SR0649 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0649 LRB095 20767 NHT 49338 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The University of Illinois Extension is the flagship outreach effort of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, offering educational programs to residents of all of this State's 102 counties; and

WHEREAS, Through learning partnerships, the U of I Extension's programs are aimed at making life better, healthier, safer, and more profitable for individuals and their communities; and

WHEREAS, The U of I Extension offers educational programs in 5 specific areas, including a healthy society, food security and safety, environmental stewardship, sustainable and profitable food production and marketing systems, and efforts that enhance the State's youth, families, and communities; and

WHEREAS, Most U of I Extension programs are offered on an informal, non-credit basis; some Extension programs do offer continuing education credits in certain fields of study; and

WHEREAS, Extension programs may be offered as hands-on workshops, field days, or self-paced tutorials via the Internet or offered in formats made appropriate for the audience and subject matter; and

WHEREAS, More than 2.5 million Illinois residents take part in Extension programs each year; and

WHEREAS, Nearly 300,000 of the State's youth participate in 4-H programs; and

WHEREAS, Each month, the U of I Extension web pages draw more than 10 million "hits"; and

WHEREAS, People in more than 200 countries access information provided by the U of I Extension, via the Internet; and

WHEREAS, Communities are served directly by Extension staff in 77 regional-based offices located throughout this State; and

WHEREAS, Extension educators located in 12 centers across this State and specialists located on the U of I campus develop and deliver in-depth programming locally, in regional venues, and through distance-learning technologies; and

WHEREAS, As part of the nationwide Cooperative Extension System, the U of I Extension is able to draw on research-based expertise from land-grant universities all across the country; and

WHEREAS, The U of I Extension is based in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and

WHEREAS, Some U of I Extension programs are offered in conjunction with the College of Applied Life Studies for the College of Veterinary Medicine; and

WHEREAS, The Fiscal Year 2008 Budget appropriated approximately $17.8 million for U of I Extension programs; and

WHEREAS, As of April 1, 2008, not a single dollar of the $17.8 million appropriated has been released to the U of I Extension; and

WHEREAS, The U of I Extension cannot retain staff or maintain its programs without funds that are appropriated by the General Assembly and approved by the Governor of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Governor to immediately release the entire $17.8 million that was appropriated to the University of Illinois Extension in the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to the Governor.