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日本魚類学会会員の皆様、
自然史学会連合より、財政難のために、イリノイ州立博物館が閉館の危機にあるという
連絡が参りました。詳細は以下のメッセージをご覧ください。
自然史学会連合日本魚類学会代表猿渡敏郎
以下、自然史学会連合からのメッセージ。------------------------------------------------------------------自然史学会連合加盟学協会代表の皆様
下記の連絡が入っておりますので転送します。関連する会員の皆様にご周知をお願い致し
ます。
連合事務局海部・保坂
Subject: Fwd: イリノイ州立博物館の閉館危機について
お世話になっております．
すでにご存じかもしれませんが、イリノイ州立博物館がコスト削減のため閉館されそうに
なっているとの情報が、アメリカ第四紀学会から流れてきました。アメリカ大陸の絶滅哺
乳類を含む素晴らしい骨格標本コレクションを所蔵しているだけでなく、花粉のデータベ
ースをはじめさまざまな活動を行っている重要な博物館です。
この州知事の方針について、7 月 13 日に公聴会が開かれる予定、また 7 月 21 日までパブ
リックコメントが受付されているそうです。海外からの意見も受け付けられるとのこと
ですので、もしよろしければ、イリノイ州立博物館存続のために、森田さんのご存じの会
や方々に連絡をしていただけないでしょうか。
詳細については、長文ですが下記のメッセージをご参照ください。
文例や参考サイトへのリンクもついています。
皆さんのご存じの学会や個人に転送いただければ有り難く思います。
高橋啓一
*差出人: *AMQUA announcement list <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>>
*件名: **[Amqua-announce] Illinois State Museum Needs AMQUA Members
Support-send an email!*
*日付: *2015 年 7 月 7 日 5:29:29 JST
*宛先: *"[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>" [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
July 6th, 2015
Dear AMQUA Members,
I am writing to you once again this summer about another very important issue for all
AMQUA Members.Governor Rauner of the State of Illinois has announced a plan
toclose the Illinois State Museum System
<http://cgfa.ilga.gov/upload/DNRrecommendILStateMuseum.pdf>as a way to reduce
state costs.The Illinois State Museum is special to AMQUA and deserving of our support
for several reasons: 1) it is the official archive for the association; 2) many AMQUA
scientists have received direct or indirect help from the museum over the years; 3) the
museum has supported Quaternary databases and fossil collections for decades, 4) a
large and valuable North American vertebrate fossil collection, including a world-class
mastodon collection, is curated there; and 5) our association has always benefited from
the advice and support of its staff, some of whom have served as AMQUA Council
Members and Presidents.AMQUA is just one organization that benefits from the Illinois
State Museum System.Indeed the museum system is a great asset of the state and the
wider scientific community, and it is a matter of importance that the state legislature
and governor become better informed of its value and significance. For all these reasons,
I am writing to ask you to show your support for the museum by submitting a
letter/email to the Governor and the Illinois legislature*by July 13th on the public
commentary website*to protest this closure and, most importantly, draw attention to
the value of the ISM.*Letters from individuals ARE important, as are letters from the
many different associations and societies affected by this proposed closure:AMQUA of
course will be submitting a letter.*
Below are 5 points with helpful information about the ISM and instructions on how to
submit an email/letter to the public commentary.Thank you for considering this .
With best regards,
Alison J. Smith, President
American Quaternary Association
Dept. Geology
Kent State University
Kent, OH 44242
330-672-3709 office
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
www.amqua.org <http://www.amqua.org/>
1.*1. DEADLINES*to do this:best if you can submit your letter/email*before July
13^th *(date of public hearing) or*at the latest-July 21^st *(last day for public
commentary).
2.*2. LINK*to site to submit your email:This will go to Public Comments to the
Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability
<http://cgfa.ilga.gov/Resource.aspx?id=1357>
The link is here, as well:http://cgfa.ilga.gov/Resource.aspx?id=1357
3.*3.**A SUGGESTED FORMAT*(you can adapt as needed) for your email (or letter to
mail):
______________________________________
The Honorable Bruce Rauner, Governor
State of Illinois
207 State House
Springfield, Illinois 62706
Dear Governor Rauner,
As a scientist and educator, I am deeply concerned about the proposed closure of the
Illinois State Museum System.The ISM System is an internationally recognized
museum with a strong reputation for scientific excellence (active federal research
grants, globally recognized staff) and reliable curation of scientific, cultural and
historical objects (13.5 million accessioned objects) of state, national and global
importance.The ISM System has a demonstrated track record of public outreach and
education (in 2014, over 40,000 schoolchildren visited the ISM and 2300 teachers were
helped), including STEM education, for the citizens of Illinois.Surely the people of
Illinois should not be cut off from so valuable an institution formed for the common good,
the preservation of their heritage, and the education of their children for future success
in a modern society.Please consider the societal services provided by this modern,
significant, and high visibility museum system, and save the ISM for the people of
Illinois.
Sincerely,
CC:
The Honorable John J. Cullerton, President, Illinois Senate
The Honorable Jim Durkin, Republican Leader, Illinois House of Representatives
The Honorable Michael J. Madigan, Speaker, Illinois House of Representatives
Tim Nuding, Director, Governor’s Office of Management and Budget
The Honorable Christine Radogno, Republican Leader, Illinois Senate
Wayne Rosenthal, Director, Department of Natural Resources
Aaron Winters, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, Office of the Governor
Mike Zolnierowicz, Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor
_____________________
4.*4. DATA*you may want/need:See this summary and Useful Links below:
*About the ISM System:*
The Illinois State Museum System includes 6 facilities across the state:the Illinois State
Museum and Research and Collections Center in Springfield, the Dickson Mounds
Museum in Lewistown, the ISM Chicago Gallery, the ISM Lockport Gallery, and the
Southern Illinois Art and Artisans Center. Scientific content is generated and presented
in the first three facilities, the latter three present art and history. The whole system is
nationally accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.Only about 5% of U.S.
museums are accredited. Accreditation is a seal of approval that we are fulfilling our
mission and following national standards and best practices in research, collections,
exhibitions, educational programming, and management of the institution. The
Museum's mission is to inspire people of all ages to discover and care about Illinois'
natural and cultural resources and heritage.
The ISM system contains some 13.5 million accessioned objects. Most significant
geology collections would be Quaternary vertebrates, especially Proboscideans
(probably the largest collection of mastodons anywhere) and Pennsylvanian Mazon
Creek fossils_http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/mazon_creek/_. The largest
collections are anthropology. Particularly significant would be those from the
Mississippian cultural period, but the ISM also has a collections spanning from Clovis
to protohistoric, also large ethnographic collections. The ISM curates the materials from
Cahokia.The ISM has agreements with the Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma (formerly Illinois)
to curate their funerary objects and with the St. Louis District of the Corps of
Engineers .
*About the Staff*
Museum staff members are also national leaders in the museum and scientific
communities.The Museum Director, Dr. Bonnie Styles, has served as the President of
the Association of Science Museum Directors, is a member and former chair of the
American Alliance of Museums Accreditation Commission, serves on the Board of the
Natural Science Collections Alliance, is a past president of the Midwest Archaeological
Conference and the Illinois Archaeological Survey, and the former Secretary of the
American Quaternary Association. Dr. Eric Grimm is the Past President of the
American Quaternary Association and served as Vice Chair of the International
Quaternary Association U.S. National Committee. In 2012, Dr. Grimm received the
Outstanding Service Award from the International Paleolimnology Association.Drs.
Grimm and Styles are elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement
of Science, and Dr. Styles is also an elected Fellow of the Geological Society of America.
*5.*
*5. USEFUL LINKS*
The public hearing on the closure is scheduled for July 13. The public comment period
runs through July 22.
Newspaper articles here:
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150610/NEWS/150619927
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150630/NEWS/150639947
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150629/NEWS/150629506
Some opinion pieces:
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150625/OPINION/150629652
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150627/OPINION/150629564/
Statement from the American Alliance of Museums:
http://t.congressweb.com/w/?GILOPWGAPZ
Nice public radio piece here:
http://wuis.org/post/grass-roots-efforts-keep-state-museum-open
Website for public commentary:
http://cgfa.ilga.gov/Resource.aspx?id=1357
Official schedule:
http://cgfa.ilga.gov/resource.aspx?id=1822
Official closure statement from DNR:
http://cgfa.ilga.gov/upload/DNRrecommendILStateMuseum.pdf
Dr. Alison J. Smith, Professor
American Quaternary Association (AMQUA) President 2014-2016
Department of Geology
Kent State University
Kent, OH 44242 USA
(330) 672-3709 office
(330) 672-7949 FAX
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
http://www.amqua.org <http://www.amqua.org/>
_______________________________________________
Amqua-announce mailing list
[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
http://lists.museum.state.il.us/mailman/listinfo/amqua-announce