By Signe K. Skinion

A letter writing campaign offered by the Undergraduate Student Government to save a Carbondale to Chicago Amtrak route needs more student support, USG officials say.

Scott Pfeiffer, USG chief of staff, said the letter campaign is in its second week, but student participation is declining.

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As of today, we’ve had a total of 698 letters written, Pfeiffer said. These letters are going to help, but it’s not going to help if people don’t come and do it.

Because of federal budget cuts, Amtrak went to the Illinois government to ask for a $2.5 million subsidy. This funding will temporarily keep the Illini route running, but some Illinois legislators have questioned the need for the service. And without state backing, the route will be terminated.

To voice support to the legislators, students and administrators can go to a USG table in the Student Center Hall of Fame and find their legislative district on a map. Then, they can use a computer to punch in the number of their district, their name and address. The computer will then print three letters for the two representatives and the senator of that district.

USG President Kim Clemens said the senate has made this campaign as easy as possible for the students.

It’s (the letters) on the computer. In fact everything is computer-generated, Clemens said. You don’t even have to write anything, and it only takes two minutes to do. All you have to do is punch information into the computer and sign the letters.

Cassandra Davis, a junior in finance from Du Quoin, said she signed the letters because the Amtrak route is important for the entire area.

We need this train, Davis said. Enrollment is declining here, and nobody from Chicago is going to come here if they don’t have a car and can’t take the train.

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Amber Boester, a junior in finance from Marion, said she has been working at the letter-writing table since it began and believes students are interested in this campaign.

Some days are slower than others, but students are really concerned about Amtrak, Boester said. I think the students are really involved and feel this is worth it.

Pfeiffer said this will be the last week of the letter-writing service unless the Illinois government delays the Amtrak vote.

USG is prepared to continue the campaign longer, but that will depend on how much time we have in Springfield, Pfeiffer said. We will be set up for the rest of the week for sure.

Students can join the letter writing campaign by going to the Student Center Hall of Fame on the first floor from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. through Friday.