It appears The SIU Board of Trustees will NOT be welcoming three new members at its meeting Thursday in Edwardsville.
Wednesday the Senate did not provide a single vote in favor of any of the three appointees. The senate voted 0-23 with 32 “present” votes. State Senator Bill Haine of Alton says he didn’t know the nominees’ qualifications and Governor Quinn failed to seek Senate advice on the appointees as the state Constitution requires.
Section 9-C of the Executive Article of the Illinois Constitution states : “No person rejected by the Senate for an office shall, except at the Senate's request, be nominated again for that office at the same session or be appointed to that office during a recess of that Senate.” Unless the Senate changes its mind on the appointments it appears highly unlikely that any of them will be appointed to the SIU Board during this session of the General Assembly.
Monday, Quinn announced Sandra Cook of Collinsville, Melvin Terrell of Chicago and Lee Milner of Springfield as replacements for the expired terms of Board President John Simmons of East Alton, Board Secretary Mark Hinrichs of O'Fallon and Board Vice President Ed Hightower of Edwardsville. In the absence of new appointees Simmons, Hinrichs, and Hightower can continue to serve on the SIU Board.
The Board is scheduled to select its leadership for the coming year at its meeting Thursday in Edwardsville. With the composition of the Board remaining the same it will be interesting to see how it aligns itself. Last March Trustee Roger Herrin was forced out as President following what Trustee Ed Hightower referred to as "friction" on the board.
