Righter joins committees affecting Eastern funding

Representative Dale Righter is assuming key positions on state committees that directly affect Eastern.

Righter, (R-Mattoon), in the new 92nd General Assembly will take the position of vice-spokesperson on The Higher Education committee. Also the committee on Computer Technology will have Righter as a spokesman for the second time in a row.

“I think my positions will be of benefit to Eastern,” Righter said.

Jill Nilsen, interim vice president for external relations, said, “His appointments to these key committees enables him to vote on legislation, which is important to students at Eastern.”

“My experience with Rep. Righter is that he highly recognizes student and faculty concerns at Eastern,” Nilsen said.

Righter said, “For Eastern there is a general funding issue and then there is the faculty salaries problem. Our challenge is to do as much as we can as quickly as we can.”

Righter said the Computer Technology committee ties in a lot with higher education and online initiatives.

“We will be trying to provide more state assistance to those schools working with online education and those just beginning with online education, like Eastern,” Righter said.

Righter said he felt online education was beneficial for both the universities and the people of Illinois.

“The nurse who works the second or third shift and needs to take classes to get a promotion or another job are in need of online education,” Righter said.

Righter also will take a position as vice-spokesman on the committee on State Procurement, which also affects higher education.

The committee looks at rules and regulations for all state funded agencies, such as in purchases and budget matters, Righter said.

In addition, Righter will be sitting on four other committees: The House Financial Institutions committee, The House Judicial-Civil Law committee, The House State Government Administration committee and The Appropriations and Human Services committee.

The House Financial Institutions committee deals with the regulation and issues surrounding savings and loan institutions, banks, credit unions and payday loan establishments.

Any Legislation that purposes to change a civil law must go through The House Judicial-Civil committee, Righter said.

The House State Government Administration Committee deals with how the government decides actually how to spend the state funds.

Righter was previously on the the committees of Children & Youth, Computer Technology, Higher Education, Financial Institutions, Prosecutorial Misconduct and the Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Distribution.

Righter also served on the temporary committee of Gas Pricing over this past summer, when the state gas tax was temporarily suspended.