Champaign, IL – The State Universities Retirement System (SURS) will hold an election on May 2, 2018, to fill the expiring terms of two active-member trustee positions. In accordance with SURS Administrative Rule, 80 Ill. Adm. Code §§1600.700 to 1600.710, the following candidates successfully completed the application and petition process.
Active-Member Trustee Candidates:
Steven M. Rock, economics professor at Western Illinois University in Macomb
Timothy P. Spila, senior research scientist in the Materials Research Lab at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign
Collin A. Van Meter, member of the Information Technology Services Unit at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville
Two active board member terms and one annuitant board member term will expire in June. Steven Rock (active-member trustee) and John Engstrom (annuitant-member trustee) currently hold two of the seats. The second active-member seat was held by Dorinda Miller until just recently, when she resigned.
Trustee candidates circulated petitions from Oct. 2, 2017 – Jan. 31, 2018. Only one annuitant candidate, John Engstrom, returned petitions with the necessary 100 signatures. Because there is only one elected annuitant seat open, there will not be an election for that seat. Trustee Engstrom will continue in that position.
Three active-member candidates are vying for two open positions therefore an election will be conducted in this category. Eligible members will receive voting materials via email, if they have a valid email on file with SURS, or by U.S. mail if they do not. Voting materials will come from Election-America.
The voting period is April 2 – May 1, 2018. Winners will be announced on May 4, 2018.
Newly elected trustees will begin serving on July 15. SURS trustees serve six-year terms.
Candidate petitions may be challenged until 4:30 pm CST on Thursday, February 15.
The SURS Board of Trustees consists of 11 trustees: five appointed by the governor including the chairperson who also serves as the chair of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, four active members elected by SURS active members, and two annuitants elected by the annuitants of the System.
Other members of the SURS Board of Trustees include: Chairperson Tom Cross, Aaron Ammons, Mark Cozzi, Dennis Cullen, J. Fred Giertz, Paul R.T. Johnson Jr, Craig McCrohon and Antonio Vasquez.