Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Re: Puerto Rico’s Pension Problems (from the National Council on Teacher Retirement)





“The following is excerpted with permission from the National Council on Teacher Retirement (NCTR) e-newsletter NCTR FYI”:

Puerto Rico Bill Set to Advance in Senate

The Senate appears poised to take up the recently-passed House version of an assistance package for Puerto Rico before the end of this week, when the island is confronted with $2 billion in debt payments due.  U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has warned that in the event of default, and if creditor lawsuits are successful, “a judge could immediately order Puerto Rico to pay creditors over essential services such as health, education, and public safety,” forcing the Commonwealth “to lay off police officers, shut down public transit, or close a hospital.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has scheduled a cloture vote tomorrow, Wednesday June 29th, on H.R. 5278, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA), that the House of Representatives adopted on June 9th by a bipartisan vote of 297-127.  The bill did not include any language imposing a version of the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act (PEPTA) that Congressman Devin Nunes (R-CA) introduced earlier this year on the nation’s governmental retirement systems; and with the impending Senate cloture vote, it appears increasingly unlikely that an attempt will be made to add a PEPTA provision in the Senate.

In order to invoke cloture, the support of three-fifths of the whole number of Senators (sixty if there are no vacancies, as is currently the case) is required.  If successful, a cloture vote would limit debate on the legislation to 30 hours, thereby ensuring a vote on final passage prior to the Friday deadline.  Cloture would also limit the number and nature of amendments that would be allowed to be offered.

Thus, in order to obtain cloture, every one of the 54 GOP Senators would have to approve, as well as six additional Democrats.  Then, in order to avoid sending the legislation back to the House—which would ensure that the Friday deadline would be missed—the bill would have to be adopted without amendment.

While there are Senators of both parties who are not happy with H.R. 5278, and who want to be able to offer amendments, it appears increasingly likely that there is sufficient support for simply adopting the House-passed bill and sending it to the President, who has said he would sign it.  For example, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) has now urged his colleagues to back the House-passed Puerto Rico legislation, calling it “the only bill that we have before us that could get by the Tea Party element in the House.”  

In a statement on the Senate floor on Monday, June 27th, Nelson said that “[w]e’re out of time,” that the Senate needs to act, and that the House-passed bill “is the only bill moving.”  Nelson is the first Democrat to indicate that he would support the House bill as-is, and comments from Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the anointed heir to current Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid (D-NV), suggest that if Senate Republicans fall in line in support of the measure, then Democrats will not block the bill from passing.

While attempts to add unrelated public pension provisions such as PEPTA appear to have been successfully thwarted—knock on wood!—the Puerto Rico legislation is still viewed by some as a template for future Congressional action to “bail out” public pension plans in other states.  For example, Ike Brannon, a visiting fellow with the Cato Institute, recently wrote a piece for The Hill entitled “How the Puerto Rico Rescue Makes State Pensioners the Big Winner.”

(This is a significant piece for several reasons.  First, the Cato Institute is a libertarian Washington, DC, think tank originally founded as the Charles Koch Foundation in 1974.  In addition to its broad anti-tax policies, the Cato Institute was one of the first to advocate for the privatization of Social Security, and also opposes public schools, arguing that the country should “break up the long-standing government monopoly” and move “toward a competitive education market.”  Brannon himself has a substantial resume, having served as the chief economist for the Republican Policy Committee, senior adviser for tax policy at the U.S. Treasury, principal economic adviser for Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) on the Senate Finance Committee, chief economist for the Congressional Joint Economic Committee, and chief economist for the John McCain presidential campaign in 2008.  Finally, The Hill has the largest circulation of any Capitol Hill publication, with more than 24,000 print readers.)

In this article, Brannon’s views with regard to the state of public pensions can best be derived from this quote:  “The prospect of states having to pay their large baby boomer cohort pensions that can exceed $100,000 a year per retiree for the remaining 30 or 40 years of their lives is a daunting tab.”  

He then goes on to note that in some states with the most serious funding problems, such as Illinois, it is often not possible to reduce pension benefits due to state constitutional protections, and the level of tax increases necessary to fully fund the state pension funds would take “a New Jersey–style personal income tax system, where everyone is paying more money than they are now and the wealthy are paying a lot more, like in the ballpark of 10 percent.”  And, he observes, “The second that taxpayers realized their tax rates had doubled or tripled solely to pay for the generous pensions of state employees that dwarf their own, riots will ensue.”

Therefore, Brannon argues that the “political path of least resistance is to make the hedge funds and other investors” who lent to states such as Illinois pay for the state’s pension shortfall. Furthermore, he insists, the Puerto Rico solution being devised by Congress “provides a viable path to make that happen.”

According to Brannon, while Puerto Rico was not supposed to be eligible for bankruptcy, “the legislation before Congress will allow the territory to reduce its debt, both general-obligation and non-general-obligation debt.”  “If the bill does become law,” he explains, “the island will promptly cease making payments to its bondholders for the indefinite future,” and, since the bill also stays creditor lawsuits, Puerto Rico will proceed to “use the funds freed up by stiffing the creditors to hire more workers, build infrastructure and put money into its nearly bankrupt pension fund.”  And when these stays are lifted, the Puerto Rican government “can pull out its pockets and plead poverty and any creditor that lost money during the stay will likely be out of luck.”

“This is the blueprint Illinois will almost surely follow,” Brannon insists, with the state asking that Congress extend it some sort of “bankruptcy” protection.  Congress will be presented with a choice that he describes as either protecting “the evil vulture funds from Wall Street that lent [Illinois] money,” or “the hardworking state employees who just want the pension promised to them.”

“The safe bet is that before too long, Illinois will be allowed to stiff its creditors at a propitious moment—not before trashing them [as] avaricious or immoral, no doubt—and their pensioners will be held harmless, too,” Brannon concludes.  “And before too long, the next state will take its cue from Illinois, and the pattern will be set, if not by law then by custom:  State employees on a defined benefit pension will always come before investors who foolishly lent money to their state,” he warns, and “no one will care one whit if that money represents the retirement funds of other U.S. citizens, either.”

The result?  Brannon says that investors will stop treating the muni market as being “a safe bet,” and “the borrowing rates for townships and cities and parks will reflect the new reality of caveat creditor.”  “Left on the hook will be the taxpayer, whose governments will pay sharply higher interest rates going forward,” he concludes.

This line of reasoning has been presented previously, but perhaps not quite so well-articulated by quite so influential a voice in certain circles.  As Brannon said in an earlier piece in The Hill, “Like it or not, what we do in Puerto Rico sets a precedent that the market will assume will be followed to absolve future government insolvencies, and setting aside an explicit constitutional promise to general obligation bondholders will have repercussions.”

“Pretending otherwise is absurd,” Brannon warned, and there are those who think he is right—and that Congress should therefore take pre-emptive action when it comes to public pension plans’ finances.  In short, while public pensions will hopefully have won the battle this time around with regard to PEPTA, there is every reason to believe that the larger war will continue, in Congress and in state legislatures.

"The Illinois government is making a conscious decision that its public universities... are expendable" (Letters to the Editor, Chicago Sun-Times)






A recent op-ed in the New York Times [“Higher Education in Illinois is Dying,” June 3] has brought national attention to the shameful budget stalemate in Illinois, and its resulting devastation of our public universities.

By failing to secure a budget, Gov. Bruce Rauner has created a climate in which faculty and students alike have begun to flee, taking their talents and tuition dollars out of state. Springfield may think that our universities can sustain massive cuts to their operating budgets without lasting impact. 

As faculty at Illinois’ public universities, we come together here to say that they are wrong. Education is the engine of economic growth in our state. The rapid decline in revenues that Illinois continues to experience will only worsen with disinvestment in the knowledge and skills of its citizens. All public servants, whether employed at the university or in state government, have a responsibility to fulfill. We cannot fulfill ours unless you fulfill yours. 

However we arrived at the current economic crisis, it cannot be bettered when compromise is only viewed as failure, and when precious state resources are used to further a political agenda. Inaction is not benign. The Illinois government is making a conscious decision that its public universities, the culmination of 150 years of state, federal, community, and private effort and investment, are expendable. This is unacceptable.

Article X of our state Constitution sets “the educational development of all persons” as a goal, promises “to provide for an efficient system of high quality educational institutions and services,” and assigns the state “the primary responsibility for financing the system of public education.” An engaged citizenry is the bedrock of democracy, and access to excellent and affordable public education is a civil right. Time is running out to ensure it.


Dana Rabin, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Catherine Prendergast, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Christopher Breu, CAS Illinois State University
Joyce Walker, CAS Illinois State University
Matt Felumlee, Department of English, Heartland Community College
Kerry O. Ferris, CLAS, Northern Illinois University
J.M. van der Laan, CAS, Illinois State University
Gary Weilbacher, CLAS, Illinois State University
Peter Ping Liu, School of Technology, Eastern Illinois University
Brian R. Horn, College of Education, Illinois State University

 
Claudia Janssen Danyi, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Susan Kalter, CAS, Illinois State University
Rebecca Saunders, CAS, Illinois State University
Amy Robillard, CAS, Illinois State University
James J. Pancrazio, CAS Illinois State University
Christopher C. De Santis, CAS, Illinois State University
Michael Day, CLAS, Northern Illinois University
Joe Amato, CAS, Illinois State University
Tania Ionin, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
James Hye Suk Yoon, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 
Amy Rosenstein, College of Ed and Professional Studies, Eastern Illinois University
Ann Haugo, School of Theatre and Dance, Illinois State University
Deborah Wittman, College of Ed, Illinois State University
Sarah Hochstetler, CAS, Illinois State University
William Thomas McBride, CAS, Illinois State University
Jill Hallett, College of Education, University of Illinois at Chicago
Christina M. Borders, College of Education, Illinois State University
Phillip Eubanks, CLAS, Northern Illinois University
Olaya Landa-Vialard, College of Ed, Illinois State University
Lennard Davis, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago

 
Juliet Lynd, LAS, Illinois State University
Caroline Mallory, Mennonite College of Nursing, Illinois State University
E. Paula Crowley, College of Education, Illinois State University
Lea Cline, School of Art, Illinois State University
Jeff Rients, CAS, Illinois State University
Susan A Hildebrandt, CAS, Illinois State University
Rachel Shively, CAS, Illinois State University
Rick Hallett, CAS, Northeastern Illinois University
Russell Zanca, CAS, Northeastern Illinois University
Kathleen Renk, CLAS, Northern Illinois University

 
Diana Swanson, CLAS, Northern Illinois University
Richard Cameron, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Marjorie Worthington, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Christine McCormick, College of Sciences, Eastern Illinois University
Robert Zordani, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Renee King, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Steve Brantley, Library, Eastern Illinois University
Angela Glaros, College of Sciences, Eastern Illinois University
Timothy N. Taylor, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Rena Shifflet, School of Teaching and Learning, Illinois State University

 
Gabrielle M. Toth, Library Information Services, University of Illinois at Chicago
Diane Burns, College of Sciences, Eastern Illinois University
Jeannie Ludlow, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Edmund F. Wehrle, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Jennifer L. Stringfellow, College of Ed and Prof. Studies, Eastern Illinois University
Leila Porter, LAS, Northern Illinois University
Charles R. Foy, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Ann Brownson, Ballenger Teachers Center, Eastern Illinois University
Gary E. Aylesworth, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Marina Terkourafi, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 
Rosemary Buck, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Sonia Kline, College of Education, Illinois State University
Peter Andrews, College of Sciences, Eastern Illinois University
Robin L. Murray, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Ralph Cintron, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Maria T. Pao, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
Gary Justis, College of Fine Arts, Illinois State University
Edward O. Stewart, College of Fine Arts, Illinois State University
Issam Nassar, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
Fern Kory, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University

 
Peter Hesterman, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
Marjorie Moretz Stinespring, College of Arts and Sciences, Chicago State University
Leroy Bryant, College of Arts and Sciences, Chicago State University
Carol Jean Dudley, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Jamie V. Ryan, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Jason Reblando, College of Fine Arts, Illinois State University
Ann Kuzdale, College of Arts and Sciences, Chicago State University
Shaila Christofferson, College of Arts and Sciences, Chicago State University
Fiona Ngo, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Mukti Upadhyay, College of Sciences, Eastern Illinois University

 
Michael Leddy, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Lee E. Patterson, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Steven E. Rowe, College of Arts and Sciences, Chicago State University
Kelly Harris, College of Arts and Sciences, Chicago State University
Iryce Baron, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Dennis Baron, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Eric Bollinger, College of Sciences, Eastern Illinois University
Amalia Pallares, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Bill O’Donnell, College of Fine Arts, Illinois State University
Andreas Fischer, College of Fine Arts, Illinois State University

 
Scott Balcerzak, LAS, Northern Illinois University
Marcia Buell, College of Arts and Sciences, Northeastern Illinois University
Christina Bueno, College of Arts and Sciences, Northeastern Illinois University
Maureen Kelty, Daniel L Goodwin College of Education, Northeastern Illinois University
Brandon P. Bisbey, College of Arts and Sciences, Northeastern Illinois University
Lisa Wallis, Library, Northeastern Illinois University
Melanie Bujan, College of Arts and Sciences, Northeastern Illinois University
Lou Bohr, Daniel L Goodwin College of Education, Northeastern Illinois University
Alison Dover, Daniel L Goodwin College of Education, Northeastern Illinois University
Cyndi Moran, Professor, College of Arts and Sciences, Northeastern Illinois University

 
James Ball, Daniel L Goodwin, College of Education, Northeastern Illinois University
Kristin Carlson, College of Fine Arts, Illinois State University
Janet Halpin, College of Arts and Sciences, Chicago State University
James M. Skibo, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
Eric L. Peters, College of Arts and Sciences, Chicago State University
Katie Lewandowski, College of Sciences, Eastern Illinois University
James Stanlaw, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
Xóchitl Bada, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Maria de los Angeles Torres, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Richard Sullivan, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University

 
Elizabeth A. Skinner, College of Education, Illinois State University
Eastern Illinois University, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
Grant C. Sterling, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Michael D. Gillespie, College of Sciences, Eastern Illinois University
Lauren M. Lowell, College of Fine Arts, Illinois State University
Víctor Alejandro Sorell, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
Therese Quinn, Architecture, Design, and the Arts, University of Illinois at Chicago
Cedric Johnson, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Aleeca Bell, Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago
Robert Johnston, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago

 
Barbara DiEugenio, College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago
John Abbott, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Janet Smith, Urban Planning and Public Affairs, University of Illinois at Chicago
Joan Kennelly, College of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago
Aaron Krall, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Laurie Quinn, Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago
James Drown, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Blake Simpson, Architecture, Design, and the Arts, University of Illinois at Chicago
Anthony Simon Laden, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Laurie Schaffner, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago

 
Paul Preissner, Architecture, Design, and the Arts, University of Illinois at Chicago
John Betancur, Urban Planning and Public Affairs
Jeffrey Sklansky, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
John D’Emilio, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Marina Mogilner, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Nicole Jordan, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Laura Hostetler, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Mark Liechty, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Susan Hughes, Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago
Susan Altfeld, Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago

 
Joe Persky, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
John A. Jones, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Renato Barahona, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Jennifer Brier, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Richard Levy, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Kevin Schultz, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Joseph Tabbi, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Julie Peters, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Rachel Weber, Urban Planning and Public Affairs, University of Illinois at Chicago
Jim Hansen, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 
Liv Stone, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
Frank McCormick, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Robert Zordani, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Joel Palka, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Timothy Bell, College of Arts and Sciences, Chicago State University
Robert E. Bionaz, College of Arts and Sciences, Chicago State University
Melissa Ames, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Lucinda Berry, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
John H. Bickford III, College of Ed and Prof. Studies, Eastern Illinois University
Deborah Olbert, College of Education, Eastern Illinois University

 
Valerie Garver, CLAS, Northern Illinois University
Erik Zdansky, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
Jennifer Slate, College of Arts and Sciences, Northeastern Illinois University
Thomas P. Crumpler, College of Education, Illinois State University
Maria Schmeeckle, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
Debra A. Reid, College of Arts and Humanities, Eastern Illinois University
Nobuko Adachi, College of Arts and Sciences, Illinois State University
Lisa Lee, Architecture, Design, and the Arts, University of Illinois at Chicago
Yann Robert, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Barbara Ransby, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago

 
Hannah Higgins, Architecture, Design, and the Arts, University of Illinois at Chicago
Michael Scott, Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago
Judith Gardiner, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Geraldine Gorman, Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago
Carrol Smith, Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago
Nick Hugget, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Chris Boyer, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
John Polk, LAS, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Lynn Kennell, Mennonite College of Nursing, Illinois State University
Teresa Novy, Mennonite College of Nursing, Illinois State University

 
Holly Dust, College of Sciences, Eastern Illinois University
Jeff Gore, LAS, University of Illinois at Chicago
Olivia Perlow, CAS, Northeastern Illinois University
Craig Kois, Northeastern Illinois University
James Barrett, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Martin Manalansin, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Hadi Salehi Esfahani, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Zohreh T. Sullivan, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Fred Hoxie, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Lauren Goodlad, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 
Zsuzsa Gille, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Isabel Molina-Guzmán, College of Media, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Gilberto Rosas, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Kathryn La Barre, Library and Information Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Carol Symes, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Bruce Rosenstock, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Craig Koslofsky, LAS, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jesse Ribot. LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jay Rosenstein, College of Media, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 
Gabriel Solis, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Stephen Jaeger, Emeritus, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Angharad Valdivia, College of Media, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Dennis Dullea, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Anna Westerstahl Stenport, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Lilya Kaganovsky, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Richared Ross, College of Law, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Charles F. Gammie, LAS and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Kristin Hoganson, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Rebecca Ginsburg, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 
Sarah Theule Lubienski, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Patrick Smith, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Allyson Purpura, Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Marilyn Parsons, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Kiel Christianson, Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Elizabeth A L Stine-Morrow, Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Adrienne D. Dixson, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jennifer Greene, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Walter Feinberg, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Dan Morrow, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 
Erik S. McDuffie, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Diane Koenker, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
William Sullivan, College of Fine and Applied Art, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Amita Sinha, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Harley Johnson, College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Carolyn J Anderson, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Michael Rothberg, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Taher Saif, College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Michael LeRoy, College of Law, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jacob Sosnoff, Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 
Rochelle Gutiérrez, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Gloriana González, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Kirstin Wilcox, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
D. Fairchild Ruggles, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Stephen Taylor, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Mary-alayne Hughes, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Luz A. Murillo, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Megan McLaughlin, Professor Emerita, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Anne Haas Dyson, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Marcelo Bucheli, College of Business, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 
Susan Fowler, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Celestina Savonius-Wroth, University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Clare Crowston, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Albert J. Valocchi, College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Marc Snir, College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Bruce Reznick, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Richard Laugesen, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Amy L. Powell, Krannert Museum, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
David O’Brien, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Shawn Gilmore, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 
Linda Herrera, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Katherine Ryan, College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Brett Ashley Kaplan, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Phillip Phillips, College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Renee Trilling, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Stephanie Foote, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Justine Summerhayes Murison, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Eleanor Courtemanche, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Ricky Rodriguez, LAS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
John S. Popovics, College of Engineering, University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign
Kathryn Oberdeck, LAS, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Rosa Milagros Santos, College of Education, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Kate Clancy, LAS, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign


Monday Letters: Rauner is driving faculty, students from Illinois