EIU-UPI to canvass door-to-door on Saturday

Deborah+Lynch%2C+an+associate+professor+at+Chicago+State+University%2C+canvasses+after+the+demonstration+and+march+on+May+16.+Lynch+and+her+peers+visited+the+houses+of+registered+voters+in+the+area+to+ask+them+to+sign+a+petition+and%2For+put+a+sign+in+their+yard.

Molly Dotson

Deborah Lynch, an associate professor at Chicago State University, canvasses after the demonstration and march on May 16. Lynch and her peers visited the houses of registered voters in the area to ask them to sign a petition and/or put a sign in their yard.

Jason Howell, Editor-in-Chief

Eastern’s chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois will be canvassing door-to-door in Charleston on Saturday from 9-11 a.m.

The group will be meeting at Morton Park at 8:15 a.m. to discuss talking points and procedures; participants will be canvassing in pairs.

Sace Elder, a member of the EIU-UPI mobilization committee, said those who participated during the last canvassing event reported a positive response from people they spoke with.

“We had a good number of requests for signs and also signatures for the petition were taking around,” she said. “But there are still many more neighborhoods to visit.”

The group’s message is that a full budget for FY ’16 and ’17 are needed.

“Since nothing has changed, we want to continue to get the word out and remind people to keep up the pressure on our elected representatives to do something,” she said. “Not only is EIU suffering, but also higher ed in Illinois is threatened with irreparable harm, K-12 will struggle to offer quality instruction and our social services can no longer provide vital services to the most vulnerable members of our community.”

Jason Howell can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected]