Paul Simon Public Policy Institute
Encyclopedia
The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute is located at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
. It was founded by Paul Simon
, a former two-term U.S. Senator from Illinois and one-time candidate for the Democratic Party (United States)
nomination for President of the United States
. Opening in 1997, the Institute differentiates itself from similar organizations by working directly with elected officials and others to fashion and implement change in public policy.
The institute is bi-partisan and sponsors many on-campus programs featuring state and local politicians, educators, entrepreneurs, and many others. Throughout the year, the institute hosts lectures, and conferences around relevant topics featuring significant and controversial issues impacting the region, the state, the nation, and the world. The institute also conducts two polls throughout the year: Simon Institute Poll and the Southern Illinois Poll.
Being located at SIUC, the Institute offers a variety of opportunities for students, including the Paul Simon Institute Ambassadors, which allows students to network and volunteer their time in assisting the Institute staff in outreach efforts to the campus and community.
The current director of the institute is David Yepsen, who before joining the Institute, had a 34 year career with the Des Moines Register
, serving as the paper’s chief political writer, political editor and political columnist. As part of his work, he was deeply involved in the paper’s coverage of presidential caucus campaigns in the state. Before Yepsen's arrival in 2009, Mike Lawrence, press secretary and senior policy adviser to Governor Jim Edgar
for nearly a decade, served as director from October 2004 to November 2008. Simon served as Institute director from 1997 to his death in 2003. Simon died in Springfield, Illinois
following heart surgery at the age of 75 in 2003.
, south of Carbondale, where he was a professor and director of the SIU Public Policy Institute. While there, he worked to foster the Institute into becoming a think tank that could advance the lives of all people.
Activities included going to Liberia
and Croatia
to monitor their elections
, bringing major speakers
to campus, denouncing the death penalty
, trying to end the United States embargo against Cuba
, fostering political courage among his students, and promoting amendment
s to the Constitution
to end the Electoral College and to limit the president to a single six-year term of office. Concerning the Electoral College during the controversial Election 2000
fiasco, Simon said, "I think if somebody gets the majority vote, they should be president. But, I don't think the system is going to be changed."
Simon believed modern presidents practice "followship," rather than leadership
, saying, "We have been more and more leaning on poll
s to decide what we're going to do, and you don't get leadership from polls... and not just at the presidential level. It's happening with senators, House members and even state legislators sometimes [when they] conduct polls to find out where people stand on something."
David Yepsen, director
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public research university located in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1869, SIUC is the flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system...
. It was founded by Paul Simon
Paul Simon (politician)
Paul Martin Simon was an American politician from Illinois. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1985 and United States Senate from 1985 to 1997. He was a member of the Democratic Party...
, a former two-term U.S. Senator from Illinois and one-time candidate for the Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nomination for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Opening in 1997, the Institute differentiates itself from similar organizations by working directly with elected officials and others to fashion and implement change in public policy.
The institute is bi-partisan and sponsors many on-campus programs featuring state and local politicians, educators, entrepreneurs, and many others. Throughout the year, the institute hosts lectures, and conferences around relevant topics featuring significant and controversial issues impacting the region, the state, the nation, and the world. The institute also conducts two polls throughout the year: Simon Institute Poll and the Southern Illinois Poll.
Being located at SIUC, the Institute offers a variety of opportunities for students, including the Paul Simon Institute Ambassadors, which allows students to network and volunteer their time in assisting the Institute staff in outreach efforts to the campus and community.
The current director of the institute is David Yepsen, who before joining the Institute, had a 34 year career with the Des Moines Register
Des Moines Register
The Des Moines Register is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States. A separate edition of the Register is sold throughout much of Iowa.-History:...
, serving as the paper’s chief political writer, political editor and political columnist. As part of his work, he was deeply involved in the paper’s coverage of presidential caucus campaigns in the state. Before Yepsen's arrival in 2009, Mike Lawrence, press secretary and senior policy adviser to Governor Jim Edgar
Jim Edgar
James Edgar is an American politician who was the 38th Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999 and Illinois Secretary of State from 1981 to 1991. As a moderate Republican in a largely blue-leaning state, Edgar was a popular and successful governor, leaving office with high approval ratings...
for nearly a decade, served as director from October 2004 to November 2008. Simon served as Institute director from 1997 to his death in 2003. Simon died in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
following heart surgery at the age of 75 in 2003.
History
Paul Simon lived for many years in the small town of MakandaMakanda, Illinois
Makanda is a village in Jackson County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 561. In the early 20th Century it used the slogan "Star of Egypt."Makanda is part of the Carbondale, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, south of Carbondale, where he was a professor and director of the SIU Public Policy Institute. While there, he worked to foster the Institute into becoming a think tank that could advance the lives of all people.
Activities included going to Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
to monitor their elections
Election monitoring
Election monitoring is the observation of an election by one or more independent parties, typically from another country or a non-governmental organization , primarily to assess the conduct of an election process on the basis of national legislation and international standards. There are national...
, bringing major speakers
Public speaking
Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners...
to campus, denouncing the death penalty
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, trying to end the United States embargo against Cuba
United States embargo against Cuba
The United States embargo against Cuba is a commercial, economic, and financial embargo partially imposed on Cuba in October 1960...
, fostering political courage among his students, and promoting amendment
Constitutional amendment
A constitutional amendment is a formal change to the text of the written constitution of a nation or state.Most constitutions require that amendments cannot be enacted unless they have passed a special procedure that is more stringent than that required of ordinary legislation...
s to the Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
to end the Electoral College and to limit the president to a single six-year term of office. Concerning the Electoral College during the controversial Election 2000
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
fiasco, Simon said, "I think if somebody gets the majority vote, they should be president. But, I don't think the system is going to be changed."
Simon believed modern presidents practice "followship," rather than leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
, saying, "We have been more and more leaning on poll
Opinion poll
An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
s to decide what we're going to do, and you don't get leadership from polls... and not just at the presidential level. It's happening with senators, House members and even state legislators sometimes [when they] conduct polls to find out where people stand on something."
External links
David Yepsen, director
- Profile at PSPPI