Chicago State University has announced that on October 7 it will dedicate the Emil and Patricia A. Jones Convocation Center, a 7,000-seat multipurpose arena that opened a year ago. Is that all Jones gets for his money?
Jones, famously the political mentor of Barack Obama, is also famously the"patron saint" of CSU. In fact, he delivered state grants to the school for the convocation center, and his largesse toward the school is infamous. He even once wanted to put a riverboat casino there. You might say he is the patronage saint of CSU.
In the press release announcing next week's ceremony, Gov. Rod Blagojevich says that "Chicago State University holds a special place in his heart." It also has holds a special place in the taxpayers' pocketbooks.
