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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2017
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Vol. 130 / No. 25
Dean Simpson prepares goodbyes Announcing his retirement after leading the College of Arts and Sciences for six years, colleagues note his ‘enormous impression’ on ISU SARAH ATEN News Reporter | @sarahmaten
Al Bowman wants to ‘help Illinois institutions be successful’
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ollege of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Simpson has held his position for six years; however, he will leave in June 2018 to retire and use his free time to pursue other interests, such as attempting to learn guitar. Simpson has a long history of being involved with academics as many of his close family members were English teachers. After graduating from the University of the Pacific with a degree in psychology, he went on to earn his master’s in the same field at the University of Missouri — Kansas City. Simpson recalls a particular challenge with an instructor who was on his committee while working toward his Ph.D. “[He] threw my proposal on the table and said, ‘I don’t see how you can go on,’” Simpson said. “I thought, I didn’t have to have him, I could have kicked him off the committee, the committee is my choice within certain rules. I thought if he wasn’t on the committee, I wouldn’t really feel as if I’d gotten the degree.” He subsequently earned his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. “I kept him on and survived. And 12 years later he was the department chair and he hired me to his faculty,” Simpson said. Si mpson’s ent i re c a reer has been based at different universities. “I like to say I’ve been on a college campus almost nonstop since 1969, when I entered as a freshman,” Simpson said. He spent 12 years at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Roughly seven or eight years after he began working at the University of Kansas, he became
From ISU president to IBHE executive director
MALLORY LOVINGS News Reporter | @MalloryLovings
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Natalie Stuckslager | Vidette Photo Editor
Dean Gregory Simpson has led the College of Arts and Sciences since 2011 and oversees 16 departments and schools. He hopes to write more and learn the guitar during his retirement. department chair and maintained the position for 10 years. Simpson became the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 2011 and oversees 16 departments and schools. Appreciative of the help he receives from his staff, Simpson has a large responsibility as he deals with the college budget, hiring department chairs and personnel. “I guess I get personal satisfaction in my roles as a teacher with students, and a researcher with graduate students, and department chair with new faculty, a dean with faculty, all these units,” Simpson said. “Mentoring people and seeing them become successful is kind of the most
GOP tax reform could affect colleges ANDREW DOUGHERTY Political Reporter | @addough
President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled House of Representatives have proposed an overhaul of the current federal tax code which could have major implications for Illinois residents, especially those attending universities. The proposed overhaul of the current federal tax code, the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” would eliminate the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction that nearly 2 million Illinoisans rely on to
personally satisfying thing.” Stephen Hunt, execut ive director of the School of Communication, offered his words for Simpson’s retirement and described him as an amazing advocate and a compassionate colleague. “He made an enormous impression in Illinois State University in his time here,” Hunt said. As Hunt explained, Simpson’s support made possible the Social Media A naly tics Command Center, high definition cameras for TV-10 and the upcoming Communication Innovation Center. “Beyond that, Greg is a wonderful person to work with. He cares deeply about the mission of
avoid being taxed twice, both at the state and federal level. Illinois has the second highest property taxes in the nation. “It is a bad bill because they’re making states like Illinois, who are highly taxed, to pay for the new tax bill,” Illinois State University Secretary of Governmental Relations Richard Greenfield said. “This bill needs more vetting and Congress needs to take their time.” The centerpiece of the House bill is a massive cut in the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center has estimated that it would reduce federal revenue by $1.46 trillion over the next decade. Republicans have argued that the cost would be offset by increased economic growth. “This is another attempt at trickle-down economics — a form of taxation that didn’t create
the college and all of the faculty, staff, students and alumni affiliated with it,” Hunt said. “We are all sad to see him go, but wish him the best in retirement.” Simpson feels like he still has projects to work on once he retires in June. “I have been tr ying for a number of years now to learn to play guitar. And since I’m only able to pick the thing up once a week, that’s why I don’t say, ‘I play guitar,’ I say, ‘I’ve been working on learning to play guitar,’ so maybe I’ll have time to pick it up more than once a week,” Simpson said. He also hopes to get a chance to write more once he begins his retirement.
jobs, spur growth and thus lacked the garnering of new revenue,” Illinois State University President of the Assembly Billy Stripeik said. “We saw this happen in the 1980s with President Reagan, leading to massive budget deficit, millions in debt and an eventual next step of re-raising taxes to fund essential government services which spurred growth.” The latest reform plan would reduce the number of tax brackets from seven to three, including a 0 percent income tax rate for lowincome earners. Deductions for state and property taxes would be capped at $10,000, the medical expense deduction would be eliminated and homeowners will be capped at taking deductions on home mortgages greater than $500,000. see GOP page 5
or one former Redbird, education never stops growing, and after he spent a decade as Illinois State University’s president, he is now taking on the executive director position for the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Al Bowman served as ISU’s 17th president from 2003 until May 2013. However, his experience dates back to 1978 when he came to ISU as faculty in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. “My 35 years of campus experience will allow me to provide insights into academic and student life that may not be immediately apparent to policy makers in Springfield,” Bowman said. He served as the department’s chairperson from 1994 to 2002. Bowman served as interim provost for the 2002-2003 school year. He was appointed interim Al Bowman president in June 2003 after Victor Boschini left to become chancellor of Texas Christian University, and later was named president. In this new role, he will be responsible for master planning and making recommending budget plans to the governor and the general assembly for the higher education institutions and agencies. Bowman will be paid $150,000 annually under terms of a contract approved by IBHE. He began his work at the agency Wednesday. “My primary goals include improving high education access and affordability, improving student outcomes and enhancing broad economic growth,” Bowman said. He will also contribute recommendations to the board regarding program and institutional approval. “I have always enjoyed working with the governor’s office and members of the general assembly, and this position will allow me to work with them on behalf of the higher education community,” Bowman said. see BOWMAN page 3