Some clarification is called for to your April 17 editorial (“Up and down the Hill”) raising questions about why Congressman Baron Hill addressed students at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. The editorial suggested that Congressman Hill came to Bloomington to get the attention of those sympathetic to his political views rather than to address “budding policymakers” at SPEA. In fact, Representative Hill was here solely to address students. He had been invited to speak to SPEA students by Dean Astrid Merget a month earlier, and he graciously accepted. In light of the national debate surrounding legislation related to war funding, we asked the Congressman to speak on the topic of Iraq.
During his visit, he also met with SPEA student leaders to discuss careers in public service. SPEA regularly invites public officials from local, state and national level offices to address our students – our nation’s future leaders – to elevate and sharpen their thinking on critical public policy.
The editorial also questioned Congressman Hill’s dedication and support for higher education. We have found it to be absolute. During Mr. Hill’s tenure in Congress, he has been supportive of every funding request Indiana University has submitted. Earlier this year, he voted for legislation that would lower the interest rate on federal student loans by 50 percent. Just this month, Congressman Hill urged his colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to support increased funding for the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, the two agencies from which IU receives the bulk of its federal grants. These grants allow faculty and students across IU disciplines to engage in important and meaningful research.
We in Government Relations appreciate and do not question Congressman Hill’s support of Higher Education, Indiana University, its faculty and students.
Astrid E. Merget and Tom Healy
Dean, School of Public Environmental Affairs
and Vice President for Government Relations
