Senator Paul Simon to lecture at Ida Noyes
The Chicago Maroon
By Pamela Appea
Former Democratic Senator Paul Simon will give a lecture on Wednesday, March 4 at Ida Noyes Hall. The event is sponsored by Habeus Corpus, the Pre-Law Society at the University.
Currently a public policy professor at Southern Illinois University, Simon devoted over 40 years to his political career. Simon, a 1998 presidential candidate, retired from the United States Senate in 1996 after serving two terms.
During that time, he served on the Budget, Foreign Relations, Indian Affairs, Judiciary and Labor, and the Human Resources Committee. He also wrote and enacted the National Literacy Act, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, the Job Training Partnership Act Amendments, and several provisions of the Goals 2,000 Act.
“[Simon] is Illinois’ most respected figure. His uncompromising integrity, honesty, and effective legislative skills in both Illinois and national politics are outstanding,” said Rafi Jafri, a fourth-year student in the College and President of the Habeas Corpus.
Prior to his tenure in the Senate, Simon spent ten years in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1997 Simon was appointed to National Institute for Literacy Advisory Board.
“President Clinton’s nomination of former Senator Paul Simon to the National Institute for Literacy Advisory seemed to be a reasonable choice because of Simon’s history of government leadership. It seems however, that the National Institute for Literarcy could focus more on making jobs available and accessible to the poor, rather than reducing welfare dependency,” said Ronald Stover, a Ph.D. candidate in the Divinity school.
“I am excited to have Paul Simon visit because of the insight he can provide as far as current and past political events go, not only as a former Senator, but as a distinguished scholar,” said Parag Gupta, a second-year student in the College and Vice President of Habeas Corpus.
Seating for the event will be limited. For more information, contact Jafri at rkjafri@midway.uchicago.edu or Gupta at pgupta2@midway.uchicago.edu.
Originally published Tuesday, March 3, 1998
