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>>