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Tuesday, August 14, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Benjamin J. Allen, UNI president, (319) 273-2566
Stacey Christensen, University Marketing & Public Relations, (319) 273-6728
Max Phillips, president, Qwest-Iowa and chair of the Iowa Business Council, (515) 286-6343
Terry Branstad, Iowa Advisory Board, ED in '08 (Strong American Schools), (515) 271-1501
Dan Hayes, vice president of corporate communications, Lee Enterprises, (563) 383-2163
UNI partners with ED in '08, the Iowa Business Council and Lee Enterprises to present presidential candidate forums CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- UNI will partner with ED in '08 (Strong American Schools), the Iowa Business Council and Lee Enterprises newspapers to sponsor a series of presidential candidate forums this fall on UNI's campus.
The series is titled "Back to School: Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities in American Education." The forums will focus on policy initiatives related to education and broader implications for global competitiveness.
"America needs to ensure that its children are given a solid education, an education that will allow them to be successful, productive adults in an ever-changing world," said former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, a member of the Strong American Schools Iowa Advisory Board. "We're pleased to partner with UNI in elevating education topics into the presidential elections."
"The business community enthusiastically supports these timely conversations about education reform," said Max Phillips, president, Qwest-Iowa and chair of the Iowa Business Council. "It's critical for our state and this nation to elevate the supply of intellectual capital and innovative capacity that American companies must have to maintain and improve their competitive posture in today's global economy."
Education has long been a prized value of Iowans. UNI, with its 131-year history of outstanding teacher-education programs, will give Iowans throughout the state an opportunity to attend these educational forums.
"A quality education for every child is needed to ensure a bright future for the state and for the nation," said Benjamin Allen, UNI president. "We're very fortunate to have the support of the Iowa Business Council, ED in '08 (Strong American Schools) and Lee Enterprises in making education a topic of discussion in the presidential elections."
Joyce Dehli, Lee Enterprises vice president for news, said, "Our Iowa newspapers are delighted to be able to sponsor theses forums and elevate state and national education issues with our readers and online users."
Lee's Iowa daily newspapers are the Quad-City Times in Davenport, The Courier in Waterloo/Cedar Falls, the Globe Gazette in Mason City, the Sioux City Journal and the Muscatine Journal. Lee Enterprises is a premier publisher of local news, information and advertising in primarily midsize markets, with 56 daily newspapers and online sites in 23 states. Lee is based in Davenport.
ED in '08 (SAS), a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, is a nonpartisan campaign supported by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation promoting sound education policies for all Americans. SAS doesn't support or oppose any candidate for public office and doesn't take positions on legislation. Its three campaign priorities are 1) Agreeing on American education standards; 2) Providing effective teachers in every classroom; and 3) Giving students more time and support for learning.
The Iowa Business Council is a non-profit, non-partisan, self-funded organization whose 24 members include the top executives of 20 of the largest companies in the state, the three public university presidents, and the CEO of Iowa's largest banking association. As a group, they employ more than 180,000 people throughout Iowa. Formed in 1985, the purpose of the Council is to engage the personal commitment of these executives in active leadership roles on major initiatives that offer opportunities to enhance Iowa's economic vitality.
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