Wednesday, August 27, 2008

New Diversity Center holds open house

By Courtney Westlake






The new Diversity Center at UIS opened its doors on Tuesday, August 26 to welcome students, staff and faculty to visit and get acquainted with the center and its staff. With the welcoming also came the opportunity to introduce the new director of the Diversity Center, Dr. Clarice Ford.

Both events were extremely positive for the direction of the university, said Chancellor Richard Ringeisen.

"This is not just about the opening of the center and the welcoming of a distinguished new staff member; this is a symbol of what we're doing, what we're all about and where we're going," Ringeisen said. "Provost Harry Berman and I were talking earlier about the incredible change in diversity since we've been here and how fantastic it is. It's an extremely exciting time of the year."

Ringeisen gave a detailed introduction of Dr. Ford, who is the "first ever director of the first ever Diversity Center," Ringseisen said, and he took the time to name several of her many quality characteristics and accomplishments. She comes from Berry College and is well-known around country for her recruitment and retention of students, he said.

"But the thing I like best about Clarice is how incredibly important students are to her," he said. "We are a student-centered institution. A lot of nice things are happening at UIS, and we're very proud of those things, but the bottom line is how all of those things relate to how well we work with students."

Ringeisen encouraged all students to utilize the new center for any issue they are having trouble with or even if they just need a contact person to talk with.

"The purpose of the Diversity Center is to make everybody's life better," he said. "Our number one goal is to see every single student who comes to UIS graduate with a degree from UIS."

The open house had a great turnout of students, staff and faculty, and Ford said she was thrilled to meet everyone who stopped by.

"There are no words I can even share with you to explain my excitement about the open house today," she said. "We hope this will not be the last time you come to the Diversity Center. This is a place for you to have relationships with each other, and have relationships with the staff here. We look forward to you being here and utilizing us in whatever way possible."

UIS Office of Technology Enhanced Learning takes part in public health initiative

The Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning at the University of Illinois Springfield is collaborating with the Illinois Department of Public Health and Chicago State University in a project titled BASUAH (Brothers and Sisters United Against HIV/AIDS), which takes place in the virtual world Second Life.

BASUAH is an initiative of the Governor Blagojevich's Office designed to address HIV/AIDS among members of the state's African-American communities. IDPH launched the project on August 1, 2007.

The IDPH Center for Minority Health Services created a space (an "island") for BASUAH in Second Life that acts as an e-learning and teaching tool. The Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning at UIS is responsible for delivering this training, which promotes open discussion on a variety of topics related to AIDS.

"We need to reach out to and educate people in a way that keeps up with the times," said Dr. Damon T. Arnold, IDPH director. "Our goal in creating BASUAH in Second Life is to provide innovative opportunities to keep the dialogue on HIV/AIDS education and prevention in the fore front of peoples' minds."

Students in a biology class taught at Chicago State University by Dr. Julian Scheinbuks this spring were the first participants, holding discussion forums and building presentations.

OTEL Director Ray Schroeder noted that, to date, more than 1,000 students from around the state have completed this training and been certified as BASUAH Ambassadors. "This is an important collaboration between UIS, CSU, and IDPH," said Schroeder.

Deborah Antoine, an instructional designer in OTEL, explained that the immersive
experience of Second Life fosters interactive role-play, which helps Ambassadors become comfortable in their role as peer educators.

Antoine said that UIS is "enthusiastic" about its collaboration with the Department of Public Health and Chicago State. "After certifying more than 1,000 Ambassadors through our online training program, we are excited about breaking ground in this new environment. We look forward to our continued collaboration and success in this very important initiative," she said.

In virtual worlds such as Second Life, users create representations of themselves, known as "avatars," with a wide range of physical characteristics from which to choose. As avatars interact with each other, "real" people have an opportunity to explore different personas and learn what it would be like to be in someone else's situation.

Certified BASUAH Ambassadors become peer educators – someone from within a group who can deliver information that is understood, accepted, and acted on by other members of the group. Sensitive to community norms, values, cultural beliefs, and traditions, peer educators are trusted by the group they serve and act as role models.

More information about BASUAH is available at www.basuah.org, or contact Deborah Antoine at 217/206-8261.

Friday, August 22, 2008

U.S. News & World Report gives UIS top rankings

U.S. News & World Report’s 2009 Edition of America’s Best Colleges ranks the University of Illinois at Springfield as the best public university - Master’s category - in the state of Illinois and the fourth best public university in that category in the entire Midwest. The Master’s category includes colleges and universities that provide a full range of undergraduate and master’s programs but only a few, if any, doctoral programs.

The prestigious rankings placed UIS at 26 on a list of 71 top public and private colleges and universities in the 12-state Midwest region that includes, in addition to Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, and North and South Dakota. UIS was ranked 4th best among the 15 public universities on the list.

“This really represents a singular moment for this institution and one toward which we’ve been building for a long time,” said UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen. “We had no idea that UIS would be ranked so high and certainly didn’t expect to be ranked the best public university in our category in the entire state of Illinois and the 4th best in the Midwest. To say we’re thrilled is an understatement.”

Ringeisen said that it came as a surprise to be ranked so high particularly because it was the first time that the university was eligible for such rankings. “We were not eligible to be ranked by U.S. News until two years after we graduated our first class of freshmen,” he said. “That fact alone – being given such high marks the first time we were eligible to receive them – is particularly gratifying.”

UIS enrolled its first class of freshmen to the Capital Scholars Honors Program in fall 2001.

The rankings are based on several key measures of quality including peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving.

U.S. News also gave UIS a high ranking in a category called “Great Schools, Great Prices” for being among only five public universities in the Master’s category in the Midwest with students who graduate with the least debt. UIS was the 3rd best on the list with a total of 71% of its students graduating with an average debt of $12,309.

Ringeisen credited Provost Harry Berman, the deans and faculty in UIS’ four colleges, and the enrollment management staff for their tireless efforts in building the quality and reputation of the university. “These incredible rankings are a direct result of the dedication and hard work of our faculty and our academic and student affairs staffs.”

UIS offers 22 bachelor’s degrees, 20 master’s degrees and one doctoral degree in Public Administration.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Convocation celebrates new academic year at UIS

By Courtney Westlake



Faculty, staff and other members of the campus community convened once more in the Studio Theater of the Public Affairs Center for a fresh look toward the new, upcoming school year and to celebrate some of the university’s recent accomplishments.

The UIS Convocation took place on Thursday afternoon, August 21. Provost Harry Berman led the event as each of the 27 new faculty were introduced by the deans of the four colleges, and Chancellor Richard Ringeisen gave remarks about the university’s past, present and future.

Ringeisen stressed the importance of the university's strategic plan, especially three common goals within that plan: academic excellence, enriching individual lives and making a difference in the world.

"Those primary strategic goals are the foundation for our actions in everything we do," he said.

As evidence of UIS' commitment to those goals, Ringeisen listed several major accomplishments, including the 27 new tenure-track faculty this year - totaling 131 new faculty in four years, the biggest Capitol Scholars honors program ever at 312 students, the addition of a Global Studies major, the revival of an Ambassadors Series this fall and the new construction of Founders Hall with its green roof.

"What spectacular evidence of our efforts to conserve energy and be earth-friendly," he said. "The decision to have a green roof is a major commitment to environmental sustainability."

A big part of the university's strategic plan is incorporating "third spaces" on campus, and Ringeisen discussed several major developments of these spaces in recent months. The Japanese Garden, the rock garden between the PAC and Brookens Library and the courtyard between the two residence halls are all wonderful new spaces for students, staff and faculty to enjoy.

One of the university's newest attractions is the fountain in the campus pond.

"Carolyn (Ringeisen) and Joan Buckles had a grand vision of a fountain that can be seen from almost anywhere on campus and one that makes a big statement on the landscape," Ringeisen said. "Carolyn hopes the new fountain will attract more students and others to that whole area of the campus for social events and relaxation."

Several major events took place during the last school year that has helped UIS grow, such as the dedication of the Emiquon Field Station, re-accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission and receiving the top award for institution-wide online teaching and learning from the Sloan Consortium, Ringeisen said.

During the next school year, the university will continue to achieve greatness and focus on issues like sustainability, diversity, fundraising, security and retention.

Ringeisen took the time to assess the university at the start of the new year to compare "where we are and where we're going in the coming year," he said.

"Here is what I see now: we have reached a critical point in time when some very big pieces of our plan to be one of the top five small public liberal arts universities in the country are in place," he said. "We are physically and academically ready to move toward that aspiration."

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Freshmen move-in at UIS goes smoothly

By Courtney Westlake



It's been a flurry of activity as construction has been wrapping up on Founders Hall that all culminated in a day of frenzy during freshmen move-in at UIS on Wednesday, August 20. But despite so much activity, everything progressed smoothly as the campus came back to life after the summer months.

"If there are relatively few problems, to me it's a great move in day," laughed John Ringle, director of housing.

This year brings an all-time record size class of about 312 freshmen, with 170 moving in to both Lincoln Residence Hall and Founders Hall. The construction on Founders is still finishing up, but freshmen were able to move right in and make it home on Wednesday.

"It's ready in the sense that there's work going to be going on around people after they move in, so it's still a work in progress. But it's the type of work they can do with students in building, and it won't compromise their safety and security," Ringle said. "It was touch and go for while in terms of finding out whether or not we were going to have the building in a state where people could move in, but all came together. It's good that we've got good builders and contractors who have been putting in extra hours to make sure our students were accommodated today."

This year is the first time in two years that the honors community - freshmen and upperclassmen alike - is able to be housed together in LRH thanks to the opening of Founders Hall, Ringle said. While Wednesday was move-in day for freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors will move back to campus on Friday to either the residence halls, apartments or townhouses.

Ringle said he and the rest of the housing office is optimistic about the upcoming school year.

"It snuck up on us, even though we've been planning for it all summer and anticipating that students were arriving today," he said. "We're looking forward to great year. It's going to be very key to see how all of new residents coming into Founders are going to set tone and history for Founders. After all, you only get to move in to a new building once."

Community invited to join UIS musical groups

Members of the community who are interested in sharing their musical talents are invited to join campus ensembles currently gearing up for the fall semester at the University of Illinois at Springfield. To join the UIS Band, Chorus, or Chamber Orchestra, simply attend rehearsal sessions, which begin the week of August 25. Membership is free and auditions are not required.

UIS Band rehearses Mondays from 4 to 6 p.m.

UIS Chorus rehearses Tuesdays from 7 to 9:15 p.m. and Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

UIS Chamber Orchestra rehearses Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

All rehearsals meet in room 33 of the Visual and Performing Arts Building on the east side of the UIS campus.

Academic credit is also available to those who have been admitted to study at UIS. Registration for the 2008 fall semester is currently underway. For information on enrolling in any of these ensembles for credit, go to www.uis.edu or phone the Registration Office at 206-6174.

For more information, including performance schedules and directions to the rehearsal room, contact UIS Music at 206-8405 or music@uis.edu.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Twenty-seven new faculty join UIS

Twenty-seven new faculty members have joined the University of Illinois at Springfield for the 2008 fall semester. Ten will teach in programs within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; eight will teach in the College of Public Affairs and Administration; two in the College of Education and Human Services; three in the College of Business and Management; and four will teach in the library.

Josiah Alamu is a lecturer in the Public Health Department. His teaching experience includes courses in biostatistics, epidemiology, and the public health aspects of waste management. His research includes work on internal medicine, pediatric intensive care, and maternal and child health care. Alamu is currently completing his Ph.D. in Epidemiology at the University of Iowa, where his dissertation research focuses on the evaluation of antimicrobial use in pediatric intensive care units.

D. Waheedah Bilal, assistant professor of Library Instructional Services, comes to UIS from Westminster College, where she served as user services/reference and instruction librarian and archivist. She also has served as an African American Initiatives intern at the Missouri State Archives and worked at the University of Missouri Ellis Library as a reference and teaching and electronic resources assistant. She planned and developed the first information literacy course offered at Westminster, and has also taught at Stephens College. Before turning to library science, she worked as a copy editor with several publishing houses. She has also volunteered as a multicultural consultant for the Columbia, Missouri, Public School District and the Richardson Independent School District in Dallas, Texas. Bilal holds an M.L.S. as well as a master's degree in African American History from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Mark T. Blagen is assistant professor in the Human Services Department, where he will teach and coordinate graduate courses in the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling concentration. He comes to UIS from Adams State College in Colorado, where he served as an associate professor in the Department of Counselor Education. Before that, he was an assistant professor in the School of Psychology and Counseling at Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia, and a student assistance program counselor at Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach, where he was responsible for providing prevention, intervention, and referral services for students exhibiting poor academic achievement and/or behavioral problems. Blagen received his Ph.D. in Counseling from Old Dominion and while there he developed and implemented Last Call, an intervention program for students who were sanctioned for violating the campus alcohol and drug policy. His research interests include defining the spiritual dimensions of addiction recovery and investigating the relationship between purpose of life and the use of alcohol and other drugs.

Mayra Bonet is director of Modern Languages. She has had extensive teaching experience, including at the University of Delaware, and has served as language coordinator at the Lima campus of Ohio State. Besides English, French, and Spanish, she is proficient in Portuguese, Italian, and Catalan. At UIS, she will lead the development of the campus’ first Modern Languages minor, as well as a planned major in Spanish. Bonet earned a B.A. in French and an M.A. in Spanish from the University of Puerto Rico, and holds the Ph.D. in Spanish American Literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her teaching and research interests include integrating language technology into the classroom, Latin American literature, film, comparative literature, and gender studies.

Suzanne Borland, assistant professor of Legal Studies, previously served as an assistant attorney general in the Office of the Illinois State Attorney General where she handled civil rights actions as well as a variety of cases in the criminal appeals bureau. She remains a member of the Illinois State Bar and has taught as an adjunct professor at UIS since 2004, helping lay the groundwork for the campus' Pre-Law Center. At UIS her teaching will focus on legal writing and analysis, law and society, institutions and processes, and legal research and citation. She holds the J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.

Ping Deng, assistant professor of Computer Science, previously taught at Utica College in New York. She received the B.S. in Computer Science from Sichuan University in China, and holds the master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Dallas. Deng's research interests focus on data base systems and mining, as well as bioinformatics. She is the co-author of six journal papers and three book chapters.

Mark Edgar is assistant professor of Public Health. His past positions include director of assessment and planning at the Illinois Public Health Institute, senior research associate at St. Louis University School of Public Health, researcher at SIU School of Medicine, director of epidemiology at the Adams County Health Department, and adjunct faculty member at UIS and Quincy University. His research has been published in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice and Public Health Reports. Edgar received his Ph.D. in Public Health from St. Louis University.

Vincent Flammini, visiting clinical instructor in the Social Work Department, will teach and coordinate fieldwork experiences. Before coming to UIS, Flammini worked with the Sangamon Area Special Education District, the Illinois Coalition for Community Services, and Springfield College in Illinois. During the past two years, he has held a joint appointment with the UIS Counseling Center and served half-time as an academic adviser in the Social Work program. In addition, he has worked with UIS' Center on State Policy and Leadership to provide training for the ICAA Family and Community Development Specialist certification program. Flammini received an M.S.W. from the U of I at Urbana-Champaign and his A.B. in Government and International Relations from the University of Notre Dame. His research interests include career development and the existential outlook of social service workers.

Ross Garmil is visiting clinical instructor in the Experiential and Service Learning Programs, where he will have special responsibilities in the Credit for Prior Learning Program. His previous experiences include service as a dean's administrative assistant at Boston University, where his duties included graduate recruitment; administrator with a non-profit agency; and adult education grant evaluator for the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Garmil received a B.A. in English and American Literature from Brandeis, and a master's degree in Education from Boston University.

Shane Harris, visiting assistant professor of Visual Arts, previously taught at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and at Parkland Community College. At UIS, his teaching will focus in the areas of ceramics and sculpture. His work has been exhibited at such venues as The Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts and The Art Museum of Northern Illinois University. Harris earned the B.F.A. in Ceramics and Sculpture from the U of I in Urbana-Champaign, and the M.F.A. in Ceramics from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Sae Kwang Hwang is assistant professor of Computer Science. Previously he was a postdoctoral fellow on a National Science Foundation grant, and also taught at the University of Texas, Arlington. He holds a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea; an M.S. in Computer Science from Texas A & M; and a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from UT-Arlington. His research focuses on the computerized analysis of segmented video frames. He is the author of four juried articles and book chapters.

Brian Jackson is visiting clinical instructor in Writing in the Center for Teaching and Learning. He has wide experience teaching English composition and once served as a teaching assistant for beat poet Allen Ginsberg. His recent scholarship explores the inter-relationships of visual art and modernist poetry, and literature, including surrealism. Jackson has a B.A. in Medieval and Renaissance Studies from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, an M.A. in English from UIS, and a Ph.D. from St. Louis University.

William Kline is assistant professor of Liberal and Integrative Studies. He previously wasdirector of the International Center for Applied Ethics at Central Michigan University and headed the Center for Business Ethics at Molloy College, Long Island. His areas of interest include ethical theory, and applied ethics in the business, medical, and environmental arenas. His work has been published in such professional journals as the Journal of Value Inquiry and International Studies in Philosophy. Kline earned the B.A. in Economics from Grove City College and the M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from Bowling Green State University.

Elizabeth Kosmetatou, assistant professor of History, was previously co-editor of the journal Classics and most recently taught at Tulane University. She has also taught at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. At UIS, her teaching will focus on ancient history. Widely published, she is the author of more than 40 articles and is co-editor of the book Labored in Papyrus Leaves, published by Harvard University Press. Her current scholarship focuses on Posidippus, a Greek poet who lived in Alexandria and whose "lost" work was recently rediscovered in the papyrus wrappings of an Egyptian mummy. Kosmetatou received her bachelor's degree in Archeology and Art History from the University of Athens, Greece, and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati.

Kim Loutzenhiser, assistant professor in the Department of Public Administration, was previously an assistant professor at Barry University in Miami, Florida, where she taught a wide variety of courses in public administration including planning, leadership, public/private partnerships, and ethics. She received the Ph.D. in Public Policy Analysis from St. Louis University and served there as a postdoctoral fellow in Criminal Justice.

Karl McDermott is UIS' first Ameren Endowed Professor in Business and Government. Previously, he was a vice president at National Economic Research Associates where he specialized in public utility regulation and directed and participated in projects related to energy and telecommunication. He also served as a commissioner with the Illinois Commerce Commission during the time when the state's restructuring law was being negotiated. He has lectured extensively on regulatory reform and restructuring in this country, as well as in Eastern Europe and South America. He has been a research scientist at the Argonne National Laboratory and is widely published in professional journals. At UIS, McDermott's duties will include teaching, conducting research, and facilitating lectures and seminars for corporate, political, and civic leaders. He earned the Ph.D. in Economics at the U of I in Urbana-Champaign.

Layne Morsch is assistant professor of Chemistry. He began his teaching career at Barat College/DePaul University, where he taught in an interdisciplinary science curriculum, advised chemistry majors, mentored undergraduate research projects, and conducted workshops for middle school teachers. At UIS, he will teach organic chemistry. Morsch's research interest focuses on digestive enzyme kinetics. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from Mankato State University in Minnesota, and his Ph.D. from the U of I at Chicago.

Juanita Ortiz comes to UIS as a lecturer in the Criminal Justice Department. Her teaching and research interests focus on the topics of prisoner reentry; women and crime; residential segregation; and stratification by race, class, and gender. At UIS, she will concentrate in the broad areas of social justice and public policy. She is currently completing her Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of Oklahoma.

Jeffrey Paine will be a visiting lecturer in Environmental Studies and Political Studies. He previously taught both online and on-ground courses for the MPA program at UIS and has worked for the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety and as a reporter for a chain of newspapers in central Illinois. He earned a master's degree in Environmental Studies at UIS and is presently completing his doctorate in the campus' Public Administration program, where his research focuses on policy development and program implementation at the state and local levels.

Alysia Peich, assistant professor of Library Instructional Services, most recently served as a reference librarian and information literacy liaison at Delaware Community College. Her previous positions also include manager of the Information Services Department of a branch of the public library in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and reference and electronic services librarian at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She has also taught in the Business and Computer Information Systems Department and the Communications, Arts, and Humanities Department of Delaware County Community College. Peich has a B.A. in Sociology from Vassar College, an M.A. in Library and Information Science from the University of Iowa, and an M.A. in English from West Chester University.

Carl Peterson, visiting assistant professor of Accountancy, previously served as a senior consultant specializing in energy and public utility regulation and also worked for the Illinois Commerce Commission where he reviewed utility rate filings, sponsored cost of service and rate design testimony, and advised the Commission on specific energy issues and on energy policy. He has served as a consultant in several eastern European countries and is the author and co-author of numerous reports and papers addressing issues in the electric, natural gas, and telecommunications industries. Peterson earned the Ph.D. in Economics at the U of I at Chicago.

Donna Rogers, visiting instructor of Management, is president of Rogers HR Consulting, which provides human resource management and development consulting services to a variety of organizations, with a special emphasis in small- to medium-size organizations without HR professionals on-site. She is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, as well as a professional trainer. She earned an M.Ed. in Human Resources Development at the U of I at Urbana-Champaign, and a B.S. in Public Relations at Illinois State University.

Christine Ross, director of Collections Services and assistant professor of Library Instructional Services, is a licensed attorney who worked for six years as lead case law editor at Lexis-Nexis. She also served as senior research librarian for a law firm in Chicago and as a medical librarian for electronic services at the OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. She has been a guest lecturer on legal research for the Dominican University School of Library and Information Science, and her research specialties include competitive intelligence and intellectual property. Ross earned the B.A. in Political Science from Knox College, an M.S. in Library Science and Information Technology from the U of I at Urbana-Champaign, and a J.D. from SIU-Carbondale.

Dennis Ruez, assistant professor of Environmental Studies, recently served as a visiting assistant professor at Auburn University. He has experience in hydrogeology, environmental geology, global climate change, and paleontology, as well as extensive experience working with K-12 teachers and students to provide resources for innovative science education. He earned the Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from the University of Texas, Austin, where his dissertation examined the effects of climate change on mammals in North America during the last ice age.

Tim Salm is clinical assistant professor and library technology coordinator. He previously worked in both higher education, including at Rock Valley Community College, and in the private sector, including positions with Microsoft, Ministry Health Care of Wisconsin, and Web Associates of California. Salm's research interests include the development and refinement of web-based systems for the delivery of library resources and services to assist patrons both on campus and at a distance. Salm earned the B.S. from Illinois State University and a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the U of I at Urbana-Champaign. He is presently working toward a master's degree in Instructional Technology and Design at Northern Illinois University.

Stephen Schnebly, assistant professor of Criminal Justice, comes to UIS from the faculty of Arizona State University. His teaching focuses on a range of areas within criminal justice, including law and social control, criminology theory, and research methods. His research centers on community-oriented policing, crime reporting behavior, and gang behavior. Schnebly earned the Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Frances Shen is an assistant professor of Psychology whose teaching at UIS will focus on counseling psychology. She received an award for excellence in graduate student research from the Division of Counseling Psychology of the American Psychological Association, and served as a pre-doctoral psychology intern at Iowa State. Her scholarship focuses on multicultural issues in counseling, with a special interest in the Asian-American community. Shen earned a bachelor's degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and her master's and Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

In addition, Tianhua Wang (pictured at left) and He Xiaogang are the new visiting scholars in the China Faculty Exchange Program. Wang is an associate professor of English in the School of Western Studies at Heilongjiang University in Harbin, China, and earned the Ph.D. at that institution. Xiaogang is an associate professor of Management and associate dean of academics at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and earned the Ph.D. in Business Administration from Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, China.

EDL faculty conduct feasibility study for school districts

Faculty in UIS' Educational Leadership Department recently completed a study considering the feasibility of consolidating the Girard and Carlinville school districts.

Associate Professor and Department Chair Scott Day, Associate Professor William Phillips, and Assistant Professor Leonard Bogle were asked to conduct the study, which grew out of the districts' wish to explore new ways to offer high-quality educational programs in a fiscally responsible manner.

Complete results of the study are available at the Girard district website

Download a pdf file of an article that appeared in the August 16, 2008, State Journal-Register
Girard-CarlinvilleSchoolMergerStudied.pdf

Download a pdf file of a sidebar that accompanied the article
HowMergerMightbeAccomplished.pdf

Monday, August 18, 2008

Nominations open for I Love My Librarian Awards

Members of the campus community can place the name of their favorite librarians in nomination for a Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award now through October 15.

The award encourages library users to recognize the accomplishments of librarians in public, school, college, community college, and university libraries for their efforts to improve the lives of people in their community.

Up to 10 librarians will be selected. Winners will receive a $5,000 cash award and will be honored at a ceremony and reception hosted by The New York Times.

For more information, including nominating criteria, visit www.ilovelibraries.org/ilovemylibrarian.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

WUIS-WIPA adds "The Splendid Table" to program line-up

Public Radio WUIS-WIPA will add The Splendid Table®, public radio's national food show, to its program schedule beginning Sunday, August 17. The program will be broadcast Sundays at 3 p.m.

Produced and distributed by American Public Media™ in Saint Paul, Minnesota, The Splendid Table is an hour-long culinary, culture, and lifestyle program that celebrates the intersection of food and life. Each week, host Lynne Rossetto Kasper takes listeners on a journey of the senses and talks with a variety of noted personalities who share their passion for the culinary arts.

The program has been recognized with two James Beard Foundation Awards and two Clarion Awards from The Association for Women in Communications. In 2000 it was named "Best National Syndicated Talk Show" by American Women in Radio and Television.

Kasper has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Food Wine magazine, and Bon Appetít. Named "One of the 12 Best Cooking Teachers in America" by The James Beard Foundation, she also lectures internationally on food and culture. Her first cookbook, The Splendid Table, is the only book to date to be named Cookbook of the Year by both the Julia Child/IACP and James Beard Foundation. Kasper's advice column, "Ask The Splendid Table," is distributed by Scripps Howard News Service. Her latest book is How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories, and Opinions from Public Radio's Award-Winning Food Show. More information about the show is available at www.splendidtable.org.

WUIS-WIPA is a listener-supported public radio service of the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Springfield. WUIS' mission is to satisfy a curious, societally engaged audience through programming and community outreach. For more information or for the program schedule, visit www.wuis.org.

American Public Media is the largest owner and operator of public radio stations, also producing top programs reaching more than 15 million listeners weekly. For a complete list of stations, programs, and additional services from the APM national network, go to www.americanpublicmedia.org.

Monday, August 04, 2008

Nominations sought for CARE Award

Nominations are being sought through August 15 for the 2nd Annual CARE (Chancellor's Award to Recognize Excellence in Civil Service) Award.

Established jointly by Chancellor Ringeisen and the Civil Service Advisory Council, this award recognizes the exceptional work of all civil service employees by honoring one employee each year.

All civil service staff employed on campus at least half-time for at least three years are eligible.

The winner receives $500, plus a $500 donation made to the campus organization of his or her choice.

Criteria are
  • work ethic
  • positive attitude
  • represents civil service employees in a commendable manner
  • supports UIS

Send nominations via e-mail to the Civil Service Advisory Council at csac@uis.edu, or contact Ann Cole at 6-8262.

The winner will be announced at the annual CARE in Civil Service Reception.