited seven months because the proposals were related to staff workload and pay. An agreement on limitations and savings was signed on Sept. 16, 2024. In November 2024, grievance, non-discrimination and disability were the main points of bargaining. On Nov. 19, UFISU requested mediation due to its frustration with the administration’s response to the proposals. Mediation was also requested due to the lack of economic proposals. ISU administration denied the request for joint mediation since the union faculty had to make a request to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board first. Salary was the main focus of December’s mediation session. UFISU and ISU administration presented different numbers, which further deepened the disconnect between them. Spring 2025 UFISU spoke during the public comment portion of the Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 21, 2025. Jessica Rick, an assistant professor in the School of Communication, shared her personal experiences as a parent and advocated for a new child leave policy. School of Communication professor Joseph Zompetti discussed the financial stresses ISU faculty face. Ashley Farmer, an associate professor of criminal justice sciences and lead UFISU negotiator, voiced concerns about the uncertainty of a fair contract. UFISU’s current demands ask for an average salary increase of over 28% over the next 33 months. The approximate salary at ISU is $88,089, which is 12% below the national average. During the mediation session on March 24, 2025, UFISU informed University administration that it filed an Intent to Strike notice with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board. Faculty members can go on strike as early as April 4. The filing does not mean that all union faculty members will go on strike, but it allows them to do so, if necessary. Future mediation sessions will take place April 2 and April 4.
