The University Professionals of Illinois, Eastern’s faculty union, is endorsing Rep. Rod Blagojevich, D-Ill., for the next governor. UPI endorsed Blagojevich for his commitment to giving more money to higher education and faculty compensation, Mitch Vogel, UPI Local 4100 president, said.

“Blagojevich was far more consistently pro-education and pro-Eastern than the other candidates,” Vogel said. “He made it clear that universities would be covered before prisons and membership initiatives.”

In a membership initiative, legislators are allowed to give state funding to programs of their choice, which are usually highway restoration or transportation programs, Vogel said. Blagojevich hopes to sideline this practice and use the money for higher education and faculty compensation.

Illinois is currently ranked 47th among states in expenditure per student and 48th in faculty benefits, David Radavich, president of Eastern’s chapter of UPI, said.

“Blagojevich seemed strongly committed to providing money for higher education,” Radavich, an English professor, said.

Radavich added that the state’s current coverage of the cost of education is roughly 30 percent, and has continuously declined over the last decade. Blagojevich believes that the state should be responsible for 51 percent of the cost of education in Illinois, he said.

Vogel also pointed out that Blagojevich agrees with the right of university employees, including graduate assistants, to organize and bargain with universities.

The decision to endorse Blagojevich was made after reviewing questionnaires that were sent to the candidates by the UPI. None of the Republican candidates returned the questionnaires, Radavich said.

UPI represents faculty and staff from Chicago State, Governors State, Northeastern, Northern, University of Illinois in Springfield and Western University. UPI is also affiliated with the American and Illinois Federation of Teachers and the State Federation of Labor.