HR0459

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to congratulate Susan J. Kaufman, 
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Ph.D., on her upcoming retirement as
President of the  
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University Professionals of Illinois, Local 4100 
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IFT-AFT/AFL-CIO and
Professor Emerita of the Journalism 
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Department at Eastern Illinois University; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Sue Kaufman was born and grew up in Michigan's 
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Upper Peninsula, the daughter of a union activist in the 
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Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers and a 
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housewife; and granddaughter of two county Democrat chairs, one 
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of whom was a suffragist; and

 
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    WHEREAS, During the 1970s and 1980s, she distinguished 
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herself as a journalist in newspapers, radio, and television 
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and as an advertising and public relations practitioner; in the 
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Upper Midwest she covered the civil rights movement, 
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government, and education, among other topics; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Kaufman earned a bachelor's degree from 
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Michigan Technological University, a master's degree from 
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Indiana State University, and a Ph.D. from Indiana State 
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University in 1992; her public service is legend, starting with 
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memberships on a school board and a technical advisory board in 
 


 






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Michigan and continuing through her service as president of 
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University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100, 
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IFT-AFT/AFL-CIO; and

 
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    WHEREAS, An active feminist throughout the 1970s, she 
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helped to create and to manage a news service to cover the 1985 
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UN Decade for Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, among other 
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accomplishments; she has produced documentaries and written 
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book chapters on topics including a story of a survivor of 
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Auschwitz who survived infamous Nazi Dr. Joseph Mengele's 
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experiments with twins, theories of communication, and 
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feminism; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Kaufman was hired to teach broadcast 
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journalism at Eastern Illinois University in 1986, where she 
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distinguished herself as news director of the television 
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station, earning Women of Achievement and Distinguished 
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Faculty awards and the love and admiration of her students; and
 
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    WHEREAS, She became active in union leadership in 2000, 
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only after another broadcaster (one of her former students) was 
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hired as news director for the student television station and 
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she no longer saw a conflict of interest; she was elected 
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president of EIU's chapter of University Professionals of 
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Illinois in the 1990s, and secretary-treasurer of Local 4100 in 
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2000; in 2002, Dr. Kaufman was appointed president of the 
 


 






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Local, leading nearly 3,000 university faculty and staff at 
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seven public universities; she was elected to two more 
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three-year terms as Local president; and

 
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    WHEREAS, She served as a vice president of the Illinois 
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Federation of Teachers and a member of American Federation of 
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Teachers Higher Education Program and Policy Council; and as a 
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member of the policy council of Citizen Action Illinois and 
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vice president of the Public Action Foundation Board; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Kaufman's seven-year tenure as Local 4100 
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president has been marked by inclusion, cooperation, and 
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strengthening of the Local/Chapter relationship; she
expanded 
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the role of the membership and governing boards, created 
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transparency of the finances and administration, developed the 
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concept of strategic budgeting, oversaw an increase in 
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membership each year under her tenure due to a strong emphasis 
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on internal organizing, helped to create the Higher Education 
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Legislative Coalition, which has become a strong voice for the 
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needs of higher education in Illinois, and strengthened 
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alliances with the Illinois Federation of Teachers and with the 
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American Federation of Teachers; and

 
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    WHEREAS, She and her partner of more than 30 years have 
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raised five children and now care for her nonagenarian mother; 
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therefore, be it

 
 


 






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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate Dr. Sue Kaufman on her retirement and wish her 
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continued success in all her future endeavors; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Dr. Sue Kaufman as a symbol of our respect.