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After more than 39 years at the University of Southern Indiana, including 14 as vice president for Government Relations and later vice president for Government and University Relations, Cynthia (Cindy) Brinker has announced plans to retire effective December 31, 2018. She will serve her last six months on sabbatical with her last official day at the University being June 30, 2018.

“I have truly enjoyed my time at USI,” said Brinker. “I have worked with so many great people and had the opportunity to be a part of the growth and development of our campus. Working with the Indiana General Assembly, I was able to share the USI story and what a remarkable story we have to tell! We have much to be proud of with our students and alumni. USI is and always will be a very special place.”

Brinker joined USI in 1979, and for 12 years served as the director of Human Resources. In 1991, she was promoted to assistant vice president for Business Affairs and became the University’s primary legislative liaison. In 2004, she was promoted to vice president for Government Relations, and in 2008, became the vice president for Government and University Relations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from DePauw University.

Brinker works closely with members of the Indiana General Assembly concerning legislation impacting higher education and in advancing the University’s biennial operating and capital budget request. She also serves as the University’s primary liaison with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and the State Budget Committee. In addition to her work at the state level, she leads the University Relations team, which includes Marketing and Communications, Community Relations, Special Events and Scheduling Services, and Alumni Relations and Volunteer USI.

“Cindy Brinker’s important contributions over nearly four decades have enhanced the visibility of USI and her tenacious engagement in the Indiana State House has earned her respect from her peers and legislators,” said Dr. Linda L. M. Bennett, USI president. “Her love of this community and passion for representing this place of higher education have left an indelible mark.”

Brinker has served on and chaired various University committees throughout her career. Most recently she chaired the University’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. She has served the Evansville regional community as a member of numerous boards including the Girl Scouts of Southwestern Indiana, Evansville Human Resource Association, Keep Evansville Beautiful, the Government Affairs Committee of the Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce and others.

An announcement about the vacancy will be made at a later date.

Olivia Covington for www.theindianalawywer.com

The Indiana Senate has defeated an amendment that would have allowed for Sunday sales nearly all day in Indiana.

Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage, presented an amendment to Senate Bill 1 that would have allowed for Sunday carryout alcohol sales from 7 a.m. Sunday to 3 a.m. Monday morning. The current draft of the bill would allow grocery, convenience, drug and liquor stores and restaurants to sell alcohol on Sundays from noon to 8 p.m.

When Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, first presented the measure to the Senate Public Policy Committee last week, he touted SB 1 as a “clean bill” that wasn’t tagged with any unrelated or controversial matters. But Tallian scoffed at that sentiment when she presented her amendment to the full Senate on Thursday, saying the bill had a “giant hangnail” in that it only permitted alcohol sales on Sunday afternoons.

The Democratic senator then went on to say she was unsure why the noon to 8 p.m. timeframe had been chosen.

“What I do know is this – I know that I’m going to go home to my town hall meetings, and I’m going to say to my constituents, ‘We finally passed Sunday sales in Indiana,’” Tallian said. “And they’re all going to say, ‘Great!’”

“And then I’m going to say, ‘Yeah, but it’s only from noon ‘til 8 p.m.,’” Tallian continued. “And, they’re going to say, ‘Well why did you do that?’ and I’m going to have to say, ‘I really don’t have a clue.’ And I really hate to ever have to give that response.”

Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn, when he presented the House’s version of Sunday sales legislation, House Bill 1051, when he brought it before the House Public Policy Committee.

Both Smaltz and Alting gave similar responses to their respective bodies – that all stakeholders agreed the eight-hour window would be the best way to ease the state into Sunday alcohol sales. Further, Alting told the Senate the Alcohol Code Revision Commission – which was tasked with reviewing Indiana’s alcohol laws as they relate to retailers – also gave its stamp of approval to the noon to 8 p.m. window. Alting and Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago, served on the commission.

“To answer the question – a lot of discussions and a lot of listening. … We dissected Sunday sales and exactly what it meant, and it is about as clean a bill as you can get,” he said.

Alting also noted that alcohol is already a regulated substance, so regulating the time of day when it can be sold is not a novel idea.

Tallian’s amendment was defeated by a voice vote, sending the original version of SB 1 back to the full Senate for approval on third reading.  Meanwhile, the House Public Policy Committee passed HB 1051 on first reading on Wednesday, sending the legislation to the full House floor.