Attorneys aid UIS Innocence Project in representing defendants in murder case

Springfield attorneys Peter Wise and Pete Cavanagh have volunteered to provide pro bono representation in a Macon County murder case at the request of the three defendants and the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project at UIS.

On December 12, Wise and Cavanaugh filed a motion on behalf of Michael Slover Jr. and his parents, Michael Slover Sr. and Jeanette Slover, asking that an unidentified fingerprint found at a scene related to the murder of the younger Slover's ex-wife, Karyn, be submitted to the FBI's Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). The motion also says that the Innocence Project has identified new evidence that would have created reasonable doubt had it been presented at trial. Read more>>

Faculty member is co-editor of new book

Roxanne Kurtz, faculty member in UIS' Philosophy program, is co-editor of Persistence: Contemporary Readings, a new book recently published by the MIT Press.

The book presents differing views on one of the most perplexing philosophical problems: the consistency of change. Read more>>

Two Theatre students nominated for scholarships

Alicia Artner and Colleen Kabbes, both students involved in the UIS Theatre program, have been selected as Irene Ryan Scholarship Nominees for Region III of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Artner was selected for her performance as Mrs. Elvsted in last spring's production of Hedda Gabler. Kabbes was selected for her roles as Kate and Jackey this fall in Anton in Show Business.

With their acting partners, the two will travel to Milwaukee early next month for the Region III Festival, where they will present scenes for the scholarship auditions and attend workshops and performances from other college and university theatre programs in the region. Read more>>

Entries open for WUIS Young Musicians Concert Contest

Young classical musicians in area elementary and high schools are invited to enter the annual Young Musicians Concert Contest sponsored by Public Radio WUIS-WIPA. Applications and audition tapes are due in the WUIS studios on the UIS campus no later than December 31.

Accepted contestants will perform before judges and an audience on February 2 at the First Presbyterian Church in Springfield. Their performances will be broadcast at a later date on WUIS-WIPA.

Cash prizes, provided through the support of Ameren, will be awarded to winners in two categories. Read more>>

Recipients of 2006 Armstrong scholarships announced

Three graduate students in UIS' Public Affairs Reporting program – Laura Camper, Christine Magbanua, and Erik Potter – have been named recipients of the James E. Armstrong Scholarships for 2006.

Sue Schmitt, publisher of the State Journal-Register, presented the scholarships at a luncheon held November 29 at the SJ-R offices. The scholarships – given in memory of Armstrong, who was publisher of the Illinois State Journal and the Illinois State Register, predecessors of the State Journal-Register – are awarded to PAR students who have demonstrated strong interest and potential in the field of government and political reporting. Read more>>

Visual Arts Gallery to hold annual silent auction

UIS' Visual Arts Gallery will hold its Annual Benefit and Silent Auction fundraiser Tuesday, December 5, through Thursday, December 7. Art and crafts will be on display for silent bids each day in the gallery, located in HSB 201. The event concludes Thursday evening with a reception and final bidding from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the gallery. Donations of artwork will be accepted through December 5. Read more>>

Media Advisory: Presentations by Peter Neufeld

Peter Neufeld, co-founder of the National Innocence Project, will be in Springfield for two presentations on Tuesday, November 28. At noon, he will speak at a luncheon for members of the bar at the Sangamo Club. At 7 p.m., he will speak on “The Crisis of Wrongful Conviction” in Brookens Auditorium. Read more>>

UIS Music to host annual Winter Open House

The UIS Music Program will host its annual Winter Open House from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, December 8, in the Visual and Performing Arts Building. The Chorus, Band, Chamber Orchestra, and Chamber Ensembles will perform and there will be a special holiday singalong. Read more>>

Archives receives gift of James Jones letters

The Archives/Special Collections unit of Brookens Library has received a collection of letters written by novelist James Jones, author of the bestselling 1951 novel From Here to Eternity. The gift was made to UIS by Jones' daughter, Kaylie.

The collection includes eight letters written by Jones to his brother, as well as letters written to Jones, a collection of newspaper clippings, and a charcoal drawing of Jones. UIS Archivist Thomas Wood said that the new gift will be incorporated into the Archives' Handy Colony Collection. Read more>>

English graduate wins outstanding master's thesis award

Joshua Alan Doetsch received UIS' Outstanding Master's Thesis award for the 2005-06 academic year for his creative writing exercise, a novel titled Souls Unsure: A Dark Epic in Prose and Poetry.

Deborah Shotts, who earned a master of science degree in Management Information Systems, and Amanda Winters, who earned a master of arts degree in History, received Special Merit Awards.

This year, a total of nine theses and projects were nominated by graduate programs at UIS. Read more>>

Next "political art" event will look at "The Future of Food"

UIS' Political Art and the Public Sphere series will continue Thursday, November 30, with the film "The Future of Food" at 6 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium. The film will be followed by a discussion session.

"The Future of Food" offers a critical investigation into the advent of genetically engineered food and examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what people eat as multinational corporations move toward control of the world’s food system. Read more>>

Faculty member named National City Distinguished Professor

Richard Judd, longtime business professor at UIS, has been named National City Distinguished Professor in Banking and Finance. During more than 25 years at UIS, Judd has taught a wide range of business classes, from entrepreneurship and small business management to franchising and business strategy. He now serves as director of the Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business and Management. Read more>>

Faculty member is lead author of article suggesting change in massive star

John Martin, assistant professor of Astronomy/Physics at UIS, is the lead author of a paper to be published in the December issue of Astronomical Journal suggesting that the most massive star in our galaxy is about to undergo dramatic change. Martin is part of a team that spent the past eight years monitoring the star Eta Carinae using the Hubble Space Telescope. They believe that the star's accelerating brightness heralds an impending change of great significance. Read more>>

Schroeder invited to join editorial staff of major online publication

OTEL Director Ray Schroeder has been invited to become an editor at Citizendium, a new initiative of Wikipedia, the online, editable encyclopedia. Under the new effort, which Wikipedia founder Larry Sanger described as a "progressive fork" of the existing encyclopedia, volunteer editors with expertise in a field will monitor posted articles to help ensure their accuracy. Schroeder has asked for an editorial assignment in educational technology. Read more>>

Visual Arts program to host sculptor

Michael Jones McKean will deliver a Visiting Artist Lecture from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, November 17, in VPA 150. McKean is assistant professor in the Sculpture and Extended Media Department at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. Read more>>

Innocence Project hosts presentation on wrongful conviction

The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project at UIS will host a presentation by Peter Neufeld, co-founder of the National Innocence Project, beginning at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 28, in Brookens Auditorium. Neufeld’s topic will be "The Crisis of Wrongful Conviction."

The Innocence Project at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, New York City, which Neufeld co-founded and co-directs, has served as a model for similar programs across the country. Read more>>

Scholarship donors and recipients honored

The donors and recipients of scholarships for 2006 at UIS were honored at a luncheon held on campus on November 1. See a list of scholarships and the students who received them>>

Applications being accepted for Brundage scholarships

Applications for the 34th annual Avery Brundage Scholarship competition for U of I students who excel in both academics and athletics are being accepted now through Wednesday, January 31, 2007. Read more>>

Next Campus Preview Day

UIS will host a Campus Preview Day for prospective students and their families from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 11. See more details>>

Taste of UIS examines challenges and opportunities for "Boomers"

The third program in this fall's "Taste of UIS Lunchtime Lecture Series" will be Wednesday, November 15, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Maldaner's Upstairs, 222 South Sixth St., Springfield. Reservations are required.

In "Today's Decisions, Tomorrow's Consequences: Challenges and Opportunities for Aging Boomers and Their Communities," Assistant Professor of Human Services-Gerontology Carolyn Peck will present a look at choices available to members of the "baby boom" generation and the possible impact their decisions could have on society. Read more>>

Criminal Justice honor society inducts 10

Ten CRJ students will be inducted into the Epsilon Chi Chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the national criminal justice honor society, during ceremonies to be held November 9. Alpha Phi Sigma is the only national honor society for criminal justice majors and recognizes academic excellence. Read more>>

WUIS membership campaign sets record pledge levels

Nearly 1,000 listeners of WUIS 91.9 FM-WIPA 89.3 FM participated in the station's recently concluded membership drive, pledging more than $117,000 in support this fall. The drive culminated in an eight-day, on-air campaign, reaching its goal a day early. Read more>>

"commute" opens at Visual Arts Gallery

commute: the art of katerie gladdys will be on display at the Visual Arts Gallery from November 6 through 30. An opening reception is set for Thursday, November 9.

Gladdys is assistant professor of digital media at the University of Florida. commute, a visual/auditory/sensory re-creation of her solo journey on the Sangamon River, stems from the period of time when her daily journey between Springfield and Champaign evolved into a complete exploration of the route. Read more>>

Public Health to offer three master’s certificates

The Department of Public Health at UIS will offer three master's-level certificates – in Community Health Education, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health – beginning with the 2007 spring semester.

Remi Imeokparia, associate professor of Public Health and department chair, said that course schedules for these competency-based certificates were designed to accommodate working professionals interested in obtaining advanced credentials. Read more>>

Classical music host wins Humanities Service Award

Karl Scroggin, music director and on-air host for public radio WUIS 91.9 FM, is among the 75 recipients of the 2006 Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award presented by the Illinois Humanities Council. The award recognizes individuals who have made lasting contributions to the cultural lives of their communities. Read more>>

Prominent alums to participate in Leadership Roundtable

UIS will host distinguished alumni from across the nation as the group gathers to participate in a Leadership Roundtable on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, October 18 through 20, at the university.

The topic of the Roundtable, "Engagement: Local to Global," will be the focus of meetings and panel discussions between the 14 alums and UIS administrators, faculty, and student groups. The program is designed as a way to bring some of the best and brightest alumni together with educators to share their insights on the realities and challenges of the global marketplace, as well as ways the university can best prepare graduates for the future. Read more>>

Professor emerita honored for volunteer work overseas

Mattilou Catchpole, UIS professor emerita of Women's Studies, is one of 18 recipients of the President's Call to Service Award presented by Health Volunteers Overseas. This national award recognizes individuals who have contributed at least 4,000 hours of volunteer service – the equivalent of two years' full-time service – in developing countries in need of health care training and educational support services.

Originally trained as a nurse anesthetist, Catchpole has made 21 trips to 17 developing countries since 1990. Read more>>

Program will examine the ecology of breast health

"The Ecology of Breast Health: The Time for Action is Now" is the topic of discussion for a program beginning at noon on Thursday, October 26, in PAC H. A screening of the new film "ToxicBust: Chemicals and Breast Cancer" will be followed by a panel discussion. This Year of Ecofeminism event is a presentation of the UIS Women's Center and the Women's Issues Caucus. Read more>>

Music groups will present Fall Showcase Concert

UIS music groups will present their annual Fall Showcase concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, October 27, in the Office of Electronic Media TV Studio. The concert will feature performances by the UIS Chorus, UIS Chamber Orchestra, and UIS Band.

The program will feature a variety of works, ranging from Mozart's "Sanctus" to "Imagine" by John Lennon, an Indonesian folk melody, and pieces written for pep band. Read more>>

Bill Miller PAR Hall of Fame established

Kathleen Best, the assistant managing editor at The Sun in Baltimore, and Bill Lambrecht, Washington bureau chief for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, are the charter inductees into The Bill Miller Public Affairs Reporting Hall of Fame. A reception and ceremony in their honor will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Monday, November 13, at the Inn at 835, 835 S. Second St., Springfield. Reservations are required and should be made no later than November 3.

The Bill Miller Hall of Fame was established by Illinois Issues magazine and public radio station WUIS to recognize the contribution that the PAR program has made to journalism and to the state of Illinois, as well as to honor those program graduates who have had distinguished careers in journalism. The Hall also pays tribute to the late Bill Miller, who served as PAR director for 19 years until his retirement in 1993. Read more>>

Auditions set for next two productions

The UIS Theatre Program will hold open auditions for two spring productions – As Bees in Honey Drown by Douglas Carter Beane and Two Rooms by Lee Blessing – on Sunday, November 12, and Monday, November 13. Auditions are for both plays and both sessions will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. in the PAC Studio Theatre.

Auditions are open to anyone, with or without experience; those interested in opportunities to get involved behind the scenes are also welcome to attend.

As Bees in Honey Drown will be presented March 2-4 and 8-10. Two Rooms will be presented for one weekend only, April 13-15. Read more>>

UIS launches experiential and service-learning initiative

UIS has consolidated its efforts in nontraditional, outside-the-classroom learning with the inception this fall of Experiential and Service-Learning Programs. The new entity encompasses existing programs in Applied Studies and Credit for Prior Learning, with the addition of the new Service-Learning program.

Elaine Rundle-Schwark, director of Experiential and Service-Learning Programs, explained that requirements that went into effect this academic year prompted formation of the combined program. Rundle-Schwark said that while the AST and CPL programs will fall under the EXS-L umbrella, there have been no changes in their curricula or in how these programs are facilitated. "Service-Learning is an effort to enrich students' education by engaging them in meaningful service to their communities," she said.

Classes in the new Service-Learning program will be offered beginning with the 2007 spring semester. Read more>>

Alumni Awards will honor six for exceptional service

Five alumni and a professor emeritus at UIS will be honored at the Alumni Celebration and Awards Dinner, to be held Friday, November 3, at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in downtown Springfield. The annual event recognizes outstanding alumni achievement, service, and loyalty.

This year's recipients are John D. Blackburn, Cullom Davis, Ethel S. Gingold, Randall F. Dunn, William G. Hall, and Claudia M. Pitchford. Read more>>

Lecture examines Australian environmental issues

"Environmental Issues in Australia Today" is the topic of a lecture scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, October 30, in Brookens Auditorium.

The featured speaker will be Dr. Linsday Hutley, a lecturer in the Department of Environmental Science at Charles Darwin University in Australia. Hutley is recognized around the world as an expert on the management of tropical wetlands and savannas, and recently took part in a series of meetings and conferences in Europe related to climate studies. He will examine such topics as invasive species, land use policy, and indigenous land management. Hutley's visit is intended to help promote the exchange program between UIS and CDU. Read more>>

Visual Arts program to host presentation on ceramics

Dan Bare, a ceramics instructor, technician, and studio manager at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, will deliver a Visiting Artist Lecture from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, October 19, in VPA 151.

Bare recently returned to the U.S. after a year-long residency at the Pottery Workshop in Shanghai, China. Read more>>

Course offers chance to study in Greece

During the 2007 summer semester UIS will offer a 16-day experience in Greece for students who enroll in English 359 Greek Mythology. The trip will be led by Assistant Professor of English Donna Bussell and Associate Professor of English Karen Moranski. While the trip is also open to non-students, space is limited to a maximum of 18 participants and UIS students will be given priority.

The first three weeks of the summer session will be spent reading works by Homer, Sophocles, and other classical authors in preparation for the trip. Then, from June 27 to July 13, students will continue their study in Greece, visiting many sites central to mythology and classical culture. Read more>>

Lincoln Legacy Lecture Series will feature noted authors

Dr. Mark A. Noll and Dr. Ronald C. White, Jr. will be the speakers at the 2006 Lincoln Legacy Lecture Series, beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 26, in Brookens Auditorium. The theme of this year’s program is "Lincoln and America’s Faith."

Noll will speak on "Lincoln, Providence and the Bible." White's topic for the evening will be "Abraham Lincoln’s Sermon on the Mount." Phillip Shaw Paludan, Professor of History and Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair of Lincoln Studies at UIS, will moderate the discussion. Read more>>

UIS to screen "An Inconvenient Truth"

UIS' Biology and Environmental Studies programs will host two screenings of "An Inconvenient Truth" – at noon and 7 p.m. – Monday, October 23, in Brookens Auditorium. The evening showing will be followed by a panel discussion.

The critically acclaimed film offers a look at former Vice President Al Gore's crusade to halt global warming by exposing the myths and misconceptions that surround it. Read more>>

Program will examine the ecology of childbirth

"The Ecology of Childbirth: Vitamin D Deficiency Rickets and Cesarean Section" is the subject of a sabbatical presentation by Deborah Kuhn McGregor beginning at noon on Thursday, October 19, in PAC conference room F.

The program examines obstetrics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries – the time when American obstetricians began developing cesarean section surgery. Read more>>

Biology program hosts "Bioblitz" at Emiquon

On September 23, a group of students in biology courses at UIS and Lanphier High School participated in the First Annual Bioblitz at UIS' Emiquon field station along the Illinois River.

Under the direction of faculty and other naturalists, students taking part in the "blitz" collected an assortment of plant and invertebrate specimens that will serve as a baseline for future biodiversity surveys at the site.

The restoration of nearly 7,500 acres of wetland, owned by The Nature Conservancy, is slated to begin this fall and is one of the first river reclamation efforts to be undertaken on such a large scale. Read more>>

Women's Studies Program to hold silent auction fundraiser

The UIS Women's Studies Program will hold a silent auction Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, October 24, 25, and 26, in the PAC main concourse. All proceeds will be used to help defray the costs of students and faculty traveling to Nicaragua as part of the spring semester course Globalization and Gender: Research in Nicaragua. Read more>>

Theatre season opens with Anton in Show Business

Anton in Show Business will open the 2006-2007 season for UIS' Theatre Program. Six performances are scheduled: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, November 3-5, and Thursday, Friday, Saturday, November 9-11, in the PAC Studio Theatre. The play is described as a "savvy, savage backstage comedy." Read more>>

Student honored as "Technician of the Year"

Ken Davis, a systems and security analyst with the Sangamon County Emergency Telephone System Department, has been named Technician of the Year by the Illinois Chapter of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials. Davis is a graduate student in the Computer Science program. Read more>>

CPAA Alumni Council to sponsor discussion on lobbying

The Alumni Council of the College of Public Affairs and Administration at UIS will host a panel discussion titled "The Third Chamber: How Lobbyists View Their Role" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 25, in Brookens Auditorium. A reception will follow in the PAC Restaurant. Read more>>

Media Advisory: UIS Homecoming Parade

UIS’ first-ever Homecoming Parade will begin at 4 p.m., Saturday, October 7, on campus. The 29 entries include bands, floats, and firetrucks. Read more>>

UIS to host “Love Makes a Family” touring exhibit

UIS will host the Family Diversity Project’s touring exhibit "Love Makes a Family: Portraits of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People and their Families" on Wednesday, October 11, in the Student Life Building. A reception will begin at 6:30 that evening.

"Love Makes a Family" features photographs by Gigi Kaeser that depict lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people of all races along with their families in familiar settings. The photos are accompanied by text from in-depth interviews with each person pictured. In these interviews, people spoke candidly about their lives, their relationships, and the ways in which they cope with the realities of prejudice, bias, and intolerance on a day-to-day basis. Read more>>

"Political art" series looks at Wal-Mart

The new series Political Art and the Public Sphere will continue Tuesday, October 24, with a showing of the documentary "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" at 6 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium.

Citing the growing trend in many communities to oppose the construction of new Wal-Mart stores, series facilitator Richard Gilman-Opalsky asked, "Are there larger social, political, and economic reasons to oppose Wal-Mart beyond not wanting it in your own back yard?" Read more>>

WUIS to air Halloween specials, two new series

WUIS will broadcast two special programs on Halloween night -- comedy group The Capitol Steps' Halloween edition of "Politics Takes a Holiday!" and "Dracula: The Radio Play," the classic vampire tale in 1940s style, radio-readers format.

Two new programs, Word for Word and The Health Show, have also joined the station's regular weekly lineup. Read more>>

Lynn Fisher named University Scholar

Lynn Fisher, associate professor of Sociology/Anthropology, has been named University Scholar for 2006-2007. She is one of 16 faculty members, and the only one from UIS, chosen for this award honoring and rewarding outstanding teachers and scholars at the three U of I campuses.

Materials nominating Fisher for the award note her "unusual ability to engage in the creation of important new knowledge and at the same time share that knowledge with students." Read more>>

UIS holds annual Faculty Recognition Luncheon

Outstanding accomplishments of UIS faculty were recognized at the fourteenth Faculty Recognition Luncheon, held October 3 in the Public Affairs Center. The annual event recognizes the scholarly achievements of current and emeriti faculty for the previous calendar year.

The program pays tribute to faculty members for achievements in such areas as research, published articles and other writing, creative works, grants, book reviews, and professional presentations. See a list of those who were honored>>

WUIS to air live program on deaf education and culture

Public radio WUIS-WIPA will carry a special two-hour broadcast of NPR’s Talk of the Nation, focusing on the future of deaf education and culture, beginning at 1 p.m. on Thursday, October 12. Area residents can join the conversation online; hearing-impaired individuals will have the opportunity to follow and participate in the discussion in real-time through live captioning. Read more>>

Media Advisory: Poet Robert Bly at UIS

Renowned poet/storyteller Robert Bly will be featured in two presentations, October 3 and 4 at Brookens Library.

"Poems and Ideas: An Evening with Robert Bly" is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, October 3. At 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 4, he will speak on "What Responsibility Do We Have for the Iraq War." Both events will be in Brookens Auditorium. Read more>>

Taste of UIS lecture looks at lobbying

The second program in this fall's "Taste of UIS Lunchtime Lecture Series" will feature a panel presentation by three professional lobbyists.

"Politicians, Lobbyists, and Scallywags" will look at what lobbyists do, how lobbying interfaces with the election process, and whether lobbyists have an unfair advantage over the needs of ordinary citizens in affecting public policy. The program is set for Wednesday, October 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Maldaner's Upstairs, 222 South Sixth St., Springfield. Read more>>

Faculty member joins Campaign Finance Institute board

Ronald Michaelson, visiting assistant professor of Political Studies at UIS, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the Campaign Finance Institute, a non-partisan, non-profit institute affiliated with The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Michaelson, who also has a joint appointment with the Center for State Policy and Leadership at UIS, previously served as executive director of the Illinois State Board of Elections for 27 years. Read more>>

Faculty member inducted into Lincoln League of Journalists

Charles Wheeler, director of UIS' Public Affairs Reporting program, has been inducted into the Lincoln League of Journalists of the Illinois Associated Press Editors Association. The honor was announced September 21 at the IAPEA annual awards banquet. Wheeler becomes only the seventh member of the League, which recognizes "men and women who have provided exemplary service to other journalists and to daily newspapers published in Illinois." Read more>>

Professor takes top honors in national competition

Charles Wheeler, associate professor and director of the Public Affairs Reporting program at UIS, recently received top honors for magazine commentary/news analysis in the annual competition sponsored by Capitolbeat, a national organization of journalists covering state and local governments. This is the third year in a row that Wheeler has won a first-place award in the contest. The award recognized Wheeler’s contributions over the past year as a columnist for Illinois Issues magazine.

Four PAR graduates also received awards from Capitolbeat this year. Read more>>

UIS offers programs for Constitution Day

UIS is sponsoring a weeklong series of events in observance of national Constitution Day, honoring the signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787. Remaining events include brown bag discussions on "Understanding the Differences between Platform and Issue Voting" and "The Making of a Citizen," as well as a screening of the documentary "Waging a Living."

Constitution Day observances also mark the beginning of UIS' participation in a nationwide non-partisan voter registration project taking place on over 70 college campuses. Read more>>

Panel will discuss artist Preston Jackson and his work

UIS will host a panel discussion of the life and work of sculptor Preston Jackson beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, October 5, in Brookens Auditorium. A reception hosted by the UIS Alumni Association will immediately follow the discussion at 8:30 p.m. in the PAC restaurant, and the Visual Arts Gallery will also be open after the discussion to allow participants to view some of Jackson’s works firsthand.

Mike Miller, assistant professor of Visual Arts who was instrumental in bringing the exhibit to life, noted, "We have an excellent group of art historians, gallerists, curators, arts administrators, and artists assembled in the panel. The fact that experts of this caliber have agreed to take part in the discussion is itself a testament to the quality of Jackson's work." Read more>>

Homecoming Week brings a variety of events

Homecoming week at UIS – October 2 through 8 – will be celebrated with a variety of special events and activities. The theme for Homecoming 2006 is "Through the Decades."

Click here to see a schedule>>

New series examines "political art"

UIS will host Political Art and the Public Sphere, a new series of monthly events that will feature "political art" -- such as a film, piece of music, or visual artwork -- and a discussion about the issues it raises.

The series will begin Thursday, September 28, with "The Weather Underground," a documentary about the 1960s radical group that rioted and bombed in hopes that their actions would spark a revolution. The film will be shown at 6 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium. Read more>>

OTEL will host national workshop on providing online learning in emergencies

The Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning at UIS will host a national workshop on "Online Learning in an Emergency: Delivering the Curriculum When the Campus is Closed," September 20 to 22 in New Orleans.

The conference is funded by a $45,000 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. OTEL Director Ray Schroeder will serve as chair.

Schroeder had originally submitted a proposal for this conference early in the summer of 2005, but when Hurricane Katrina struck, Schroeder and Burks Oakley, U of I Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, conceived and spearheaded a major national initiative in which the Sloan Foundation contributed more than $1 million to provide free online college courses for displaced students. Read more>>

Media Advisory: ISAC officials to discuss MAP Plus grants

Illinois Student Assistance Commission Chairman Don McNeil and ISAC Commissioner Andrew Davis will conduct a media briefing about the new MAP Plus grant program for middle-income college students. Other issues concerning financial aid will also be discussed. The session will begin at 11 a.m., Thursday, September 14, in PAC conference room D. Read more>>

WUIS to host tour of Italy

Public radio WUIS will host the station's first-ever Passports Tour, a weeklong trip to Italy, May 16 - 23, 2007. Music Director Karl Scroggin will lead the group to stops in Florence, Tuscany, and Rome. An informational session will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, September 21, at the WUIS studios. Read more>>

Women’s Center chosen as downstate discussion site

On September 7 UIS' Women's Center hosted an Anti-Violence Initiative focus group of the Chicago Foundation for Women. UIS was the only downstate site chosen to host such a session.

Center Director Lynn Otterson said that invitees included several UIS students, faculty, and staff as well as community residents involved in anti-violence efforts, representatives from local churches, civic organizations, athletics, and service providers. Read more>>

Media Advisory: UIS to kick off celebration of artist Preston Jackson's work

UIS will kick off the progressive celebration of the citywide exhibit Bearing Witness: The Art of Preston Jackson. The program begins at 4 p.m., Saturday, September 9, on the UIS Quad, near the Colonnade. Jackson will attend and will speak briefly.

Following the program, an exhibit of Jackson's bronze figurative works will open in the UIS Visual Arts Gallery. UIS is one of four major art venues in Springfield taking part in this exhibit. Read more>>

Renowned poet Robert Bly to appear at Brookens Library

Renowned poet/storyteller Robert Bly will be featured in two presentations at UIS' Brookens Library in October. "Poems and Ideas: An Evening with Robert Bly" is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, October 3, in Brookens Auditorium. The following day he will speak on "What Responsibility Do We Have for the Iraq War" at 11 a.m., also in Brookens Auditorium.

Bly's nonfiction works include the international bestseller Iron John: A Book about Men; his more than 30 volumes of poetry include Eating the Honey of Words: New and Selected Poems. Read more>>

Professor honored as founding editor of national journal

Christopher Mooney, professor of Political Studies at UIS, was recently recognized for his work as founding editor of the State Politics & Policy Quarterly with a reception in his honor. The reception was held during the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association in Philadelphia.

SPPQ is a leading national journal of comparative state politics and is the official journal of APSA's State Politics and Policy organized section. Read more>>

Taste of UIS program looks at international security

The first in this fall's Taste of UIS Lunchtime Lecture Series will be "The American Way: Government-Industry Collaboration in the War on Terror," a presentation by alumnus Mark Cheviron, who is an expert in security and counterterrorism.

The program is set for Wednesday, September 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Maldaner's Upstairs, 222 South Sixth St., Springfield. Reservations are required.

Cheviron is currently responsible for security functions at all of ADM's 1,100 locations in 70 countries and a member of the Executive Working Group of the U.S. Department of State Overseas Security Advisory Council. Read more>>

Campus events will mark September 11 observance

UIS will observe the fifth anniversary of the events of 911 with a series of free public programs. All of the events will take place Monday, September 11, on campus.

The campus chapter of College Republicans will sponsor a memorial display of small U.S. flags in the Quad area and a screening of the film "United 93." International Studies will sponsor a brown bag presentation titled "Five Years After: The Attacks of 9/11 and Their Consequences." Read more>>

Fall enrollment at UIS sets record high

Enrollment at UIS this fall is the largest ever in the institution's 36-year history. A record number of freshmen and more international and online students helped boost total enrollment to 4,761 students, surpassing the previous record of 4,702 students set in fall 1995.

Director of Admissions Lori Giordano called it a "truly campuswide effort." Read more>>

UIS to host foreign and independent film series

The Division of Student Affairs at UIS is sponsoring a Foreign and Independent Film Series on Friday nights this fall. All films are shown at 7 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium. Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend. See the line-up of films>>

Computer Science professor wins outstanding service award

Keith Miller, UIS professor of Computer Science, is the 2006 recipient of the "Outstanding Service Award" presented by the Association for Computing Machinery and its Special Interest Group on Computers and Society.

The award recognizes Miller's many professional contributions and notes in part that his "active collaboration with computer ethicists from both the philosophy and computer science disciplines has earned him tremendous respect on an international scale." Read more>>

Alumni Association to host tour of wetlands restoration

The Uof I Alumni Association at UIS will present a tour of Illinois River wetlands restoration sites on Saturday, September 16. Hosts for the tour will be Michael Lemke, UIS associate professor of Biology and director of the Emiquon field station near Havana, as well as other UIS faculty and alumni involved in the project.

The program includes a tour of the Spunky Bottoms restoration near Meredosia, a brief tour of the Dickson Mounds State Museum, and an overview of the Emiquon project and trip to the site being restored. Read more>>

Taste of UIS series returns

The U of I Alumni Association at UIS will sponsor A Taste of UIS: Distinguished Faculty/Alumni Lunchtime Lectures – a series of three presentations to be held at Maldaner's Upstairs, 222 South Sixth St., Springfield.

The program on Wednesday, September 20, will be "The American Way: Government-Industry Collaboration in the War on Terror," featuring alumnus Mark Cheviron, who is responsible for security functions at ADM.

On Wednesday, October 18, the program will be "Politicians, Lobbyists, and Scallywags." Three veteran lobbyists will talk about what lobbyists do.

On Wednesday, November 15, the topic will be "Today's Decisions, Tomorrow’s Consequences: Challenges and Opportunities for Aging Boomers and Their Communities," with Carolyn Peck, assistant professor of Human Services-Gerontology.

Advance reservations are required. Read more>>

UIS kicks off citywide celebration of sculptor Preston Jackson

A citywide progressive celebration on September 9 will mark the grand opening of "Bearing Witness: The Art of Preston Jackson" at four locations in Springfield -- at UIS, the Illinois State Museum, Springfield Art Association, and Prairie Art Alliance -- through October 28. Each venue will display different bodies of his work.

The celebration starts with a reception and ceremony beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday, September 9, on the UIS quad in front of a monumental Jackson sculpture called "Travels of My Seven Sisters." The artist will be present. An exhibit from his most recent series, titled "Fresh From Julieanne's Garden," will be on display in the Visual Arts Gallery. Read more about Jackson's work and see the schedule for the progressive celebration>>

UIS announces spring semester deans' list

A total of 500 students were named to the UIS Deans' List for the 2006 spring semester. To qualify for the designation, a student must be an undergraduate who took at least eight graded hours and maintained a grade-point average of at least 3.75 for the semester.

Click here for a printable list of students' names, arranged alphabetically by hometown.

Auditions set for 06-07 theater season

Audition schedules for the 2006-2007 season of UIS' Theatre Program have been set. Everyone is welcome to attend and learn more about opportunities to get involved, both on and off stage.

The three productions are Anton in Show Business, As Bees in Honey Drown, and Two Rooms. Read more about the plays and see the audition schedule>>

Friday night Star Parties will resume

After a three-year hiatus, UIS will once again offer its popular Star Parties beginning Friday, September 8, and continuing every Friday night through October 27, weather permitting. Star Parties are from 8 to 10 p.m. in the UIS observatory.

This year, Professor of Astronomy/Physics Charles Schweighauser, who initiated the Star Parties and served as their host for 27 years, will be joined by John Martin, who joined the Astronomy/Physics faculty this fall. Read more>>

UIS welcomes 41 new faculty

Forty-one new faculty members have joined UIS for the 2006 fall semester. Twenty-four will teach in programs within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; ten will teach in the College of Public Affairs and Administration; five in the College of Business and Management; and two in the College of Education and Human Services. Read more>>

IBHE approves construction of residence hall, townhouses

Following Illinois Board of Higher Education approval this week, two new building projects will begin at UIS. Planning for a $15.8 million residence hall will start immediately and construction of six new townhouses will begin in October.

The 200-bed residence hall, to be located southwest of Lincoln Residence Hall, is expected to be open by fall 2008. The six new townhouses, set to open in 2007, will each have four, four-bedroom units and will be located near the existing townhouses. Read more>>

Media Advisory: Annual Fall Convocation

Convocation – a celebration of the new academic year with remarks by Chancellor Ringeisen and the introduction of new faculty members and administrators – will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, August 17, in the Studio Theatre. The theme of Dr. Ringeisen’s talk will be that UIS is on an upward trajectory as it becomes a full-fledged, four-year university this fall. Read more>>

Community invited to join UIS musical groups

Members of the community interested in sharing their musical talents are invited to join one of the campus ensembles gearing up for the fall semester at UIS. Auditions are not required. Rehearsals begin the week of August 21. Read more>>

First Week welcomes students back to campus

UIS will welcome students to the fall semester with a variety of "First Week" events August 18 through 27.

Director of student life Cynthia Thompson said that First Week is a campus tradition and "a time when we try to provide all students with opportunities to meet new people, to participate in a variety of fun events, and to become acquainted with various locations and services available across campus."

Events include an Involvement Expo, an ice cream social, Camp Out on the Quad, the Chancellor’s Welcome Back Picnic, and open houses for a number of academic programs and other departments. Read more>>

Biology professor is co-author of award-winning curriculum resource

Michael Lemke, UIS associate professor of Biology, is co-author of "Exploring Microbial Diversity through a Microbe Collection," which has been named winner of the 2005 MicrobeLibrary Curriculum Resource Editor’s Choice Award presented by the American Society for Microbiology.

Lemke's co-authors were Michael Levandowsky and Thomas Gorrell from Pace University in New York, and Debra Wohl from Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. Read more>>

Pre-Law Center to offer LSAT preparation

UIS' Pre-Law Center will offer an LSAT Primer Program from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Wednesday, August 14 through 16, in the Public Affairs Center. The program is open to everyone, but may be especially helpful to those planning to sit for the exam within the next two years. Read more>>

UIS breaks ground on new rec center

UIS administrators and other dignitaries gathered today to break ground for a $16.2 million recreation and athletic center on campus. The state-of-the-art center, which will be completed next summer, is part of the university’s strategic plan to create a more vibrant campus for a growing number of residential and commuter students.

Chancellor Richard Ringeisen said that the new center is expected to become the social and recreational hub of the campus. Read more>>

Innocence Project plays role in acquittal of Julie Rea-Harper

On July 26, a jury in Carlyle found Rea-Harper not guilty of the 1997 murder of her son, Joel Kirkpatrick.

Despite the not guilty verdict, UIS' Downstate Innocence Project, which has provided significant investigative assistance to Rea-Harper and her legal team for the past several years, points to her case as another example of a flawed criminal justice system in Illinois.

"Despite the death penalty reforms that were put in place to guard against an innocent person being wrongly convicted, this case exposes serious flaws that still exist in our criminal justice system," said Nancy Ford, Innocence Project co-director. Read more>>

UIS offers new certificate in emergency preparedness/homeland security

UIS' Department of Environmental Studies will offer a Master's Certificate in Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security beginning this fall. The certificate consists three required courses in environmental risk assessment, risk management and communication, and program evaluation, plus two electives chosen from criminal justice, environmental studies, legal studies, public administration, and political studies.

ENS chair Sharron LaFollette said that the program is designed to accommodate working professionals who are interested in obtaining an advanced professional credential. Read more>>

Media Advisory: Groundbreaking ceremony for recreation and athletic center

Groundbreaking ceremonies for UIS' new $16.2 million recreation and athletic center will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, July 27, at the construction site, just west of Kiwanis Stadium on the south edge of the campus. Read more>>

UIS student trustee gets official vote for first time

Governor Rod Blagojevich has for the first time designated the student trustee from the University of Illinois at Springfield an official voting member of the U of I Board of Trustees. At today's meeting of the board in Chicago, Sarah Doyle became the first student trustee from UIS ever to be given official voting rights. More >>

UIS featured in Chicago Tribune article

The following article about the University of Illinois at Springfield appeared in the Friday, July 14, 2006 edition of the Chicago Tribune newspaper:


U. of I's newest kid a big little school
Striving to grow while staying small

By Jodi S. Cohen
Chicago Tribune higher education reporter
Published July 14, 2006

SPRINGFIELD -- When Chancellor Richard Ringeisen looked out his office window here five years ago, he saw lots of prairie, but few people.

The grounds at the University of Illinois at Springfield seemed so desolate, he joked about a plan to hire pedestrians. There was no basketball team, no student theater performances, no dormitory. Not even a coffee shop.

It was a place for juniors, seniors and graduate students, where transfer and commuter students went--usually at night--to finish a bachelor's degree or get a master's.

Now, when Ringeisen looks out his window, he sees the beginnings of a traditional university, with a central colonnade and fountain and, occasionally, students playing cricket. One dormitory has been built, and another, a $15.8 million project, was approved by the U. of I. Board of Trustees on Thursday.

The campus' strategic plan, unveiled earlier this year, is clear about the university's ambition: to become one of the top five small, public liberal arts universities in the country.

"We're the new kid on the block," Ringeisen said. "We're creating something that Illinois can really be excited about."

That won't be easy, officials have learned, as they struggle just to get noticed. High school guidance counselors still look puzzled when they find out that the university has an undergraduate program, and students joke that even some Springfield residents don't realize the university exists. Students don't mind the ignorance, saying they were drawn there by the small classes, professors who know their names, and relatively light tuition and fees at about $6,700 a year.

"I told my friends that I was going to U. of I. Springfield and they said, `What? That doesn't exist,'" said senior Sarah Doyle of La Grange Park, the student representative to the Board of Trustees. Earlier this week, Gov. Rod Blagojevich gave Doyle the single student vote on the board, the first time the Springfield representative has been given that honor, which historically has rotated only between the Urbana-Champaign and Chicago campuses.

But even as officials push for a lively campus, they are in the seemingly contradictory position of guiding a university that is considered a national leader in online education, a notion contrary to bringing people together. In fact, the university offers more for-credit classes online than any public university in the state, with more than one-quarter of the credits earned last semester coming from online courses.

The university has received more than $3 million in grants to develop online education, growing its program from 30 students in fall 1998 to 1,830 last semester and offering 175 courses in subjects as diverse as graphic design, human resources and environmental law. Fourteen degrees can now be earned entirely online, and full-time faculty members teach nearly all the online classes.

Administrators, however, seem almost reluctant to talk about that success, worried that too much attention on the online achievements will detract from the goal to build the so-called "on ground" programs.

"We don't want to be known as the online institution in Illinois. We won't have a vibrant campus without focusing on growing the on-campus enrollment," said Marya Leatherwood, assistant vice chancellor for enrollment management.

Founded as Sangamon State University in 1969, the campus has for most of its history been an upper-division transfer school with a focus on public affairs. It became part of the University of Illinois in 1995, joining the Urbana-Champaign and Chicago campuses. Five years ago, the university accepted its first freshman class, a small group of honors students. This fall, traditional freshmen will be accepted for the first time, and 280 are expected to enroll.

U. of I. President B. Joseph White, who oversees all three campuses, refers to UIS as the "adolescent," the one teeming with energy and on the verge of something big.

That energy mostly has come from the growing number of freshmen, whose desire for a traditional college atmosphere has begun to transform the university. About 900 students now live on campus, there are about 70 clubs to join, and the new basketball team won a spot in a national conference tournament this past spring.

With a current roster of about 4,500 online and on-ground students, the university's goal is to have about 6,000 students five years from now, including about 500 freshmen. New students have created a need for an increased faculty, and about 40 new professors will start this fall, a considerable boost to the 160 now there.

Non-academic services also have changed to accommodate more students. There are now two doctors, two nurse practitioners and several counselors on staff.

"If we are going to be what we want to be, it's important that we have the services for traditional students," said Christopher Miller, vice chancellor for student affairs, who previously worked at Arizona State University and South Dakota State University.

Some, however, feel that the non-traditional students--the reason the university was founded--are getting shortchanged. Others worry that the university's public affairs mission will be de-emphasized in a push for a more mainstream liberal arts education.

"It's all about the freshmen. I have yet to hear that we are doing something for the graduate students," said MBA student Mahreen Chaudhary, who complained that grad students can have a hard time getting the classes they need

Doyle, meanwhile, worries about a perceived decline in the university's public affairs mission. "They need to find a way to not lose the traditions," Doyle said. "Even in the strategic plan, they don't say that much about public affairs."

Administrators say they've heard that concern but that it's unfounded. The Graduate Public Service Internship Program, which pairs graduate students with paid internships at government agencies, for example, is as strong as ever, they said.

As the university strives to become one of the top small public colleges in the country, administrators hope it will one day become a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, a group of nearly two dozen institutions nationwide.

To get accepted, the university will have to show that it offers "a very broad education that allows creative thinking," said Susan Finkel, the group's executive director.

While embracing that goal, retired philosophy professor Larry Stiner cautioned about being too focused on joining the mainstream. The university historically has had liberal requirements for faculty research and scholarship, for example, allowing more time for teaching and public affairs activities.

"I wouldn't want it to be just another Eastern, Western, just another anywhere, second-tier state university," said Stiner. "The university has to pay attention to ... the things that make it different from other places."

With all the changes, it can feel like UIS has two divergent identities--not only academically, with dual online and on-ground initiatives, but also physically. The original campus is a clustered lot of single-story metal trailers, nestled amid pine trees. More than 30 years after they were built, they are still referred to as "temporary."

Meanwhile, up a short hill, there is a more traditional-looking university, with a grassy quad and fountain, where students sunbathe while studying.

Recent graduate Brad Ward, who helped found the Blue Crew student spirit squad, is excited about the transformation, although he hopes the university retains the small atmosphere that drew him there.

"You get to know everyone really well," said Ward, 22, who graduated in May and is now a marketing specialist for the university. "The people in the cafeteria know you want biscuits and gravy for breakfast."

Ward said he decided to take a job at the university after graduation in part so he could be there "to see how it all turns out."

If he stays long enough, he'll see a $16 million recreation center open next spring, perhaps the biggest indication that the university is catering to traditional, amenity-seeking students.

But to attract more students, Ringeisen knows he'll need to bring in more than a fancy student center. There are currently no shops or restaurants within walking distance of the university, which is surrounded instead by about 600 acres of university-owned prairie.

"We have issues with having enough to do, no doubt about it," Ringeisen said, adding that he'd like to see a "campus town" with at least a pharmacy and coffee shop.

During his first year on campus, Ringeisen asked for proposals to build commercial space on the university's property, but nobody responded.

"I've had trouble getting developers to spend money here because there aren't enough of us yet," he said. "It's getting so much more likely now that we're growing."

- - -

University facts

University of Illinois at Springfield:

Founded: 1969 as Sangamon State University. Joined the University of Illinois system in 1995.
Enrollment: About 4,500 online and on-ground; 57 percent undergraduates, 90 percent from Illinois.

Online impact: About 42 percent of students took an online class last semester.
Average student age: Undergraduate, 30; graduate, 35

Average class size: 15. Classes rarely have more than 40 students.

Top five majors: Business administration, computer science, psychology, accountancy and educational leadership.

Noted programs: Graduate Public Service Internship Program, Illinois Legislative Staff Internship Program.

Tuition and fees: $6,700 a year.

Source: University of Illinois at Springfield

Click to view this article in the online edition of the Chicago Tribune.

Rec Center will be a "wonderful addition" to campus

The following letter to the editor appeared in the July 9, 2006, edition of the State Journal-Register.


Recreation center will be great addition at UIS

Later this month, Springfield will experience yet another important groundbreaking ceremony, this time at the University of Illinois at Springfield campus.

The new University Recreation and Athletic Center will be a wonderful addition to an already beautiful and growing campus and will provide the students with new and much-needed fitness and recreational opportunities.

I have been fortunate enough to serve on the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee at UIS for several years and I distinctly remember our first meeting with Rich Ringeisen when he was named to succeed the retiring Naomi Lynn. Despite the uncertain economy, Chancellor Ringeisen boldly and confidently predicted the construction of University Hall and a new athletic center for the campus. I suspect many of us on the committee were skeptical at the time.

Thanks to the chancellor’s vision and the enthusiastic support of then-State Rep. Gwenn Klingler and many others, University Hall was completed in August 2004. (I remember Gwenn calling me from the floor of the Statehouse when the appropriations bill passed, she was so excited!)

There is much we can be proud of in Springfield. I sincerely believe that the University of Illinois at Springfield will play a key role in our community’s future as it continues its progress toward becoming a world-class institution of higher learning.

John B. Farrell
Springfield

UIS Pre-Law Center LSAT Primer Program

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Monday, August 14-Wednesday, August 16

$190

Open to students from all majors and institutions

Prepare for the LSAT, get an overview of the application process, learn tips on writing your personal statement

Includes:
Two LSAT exams administered under simulated conditions.
Instructional sessions in each section of the exam.
Test-taking strategies and hints for better performance.
Personal strategies and writing tips, with an individual critique of your work.

Pre-registration required before August 6.
Contact Dennis Rendleman, PLC director, at drend1@uis.edu or call 206-6324.

Presented with support from UIS’ Institute for Legal and Policy Studies.

Chemistry program receives continued ACS approval

The Chemistry program at UIS recently received word that its curriculum has passed a five-year review process and continues to meet standards and guidelines set by the American Chemical Society. The program has been ACS-approved since 1983. The ACS Committee on Professional Training has also approved the program’s new biochemistry option. Read more>>

Computer Science department receives national certification

Courseware developed by the Computer Science Department at UIS has received certification for compliance with two national standards for information assurance education and training. A certificate stating that the department has met national standards was presented to UIS on June 5 by Dr. Linton Wells II, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense, networks, and information integration at The Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education. Computer Science faculty Ted Mims and Sviatoslav Braynov received the certificate on behalf of the university. Read more>>

32 students inducted into honor society

Thirty-two students from UIS' College of Business and Management were inducted into Sigma Beta Delta – an international honor society in business, management, and administration – in a ceremony and reception held on campus in May. For business students who attend a college or university with a Sigma Beta Delta chapter, membership is the highest national recognition they can receive. Read more>>

"Sangamon Valley Roots Revival Radio Hour" debuts on WUIS

"The Sangamon Valley Roots Revival Radio Hour," a new locally produced program, will premiere on Public Radio WUIS 91.9FM-WIPA 89.3FM on Sunday, July 2, at 5 p.m.

Hosted by Sean Burns, the hour-long, Sunday-evening program will feature the roots of American music – from the blues, western swing, and hillbilly bop of the 1940s to the rockabilly of the 1950s and the Bakersfield twang of the 1960s. Read more>>

Editorial praises Chris Miller's work

The following editorial about Chris Miller’s excellent work in coordinating the city’s minority recruitment effort appeared in the June 14, 2006 edition of The State Journal-Register.

Recruiting efforts paying off for city

THE PROBLEM of low minority numbers in the Springfield Police Department is far from solved, but news this week is good – very good, in fact.
We aren’t hesitant to offer criticism – the constructive kind, we hope – when we believe Mayor Tim Davlin is missing the mark. It is only fair that we offer kudos when he hits the bull’s eye as he did this week in announcing that the percentage of minority applicants who took the police officer exam this past weekend was over 21 percent – that compares to just 9.7 percent who took the test in 2005.

DAVLIN HAS graciously given much of the credit for the improved numbers to the work of Chris Miller, a University of Illinois at Springfield professor who was hired by the city three months ago to coordinate the city’s minority recruiting effort.
Miller is quick to deflect much of the credit back to Davlin, saying the mayor is serious about minority recruiting and is committed to doing the job right.
“We still have work to do. We’re moving into the realm of fire and rescue as well. But obviously we’re really pleased with our initial efforts,” said Miller. “I think when you talk about success, it absolutely stems from leadership. And I think the leadership of the city has been stellar in this situation.”
While the city entered into an agreement with UIS just three months ago, Miller notes that the university had been courting the city in hopes of assisting with the recruitment efforts for several months prior. To Davlin’s credit, he recognized the merits of Miller’s proposal and by all accounts has made sure the city bought into the plan.

MUCH OF WHAT Miller has done is common sense. Yet it is common sense that was too often ignored in the past. The city/UIS recruiting team has been aggressive in visiting career fairs both locally and across the Midwest. It has revamped the city’s marketing strategy to more effectively reach minority candidates – buying billboards on the city’s east side, advertising in two newspapers with high minority readership and intensively reaching out to minorities who showed an interest in becoming Springfield cops.
Miller’s group built an impressive database of 189 minorities interested in the police department. Every one of those potential applicants was contacted 15 times prior to the test this past Sunday to make sure they knew the city was truly interested in them as potential employees. Miller said contacts were made by letter (including one from the acting police chief), by phone and, of course, by e-mail. Intense? Yes. Effective? Definitely. Fifty-eight minorities showed up to take the test.
A $25 application fee also was dropped (most cities don’t charge to take a test, putting Springfield at a disadvantage). The test was given in both Springfield and at Malcolm X College in Chicago. And numerous practice sessions were held to help prepare the candidates.

THIS ALL SPEAKS of a city that is truly interested in creating a more diverse police department. But as Miller said, more work needs to be done. And, of course, the test takers must also be able to translate into actual employees.
Ward 2 Ald. Frank McNeil hopes to meet with the mayor this week to again push an initiative that could help in that regard. McNeil would like to see the city go to a pass/fail system for the exam. “It still is the personality, the interaction with people. There’s a whole lot that goes into being a good police officer other than just a score on a damn test,” said McNeil.
It’s a controversial idea, but one worth considering. We’ll discuss why soon.

Center for Entrepreneurship awards grants to local businesses

On June 16 UIS' Center for Entrepreneurship awarded $5,000 in matching grants to ten small businesses in Springfield. The awards were the first ever to be given by the Center, located in UIS' College of Business and Management.

The Center received the $50,000 in grant funds through the Innovate Illinois Project operated by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The project is designed to identify innovative small businesses that create economic development and jobs in Illinois. Read more>>

Media Advisory: Center for Entrepreneurship to award grants

UIS' Center for Entrepreneurship will award grants to ten small innovative local businesses at 12:45 p.m. Friday, June 16, in the PAC restaurant. The grants program is intended to foster small business growth in the Greater Springfield area. Read more>>

Public Policy Summit will examine politics and religion

"Politics and Religion: Conflict and Coexistence at Home and Abroad" is the topic of the fourth annual Public Policy Summit, to be held Tuesday, June 20, at UIS. The event is sponsored by UIS' Center for State Policy and Leadership and is open to the public.

Three sessions will feature: a luncheon keynote address by Dr. Diana Eck of Harvard University on "Religious Pluralism: Civic and Political Issues in a New Religious America"; an afternoon panel discussion on "Islam in America" led by UIS Associate Professor of Economics Baker Siddiquee; and an evening keynote address by Dr. Noah Feldman of New York University, who will speak on "Iraq, Islam, and Democracy." Read more>>

Ceremony to honor founding faculty

A reception honoring the two surviving founding faculty members of UIS' College of Education and Human Services will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 21, in the Sangamon Auditorium Lobby. The honorees are Robert Crowley and James Pancrazio, both professors emeritus of Human Development Counseling. Oil portraits of Crowley and Pancrazio, to be installed in the College, will be unveiled during the event. Read more>>

Theater Program announces '06-'07 season

The 2006-2007 season of the UIS Theater Program will feature two comedies: Anton in Show Business, by Jane Martin (November 3-5 & 9-11), and As Bees in Honey Drown, by Douglas Carter Beane (March 2-4 & 8-10). Read more>>

Management students receive awards

Three UIS students have received awards for excellence from the Management department.

James Schweigert received the department’s Highest Academic Achievement Award. Justin Jahanshir is the recipient of The Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award. David Polk received the James C. Worthy Award for best senior paper. Read more>>

Graduate student receives FMC fellowship

Brad Stevenson, a graduate student in UIS' MBA program in Peoria, has received a Graduate Fellowship from Chicago-based FMC Technologies, Inc. FMC graduate fellowships are made to outstanding students in business administration, engineering, or related fields in recognition of noteworthy achievements. Read more>>

Student receives Brundage scholarship

UIS student Alexandria Janezic is among this year's recipients of Avery Brundage Scholarships, made to U of I students who excel in both academics and athletics.

Janezic is a Capital Scholars honor student majoring in Psychology and a member of the women's volleyball team. Read more>>

UIS graduates nearly 1,200

Nearly 1,200 students received degrees at UIS' 35th commencement on May 13, 2006. See a printable list>>

Students receive achievement and recognition awards

Achievement and recognition awards were presented to 85 students during UIS commencement ceremonies on May 13. Click here to see a list of awards and the students who received them>>

New director of Center for State Policy and Leadership named

UIS has announced the appointment of Dr. Anthony P. Halter as executive director of the Center for State Policy and Leadership, following approval by the U of I Board of Trustees at their May 11 meeting.

Dr. Halter is an award-winning teacher who served on the faculty of the School of Social Work at UIUC for 15 years before retiring in 2002. He has extensive experience in state government and is an expert on state policy in the areas of welfare reform, health, unemployment, child welfare, and homelessness and education. Read more>>

Student selected for women's leadership program

Amy Ballinger-Cole, a senior in the Liberal Studies program at UIS, is one of 20 women college and university students accepted into the New Leadership Illinois class of 2006. The program will be held May 30 through June 4 at the UIC campus.

New Leadership Illinois is a non-partisan, week-long residential program for college juniors and seniors designed to increase women’s representation in all elements of public life, including elected office. Read more>>

Reception honors faculty achievements

UIS held its annual reception to recognize faculty achievements on May 4. Chancellor Richard Ringeisen and Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Harry Berman presided over a ceremony honoring faculty members who have received tenure and/or promotion, been awarded sabbaticals, or granted emeritus status. Three major awards – the Pearson Faculty Award, the Spencer Faculty Service Award, and the Faculty Excellence Award – were also presented, and the designation of the National City Bank Distinguished Professorship was announced. Read more>>

Professor receives honorary appointment at Chinese university

Richard Judd, professor of Business Administration and interim director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at UIS, has been named an honorary professor of the International Franchise Academy at Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, China. The appointment is in recognition of the textbook Franchising, which Judd co-wrote with Robert Justis of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

Judd said he has learned from the publisher that the text had been translated into Chinese, not once but twice. Read more>>

Alumni Association to host tour of Lincoln Memorial Garden

The U of I Alumni Association and the UIS Alumni SAGE Society will host a guided tour of Lincoln Memorial Garden and the adjacent Ostermeier Prairie Center from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 21.

The program will be led by UIS Professor Emerita Judy Everson and UIS alumni Dick and Helen Adorjan. Reservations are requested by May 17. Read more>>

Students inducted into educational honor society

Seven students in the Teacher Education program at UIS – Nicole DiGiovanna, Deborah Eytchison, Megan Hayes, Kiersten Lynch, Marjorie Reynolds, Erica Viets, and Bond Wyman – have been inducted into Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society in education. To be selected for Kappa Delta Pi, students must exhibit high academic achievement, commitment to a career in education, and a professional attitude that promises steady growth in the profession. Read more>>

UIS commencement will be May 13

Lincoln scholar and historian Phillip Shaw Paludan will deliver the Distinguished Scholar Address at UIS commencement ceremonies, which will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at the Prairie Capital Convention Center, Ninth and Adams streets in downtown Springfield. Of the 1,199 students eligible to graduate, 676 will participate in the ceremony. Read more>>

Recipients of Lynn & Student Activism awards announced

In a ceremony held April 25 on campus, Jan Droegkamp was presented with the Ninth Annual Naomi B. Lynn Award for Outstanding Contributions to Women at UIS and Leslie Rossman received the Second Annual Student Award in Recognition for Positive Contributions in Gendered Issues to the UIS Campus Community through Activism.

The Lynn Award is made by the UIS Women's Center Council; the Student Activism Award is presented by the Women's Issues Caucus. Read more>>

Faculty member receives grant to study community radio

Jim Grubbs, associate professor of Communication at UIS, has received a research grant from the National Association of Broadcasters, one of only six awarded nationally this year in NAB's Grants for Research in Broadcasting program. Grubbs will conduct a study of why some small, rural-market radio stations succeed while others do not. Read more>>

Lincoln scholar will address UIS' 35th commencement ceremony

Internationally renowned Lincoln scholar and historian Phillip Shaw Paludan will deliver the Distinguished Scholar Address at UIS commencement ceremonies, which will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in downtown Springfield.

Paludan, one of the nation's foremost authorities on Lincoln and the Civil War, is Professor of History and Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair of Lincoln Studies at UIS. Read more>>

Sherry Hutson receives third annual CAPE Award at UIS

Sherry Hutson, web developer in the Chancellor’s Office, is the recipient of the third annual Chancellor’s Academic Professional Excellence Award at UIS, presented at a reception held April 18 in the PAC restaurant.

Materials nominating Hutson for the award noted, in part, "her role is critical in ensuring that the campus can both recruit students and carry out its administrative functions." Read more>>

UIS team lobbies for women’s issues at Model United Nations

UIS students lobbied for women’s issues at the national Model United Nations simulation, held in New York City during the week of April 10. The UIS delegation participated as representatives of the Women’s Environment and Development Organization, an international non-governmental organization that works to influence UN policymaking and promotes women as elected officials.

The annual event is the largest college UN simulation in the country. This is the 10th straight year that UIS has fielded a delegation at the competition. Read more>>

UIS hosts events for Disability Awareness Week

UIS will host a number of activities April 24 through 28 in observance of Disability Awareness Week. Events range from workshops on American Sign Language to a wheelchair basketball game, an exhibition rugby game, an adaptive dance workshop, and a session on job-search strategies. All events will be held on the UIS campus and are free and open to the public. All facilities are fully accessible to the mobility-impaired. Some events require advance reservations.

See the schedule of events>>

"UIS Cares" will focus on Washington Middle School

The UIS Office of Student Volunteers, Service, and Civic Engagement will sponsor the fourth annual “UIS Cares” event on Saturday, April 29. This year UIS will again partner with Washington Middle School, 2300 E. Jackson, to work on landscaping projects on the school grounds. Volunteers are still needed. Read more>>

UIS online collaborative project is among IBHE “effective practices”

“Achieving Diversity through Online Inter-Institutional Collaboration,” an online teaching partnership between UIS, Chicago State University, and Northeastern Illinois University, is one of the “effective practices” chosen by the Illinois Board of Higher Education to be highlighted on its website in April.

Under this collaboration, member institutions offer joint courses that allow students in separate classes to share discussions or work on projects together using online learning tools. The goal is to provide access to a broader diversity of views and perspectives than would ordinarily be possible in traditional classes at any one campus. Read more>>

Music groups to present Spring Showcase Concert

UIS music groups will present their annual Spring Showcase Concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 28, in the PAC Studio Theatre.

The concert will feature the UIS Band, Chorus, Chamber Orchestra, and World Percussion Ensemble in a program that ranges from Beethoven and Bach to the UIS Fight Song. All proceeds benefit the UIS Music Student Merit Award. Read more>>

Media Advisory: Earth Day speaker Dr. Sandra Steingraber

UIS will celebrate Earth Day with a presentation by Dr. Sandra Steingraber called “Contaminated without Consent: How Chemical Pollutants in Air, Food, and Water Violate Human Rights.” Steingraber, an ecologist and cancer survivor, is the author of Living Downstream: An Ecologist Looks at Cancer and the Environment.

7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 19, in Brookens Auditorium Read more>>

Sen. Durbin to discuss federal financial aid cuts with students

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin will hold a town hall meeting with students at UIS to discuss impending cuts to federal student financial aid. The senator will also discuss legislation he recently introduced that would make college more affordable for students and parents.

11:30 a.m., Monday, April 17, Lincoln Residence Hall. Read more>>

UIS to present discussion on “Healing Partnerships”

The Women’s Issues Caucus at UIS will host a brownbag lunch discussion on “Healing Partnerships: Men and Women Challenging Rape Culture and Ending Rape” beginning at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 26, in PAC conference room D.

Featured speaker Ross Wantland is a gender-based violence prevention educator and coordinator of sexual assault education at UIUC. Wantland will lead a discussion on a number of topics, including how college students of both sexes can become involved in ending sexual violence. Read more>>

Visual Arts Gallery to present “Reactions”

“Reactions” an exhibit of works by six graduating seniors in the Visual Arts program, will be on display at the UIS Visual Arts Gallery from April 27 through May 13. An opening reception will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, in the gallery.

Students whose work is represented in this exhibit are Leah Anderson, Amanda Bennett, Evan Lamb, Kyle Otte, Charlotte Smith, and Lesia Stone. Media and styles range from old ceramic and print processes to innovative digital video; the common element that ties this varied display together is human reaction. Read more>>

“Ceiling Zero” showcases works by senior art students

“Ceiling Zero,” an exhibition of work by seniors in the Visual Arts program, will be on display from April 27 to May 13 in the Lincoln Residence Hall Great Room. An opening reception will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 27.

The exhibit includes painting, sculpture, and graphic design by James Cockroft, Prudence Edwards, Gary Hinkle, Rich Kohlrus, Valerie Lehman, and Doug Robbins. Read more>>

Earth Day observance includes discussion of local food systems

An examination of sustainable local food systems will be part of the activities hosted by UIS in observance of Earth Day 2006. The two-part presentation will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 20, in Brookens Auditorium.

The program will begin with a screening of the movie “The True Cost of Food” by the Sierra Club Sustainable Consumption Committee. A panel discussion on food policy, the local food system, and the status of organic farming in Illinois will follow. Read more>>

Student artwork showcased in downtown exhibit

Artwork in a variety of media by students in UIS' Visual Arts program will be on display from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, at the Quality Inn & Suites - State House, located at 101 East Adams, Springfield. Read more>>

BOT approves tuition hike; UIS remains among most affordable

While tuition will increase at UIS this fall, the price of attending the university will remain among the lowest when compared to the other public universities in the state.

The U of I Board of Trustees voted April 11 to increase tuition by $1,005 for new in-state undergraduates entering UIS this fall to a total of $5,580 a year. This rate will be guaranteed for four years under the state-mandated guaranteed tuition plan.

UIS Chancellor Ringeisen said revenue from the tuition increase will restore state funding and tuition to 2002 levels, allowing the university to begin turning the corner on strengthening academic quality after four years of budget cuts and level funding. Read more>>

UIS to hold annual Alternative Prom

The Queer-Straight Alliance at UIS will host its third annual Alternative Prom from 8 p.m. to midnight on Friday, April 14, on the stage at Sangamon Auditorium.

Alcohol-free and open to all lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgendered, and questioning youth and their allies in the area, the Alternative Prom is an opportunity for LGBTQ youth to have a good time with friends in a safe environment. Read more>>

UIS Innocence Project to host advance screening of documentary

"Facing Life: The Retrial of Evan Zimmerman," a new documentary that will premiere Monday, June 5, on A&E, will have a special advance screening Tuesday, April 25, at UIS. Hosted by UIS' Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, the screening will be at 6:30 p.m. in University Hall, room 2008. A discussion with the filmmakers will follow.

"Facing Life" documents Zimmerman's decision to face the possibility of life in prison rather than accept an offer of freedom that would falsely brand him as a murderer. Read more>>

UIS women’s tennis schedules first annual alumni match

The women’s tennis team at UIS will hold its first annual alumni match on Friday, April 21, at the campus tennis courts. The event will pit past SSU/UIS tennis players against the current UIS team. All past members of a Sangamon State University or UIS women’s tennis team are invited to play. Read more>>

UIS to host annual Verbal Arts Festival

UIS' 2006 Verbal Arts Festival, scheduled for April 19 through 21, will feature events ranging from readings of original works to an address and an "arts night."

A keynote address by Marcellus Leonard, UIS associate professor of English, will open the festival at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, in the Visual Arts Gallery. On Thursday, April 20, the release of the 2006 Alchemist Review, the campus' literary magazine, will be celebrated with a reading and reception beginning at 7 p.m. in the Housing Commons Building. Friday, April 21, is "Arts Night" at UIS, sponsored by the U of I Alumni Association at UIS and featuring paintings, theater, and a buffet dinner. Read more>>

UIS Center for Entrepreneurship accepting applications for grants

The Center for Entrepreneurship at UIS currently has available, and is accepting applications for, nine $5,000 matching grants that will be awarded by June 15 to innovative small businesses in the area. Any existing or proposed business venture from the Springfield area can participate in the UIS Grants and Awards program. Each $5,000 award requires a $5,000 match from the applicant.

The Center is part of the Innovate Illinois Project offered through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and works in collaboration with EntreNET, a network of organizations and individuals in greater Springfield designed to form a seamless program of opportunity for entrepreneurs. Read more>>

UIS biology student wins prestigious fellowship

Sara Paver, third-year Capital Scholar majoring in Biology, has been selected as a 2006 Undergraduate Research Fellow by the American Society for Microbiology.

The ASM fellowship is a competitive program aimed at students who intend to pursue graduate careers in microbiology. Fellows receive a stipend to conduct full-time research at their home institutions during the summer and present the results at the ASM General Meeting the following year.

Paver's research will be a study of how nutrients are regenerated by bacteria in lakes. Her faculty mentor, Dr. Michael Lemke, associate professor of Biology, explained that the work will help foster a better understanding of ecology, nutrients, and the role of bacteria in the environment. Read more>>

UIS to hold annual Technology Day

UIS' annual Technology Day, on Friday, April 14, will focus this year on “Teaching in the Digital Domain: UIS Moving Beyond the Boundaries.” All activities will be held on the second floor of University Hall.

The symposium will begin at 9:30 a.m. in UHB 2034 with a keynote address by Margaret Maag, assistant professor of nursing at the University of San Francisco, who will speak on “M-Learning Technology: Mobile and Multimedia Modalities for All Learners.” Maag’s presentation will also be available via live webcast.

Following the keynote address, some 20 presentations and poster sessions will focus on interesting and innovative ways that the campus is using technology for teaching and scholarship. Read more>>

Criminal justice honor society inducts four

Induction ceremonies for four new members of the Epsilon Chi Chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the national criminal justice honor society, will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 23, in the Public Affairs Center restaurant at UIS. The ceremony will also honor 16 members who are graduating this academic year.

Alpha Phi Sigma is the only national honor society for criminal justice majors and recognizes academic excellence. Read more>>

Four students receive Outstanding AST awards

Four undergraduate students at UIS – Amy Ballinger-Cole, Lori Harrison, Diana Meister, and Tammie Williams – have received Outstanding AST Awards from the Applied Study Program. To be nominated, students must demonstrate excellence in several areas. A total of 15 students were nominated this spring.

Ballinger-Cole, a Liberal Studies major, worked on the publication of an electric cooperative. Harrison, an Accountancy major, worked at a small home appliance store in Decatur. Meister, a Management major at the Peoria campus, arranged an internship at her current workplace that involved creating an orientation document for new employees. Williams, also a Management major at Peoria, developed an AST focused on developing managerial skills in light of a recent promotion. Read more>>

Faculty member receives appointment to American Museum of Natural History

Michael Lemke, UIS associate professor of Biology, has received an appointment as Research Associate at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The appointment affords him the academic status of a researcher-in-residence at the museum.

Lemke spent part of last spring and summer at AMNH while on sabbatical leave from UIS. A colleague noted that during this earlier stay Lemke was recognized as a valuable asset to the museum's new focus on microbiology. Read more>>

Faculty member's poetry receives formal review

Nancy Genevieve Perkins, UIS associate professor of English, is one of seven “contemporary female Midwestern poets of place” profiled in a collection of essays that appears in the recently released Midwestern Miscellany XXXII.

“Fighting the Darkness: The Poetry of Nancy Genevieve,” by Loren Logsdon, is a formal review of Perkins' first two books of poetry – NYX: Mother of Light and NYX: Daughter of Chaos. Read more>>

UIS alumni to host “Pathways to Dynamic Careers”

The Alumni Council of UIS' College of Education and Human Services will sponsor “Pathways to Dynamic Careers” from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday, April 24, in Sangamon Auditorium lobby.

The event is designed to provide information to those considering a career in education or human services, as well as to assist current students with career decisions. Alumni and others in the community may also use the program as an opportunity to network and learn more about ways to use their degrees. Read more>>

WUIS to air new arts programs, documentary series

Public Radio WUIS-WIPA will add two arts-related programs -- Close Up and The Word -- to its weekly line-up starting April 25. In May the station will broadcast Crossing East, an eight-part documentary on the history of Asian-American immigration. Read more>>

UIS child care center to observe Week of the Young Child

Cox Children’s Center at UIS will join the national observance of Week of the Young Child, April 3 through 7. The Center will host a number of activities during the week for its students and their families. Read more>>

UIS to host noted Earth Day speaker

Dr. Sandra Steingraber will speak on "Contaminated without Consent: How Chemical Pollutants in Air, Food, and Water Violate Human Rights," at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, in Brookens Auditorium. The presentation is part of UIS' observance of Earth Day 2006.

Dr. Steingraber is an internationally recognized expert on environmental links to cancer and reproductive health. Her books include Living Downstream: An Ecologist Looks at Cancer and the Environment and Having Faith: An Ecologist's Journey to Motherhood. Read more>>

Evening with the Arts features art exhibit and theater

Paintings, theater, and good food will all be part of an Evening with the Arts, to be held Friday, April 21, on the UIS campus and sponsored by the U of I Alumni Association at UIS.

The evening begins with an exhibit of paintings by Chris Britt in the Visual Arts Gallery. A candlelight buffet dinner and cash bar will follow in the PAC Restaurant and, after dinner, participants can take in the UIS Theater Program's production of the classic drama Hedda Gabler. For more information, including how to make dinner reservations>>

“Taste of UIS” features review of new books

The third program in this spring’s Taste of UIS Lunchtime Lecture Series – sponsored by the U of I Alumni Association at UIS – will be Wednesday, April 19, from noon to 1:15 p.m. at Maldaner’s Upstairs, 222 South Sixth St., Springfield.

The discussion will focus on recently published books by two UIS faculty members: Shake the Thunder Down, by Associate Professor of English Marcellus Leonard, and Zinaida Vengerova: In Search of Beauty, by Associate Professor of Liberal Studies, Individual Option, and English Rosina Neginsky. For more information, including how to make reservations>>

Visual Arts Gallery to present “Color Me Skeptical"

“Color Me Skeptical: New Works by Chris Britt” will be on display at the Visual Arts Gallery at UIS from April 3 through April 21. The gallery will host an artist’s discussion beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 21; a closing reception will follow from 6 to 7 p.m.

Britt, locally acclaimed and nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist for the State Journal-Register, switches gears in this exhibit by showcasing abstract paintings that explore a range of emotions, using bright colors, structure, textured forms, and thickly applied paint to evoke a sense of tension, movement, and energy. Read more>>

Child care center receives grant for infant/toddler programs

Cox Children’s Center at UIS has received a reimbursement grant of more than $8,000 from Quality Counts 2005-2006, a project sponsored by Community Child Care Connection and the Illinois Department of Human Services.

Center director Stacey Hembrough said the grant will be used to fund purchases of equipment for the infants and toddlers program and may allow the center to enroll more infants in the future. "We have been at 100% capacity in the infant room since we opened and maintain a long waiting list,” she said. Read more>>

UIS to hold Eighth Annual Health Fair

UIS will host its Eighth Annual Health Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, in the concourse on the lower level of the PAC.

The fair is held in conjunction with National Public Health Week, which this year focuses on “Designing Healthy Communities: Raising Healthy Kids.” CHS Director Lynne Price explained, “In observance of the theme, booths at this year’s fair are interactive and will involve adults and children in learning about their health.” Read more>>

CPL program updated to reflect best practices

For over 30 years, UIS' Credit for Prior Learning program has provided eligible students who have acquired college-level learning outside the classroom -- through work, reading, travel, and other interests -- with an opportunity to receive credit for life experience by developing experiential learning portfolios. UIS recently revised its CPL program to reflect current best practices in the field. Read more>>

UIS to present workshop on “Death, Grief, and Loss”

Carolyn Peck, assistant professor of Human Services-Gerontology at UIS, will lead a workshop on “Death, Grief, and Loss” from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 10, in PAC conference room H.

She will illustrate ways to be supportive in relationships with friends, colleagues, and family members and will discuss physical, psychological, and sociological components of these experiences as they relate to both the dying individual and the caregivers. Read more>>

Chancellor describes bold plan for the future

Chancellor Richard Ringeisen announced today that UIS will pursue a bold vision: to become one of the top five small public liberal arts universities in the United States.

In describing the plan of action to a group of students gathered in Lincoln Residence Hall, Ringeisen said the vision will be achieved by “creating a world-class liberal arts-oriented undergraduate educational experience reflecting many of the characteristics and best practices of small private liberal arts colleges, while building on our many strengths.”

The plan contains six goals, Ringeisen said. They are Academic Excellence, Enriching Individual Lives, Making a Difference in the World, Strengthening Campus Culture, Enrollment and Retention, and Resources and Infrastructure. Those goals form the foundation of a new strategic plan that was completed in January. Read more>>

UIS Theatre to present Hedda Gabler

The Theatre Program at UIS will present Henrik Ibsen’s classic drama Hedda Gabler in six performances: April 13-15 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) and 21-23 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), in the PAC Studio Theatre. All performances will be at 8 p.m. except the Sunday performance (April 23), which will be at 2 p.m.

Ibsen was a feminist ahead of his time and Hedda Gabler is one of his finest plays. Click here to see the cast list, a synopsis of the play, and ticket information>>