Funding the state’s educational system is one reform the Illinois legislature has failed to improve upon, according to the Citizens for Constitutional Reform.

Patrick Quinn, CCR spokesman, said, “Any student or person qualified to attend (a university) should not be denied access on economic grounds,” he said.

His organization proposes to change the state legislation by having a constitutional convention, Quinn said. A constitutional convention would allow the voters to elect two delegates from each of the 59 senate districts, he said. Voters also will be able to remove officials who are doing a “lousy” job, he said.

Quinn said that in the spring and summer of 1990, the delegates would propose constitutional amendments, which would be submitted to the voters for approval in a statewide referendum.

He said the convention is a key issue for college students because the legistature has not increased funding to higher education. “The convention is a way for college students to take direct action at the ballot boxes,” he said.

Besides educational reforms, the organization supports tougher ethics standards for public officials, property tax reform and improving utility regulations, Quinn said.

The organization is urging Illinois voters to “trust the people” and “vote yes” for a state constitutional convention referendum, which will be on the Nov. 8 general election ballot, Quinn said.

Robert Albritton, NIU associate professor of political science, said, “I’m not clear that there is a major problem with the Illinois constitution. One or two things need fixing, but that can be done under the current (Illinois) constitution. The convention would throw things up for grabs.”

Dwight King, another NIU associate professor of political science, said, “I feel Illinois government is, relative to other states, quite chaotic. Pat’s (Quinn) rationale makes sense to me. I think the present form of government is too expensive.”

Every 20 years a constitutional convention must be presented to the voters through a provision in the existing Illinois constitution, Quinn said. He said the last convention was held in 1970.