FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2006

Following the resolution of a 16-count water pollution complaint filed by Attorney General Lisa Madigan to the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB), Governor Blagojevich reappointed Jay Bergman to the Illinois State University (ISU) Board of Trustees. The IPCB found Bergman's company Petco Petroleum liable for the spills and fined the company $135,000.

"We are very disappointed with Governor Blagojevich's decision. He chose to ignore the specific issues students raised on the reappointment," said Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) Member Geoff Ower.

The issue is that Jay Bergman's business practices are at odds with ISU's values. Petco Petroleum's pollution record is antithetical to the ISU Mission Statement which states a commitment, "to serve the citizens of Illinois and beyond."

Educating Illinois, the guiding document for ISU's future, lists environmental stewardship as one of the University's Core Values. Students are worried that Bergman's track record of putting profits over environmental health in business will carry over to Trustee decision-making.

After SEAC launched its petition drive in April 2004, Bergman told a Pantagraph reporter, "From what I understand, they [SEAC] are so far to the left they make Jane Fonda look like Ronald Reagan. Their concern is to promote a radical, leftist agenda. I just happen to be their target this semester."

"Jay Bergman's unabashed attacks on student civic engagement should have been a red flag to the Governor," said Amy Butterworth. When SEAC requested a meeting with the Governor to discuss concerns about Trustee Bergman, however, their request was denied.

"After SEAC received a denial letter from the Blagojevich's office over the summer, we begged to meet with someone from the Governor's office," Butterworth said. In December, SEAC met with Jill Hayden, Director of the Board of Commissions Office and delivered over 1,100 petition signatures from ISU students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and other citizens from Bloomington-Normal and across Illinois, asking that Bergman not be reappointed.

SEAC will continue to watchdog Petco Petroleum and will consider future actions if there are more spills. SEAC encourages Illinois citizens unhappy with the Governor's decision to voice their concerns by calling the Director of the Board of Commissions office at 217-782-1145.

For additional information, visit the SEAC website: http://seac.pabn.org/bergman

Contact:
Amy Butterworth, 309-454-9229
Geoff Ower, 309-740-1436

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