UIS plants the first of 1,000 donated Japanese maple trees on campus

University of Illinois Springfield Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney, faculty and staff helped to plant the first of 1,000 donated Japanese maples on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 near the UIS Pond on campus.

The maples, along with a pagoda, lanterns and granite statuary, are being donated by New Berlin business Davidsan’s Japanese Maples. The business will soon be closing as owner Gale Myers prepares to retire. Davidsan’s will work closely with the UIS Grounds Department on the design of a walking path and several groves of trees.

“This donation is being made to honor more than 30 years that Springfield has had a sister city relationship with Ashikaga, Japan and 20 years of the University of Illinois Springfield’s relationship with Ashikaga University” Myers said. “I traveled with UIS to Ashikaga three times in the early 2000s. During those trips I fell in love with Ashikaga, and I have been permanently influenced by Japan, the Japanese people and their culture. I brought home the idea that the world is one community. I believe that spreading that idea will increase international understanding and the well-being of all.”

Myers hopes the trees will serve as a beautiful symbol of contemplation and inspiration, each one adding to the well-being of the people in the world community. 

UIS plans to start planting the first 100 trees, and place the pagoda, near the UIS-LLCC bike trail behind the UIS Police Station, next to the campus pond. Trees will eventually cross to the other side of University Drive. Planting all of the trees will take about a year. 

“UIS has had a strong relationship with Ashikaga University (formerly Ashikaga Institute of Technology), for the past 20 years. We have exchanged students, staff and faculty each year since 2001,” said Jonathan GoldbergBelle, UIS director of study away programs, who helped coordinate the tree donation. “The generous gift from Gale Myers, who participated on our program to Ashikaga several times, and Davidsan’s Japanese Maples celebrates that relationship and the impact that it can have on program participants. It will enhance the beauty of our campus and continue to delight those who stroll along the path or pause in the gardens for decades to come.”

In 2000, UIS received the Tree Campus Higher Education designation from the Arbor Day Foundation. In order to receive the designation, UIS had to form a Campus Tree Advisory Committee and come up with a Campus Tree Care Plan.

“This very generous gift will enhance the beauty of our campus for many years to come,” said Brian Beckerman, UIS superintendent of grounds. “It comes at a time when many of our original trees are succumbing to age and the elements. The plantings will greatly enhance the diversity of our campus tree population and will provide enjoyment for so many for decades to come.”

In the fall, when GoldbergBelle hopes COVID-19 restrictions have eased, he is planning to have a larger, more formal dedication ceremony for the trees. Attendees would be encouraged to stroll the path between the maples and enjoy speakers and refreshments. He also hopes to livestream the event, so UIS’ friends in Ashikaga, Japan could participate.

UIS plans for safe return of students in fall 2020

The following message was sent by the University of Illinois System to students, faculty and staff on June 18, 2020.

Dear students, faculty and staff:

We are very pleased to announce that on-campus educational activities will resume this fall at the University of Illinois System’s three universities, with a hybrid mixture of in-person and online classes. Of course, our collective decision assumes that Illinois stays on track to meet Phase 4 requirements established by Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan that allow reopening of classrooms.

Plans to restore in-person instruction were developed through weeks of exhaustive review that brought together literally hundreds of key stakeholders and considered every available option, from a full return to traditional instruction to remaining fully online.

Throughout, this work was guided by two, intertwined core principles – promoting the safety of our campus communities while maintaining the academic excellence that is synonymous with our best-in-class universities in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. In the process, faculty, staff, administrative leaders and students drew upon the insights of our own healthcare and education experts, as well as best practices of peer institutions and guidance from state and local health departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

The result is a thoughtful, science-based approach that will bring our universities back to life, with a campus experience that will look somewhat different. But the life-changing benefits will be the same – academic programs that lift students to the careers of their dreams, research that drives discovery and progress, and a healthcare enterprise that provides both patient care and innovation.

A system-wide coordination committee assisted groups at each of the three universities that have worked over the past few weeks to develop detailed plans for reopening. Each university will be providing details of their unique, campus-based plans within the next few weeks, including starting dates and calendars for their fall semesters. But here is a summary of elements that will be common to all:

Instruction 

• Classes will be a mixture of in-person and remote instruction to provide the physical distancing that inhibits spread of the virus.
• In-person courses and classroom schedules will be adjusted appropriately to ensure physical distancing and safer traffic flow.
• Accommodations will be made where possible for students and faculty in vulnerable and at-risk groups, and for students who cannot come to campus due to travel restrictions or other considerations.
• Classrooms will be cleaned and disinfected daily.
• Reusable, washable masks will be provided to all students and required in all classrooms, and hand sanitizer will be widely available in all buildings.
• Training for faculty and instructors is being provided over the summer to sustain high-quality online and distance instruction with state-of-the-art technologies and virtual modalities.

University housing/dining

• Residence hall occupancy will be limited to two students per room.
• Outside visitors will not be allowed in residence halls.
• Quarantine areas will be created to accommodate students who test positive for COVID-19 or display symptoms.
• Dining halls will largely provide packaged meals for carryout, and in-person dining will be limited.
• Common areas will be cleaned and disinfected regularly, and hand sanitizer will be available.
• Use of these common areas will be limited, and physical distancing will be observed. 

Campus life

• The size of gatherings will be based on standards under the state reopening guidelines in force this fall and beyond.
• Use of auxiliary facilities such as recreational centers will be limited to preserve safety. 
• Outside visitors to campus will be asked to follow physical distancing and wear masks in public places. 

Research

• Research activities will continue a ramp-up that began over the summer.
• As in classrooms, masks will be required and other safety measures will be followed.
• Research will continue to support treatments, vaccines and other measures related to COVID-19. 

Employees

• Most faculty and staff will continue a phased-in return to work that began in June and will be completed by the start of the fall semester, though some will continue to work from home to reduce campus density.
• Flexible work-from-home guidelines will be developed for the benefit of vulnerable employees and those with family-related considerations.
• Work areas will be cleaned regularly, and hand sanitizer will be provided.
• Masks will be required in publicly shared spaces and reusable masks will be provided to all employees.
• We will continue engagement with our labor unions to discuss the impact of these plans.

Testing and notification

• Our scientists are piloting cutting-edge testing procedures for the COVID-19 virus that are accurate, cost-effective and scalable to the whole university community and provide same-day results.
• We are partnering closely with local public health authorities to notify individuals at risk for infection and mitigate spread, through a combination of manual and rapid app-based approaches.
• All app-based software will protect individual privacy so that positive test results are shared only with the user, and no location data will be required, collected or shared with third parties. Local public health departments will be provided test results based on required local, state and federal regulations. 

General safety

• Training will be required for all students and employees to ensure compliance with physical distancing and other COVID-related safety measures.
• Hand sanitizer or disposable wipes will be available at building entrances, elevator lobbies and in common and high-traffic areas.
• High-touch surfaces such as door handles and elevator buttons will be disinfected multiple times daily.
• Flu shots will be strongly encouraged for all students, faculty and staff to lessen the possibility of dual outbreaks when traditional flu season begins. 

The pandemic is still evolving, so our plans will be flexible and nimble. We will monitor campus safety and the latest guidance on the virus, and will adjust plans as needed to protect the well-being of our students, faculty, staff and the communities we call home.

Our plans for fall could not have been developed without you, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who shared their time and talents to guide us. And we know that you will now help lead the way again, modeling the safety protocols that are essential to make our plans a success.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a test unlike any in our 150-year history. But thanks to your commitment and creativity, we have done more than just answer challenges to our operations. You are supporting the leading-edge medical treatments and scholarship that are helping the state manage the crisis and move beyond it. You are helping show the life-changing power of our universities – in real-time – that will write new chapters in our long legacy of excellence.

Be safe, enjoy your summer and we look forward to seeing you in the fall.

Sincerely, Tim Killeen, President, University of Illinois System
Barb Wilson, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs, U of I System Robert J. Jones, Chancellor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Michael D. Amiridis, Chancellor, University of Illinois at Chicago
Susan J. Koch, Chancellor, University of Illinois at Springfield
Karen M. Whitney, Interim Chancellor, University of Illinois at Springfield

University of Illinois Board of Trustees approves new UIS infrastructure and facilities master plan

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees approved the University of Illinois Springfield’s new infrastructure and facilities 2020 master plan during its March 12 meeting in Urbana.

The new master plan will guide investment decisions and enhancements to existing campus facilities, new construction, parking/road network, landscape and utilities that will support a more flexible, adaptable, responsible and sustainable campus.

“Created with the input from hundreds of stakeholders, this master plan is a visionary roadmap with opportunities to support the university’s momentum and growth in both reputation and enrollment,” UIS Chancellor Susan Koch said. “This master plan will better position UIS to provide a pathway to opportunity and a space of possibility for both undergraduate and graduate students.”

The master plan calls for UIS to create a larger presence in its existing footprint, particularly along 11th Street where commercial development is encouraged, allowing UIS to become a more prominent destination and asset to the Springfield community, central Illinois and beyond.

The master plan includes strategic renovations to existing campus buildings, as well as construction of several new facilities including a new Public Safety Building; a Library Learning and Student Success Center; a Child Development Center; an Information Sciences Building and a Business Building, among others. The design process for the new Library, Learning and Student Success Center is expected to be announced this spring. Funding for an Innovation Center in downtown Springfield was announced as part of the UI’s Illinois Innovation Network earlier this month.

Several athletics projects are also part of the master plan, including construction of a baseball/softball complex, tennis complex, golf training facility and a natatorium (pool complex) as part of The Recreation and Athletic Center. An Athletics Field House, a possible public/private partnership, is also part of the plan.

Some other projects mentioned in the master plan include enhancing university gateways, developing the east and west quads, reserving land for a future solar energy farm and realigning several parking lots and streets.

“The UIS 2020 Master Plan will create a more cohesive campus,” said Chuck Coderko, UIS associate chancellor for administrative affairs, facilities and services. “Building systems, utilities and transportation networks will be modernized to create a more sustainable and inviting living, learning and teaching environment for our students, employees and visitors to campus.”

The master plan was designed by the St. Louis-based Lawrence Group during a 15-month process. The four main goals of the master plan were to cultivate a premier educational experience, support a vibrant campus life and culture, implement growth strategies and foster partnerships.

“This master plan allows us to ‘dream big’ about the future growth of the university and will serve as a road map as we work hand-in-hand with our elected leaders, the University of Illinois System and our community to fund the projects,” Coderko said.

You can view an executive summary of the new UIS master plan by visiting go.uis.edu/masterplan.

University of Illinois Springfield cuts ribbon on new $21.75 million Student Union Building

The University of Illinois Springfield officially opened the new $21.75 million Student Union Building during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sunday, January 14, 2018. The first-ever student union will serve as a social hub for student life and foster a greater sense of community on the growing campus.

UIS Chancellor Susan Koch was joined by U of I President Timothy Killeen, Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder and student leaders in cutting the ribbon.

“This building, the next step in the growth and success of this young university, is important for many reasons,” said Koch. “Most of all, it is important to our students and our future students and I have no doubt it will enrich the entire academic community here on campus and the larger Springfield community in ways we haven’t even yet imagined.”


The two-story, 50,000-square-foot student union anchors the campus’s south quad, providing campus dining services, a Starbucks coffee shop, a ballroom with seating for up to 450 people and a Student Leadership Center that houses student government, volunteer offices and workspaces for student organizations.

In her opening remarks, Koch thanked the UIS student leaders who saw a compelling need to build the facility; U of I System leadership; faculty, staff and students who served on the planning committee, architectural partners, UIS staff who made the building possible and donors for their generous support.

“As these visionary people know well, a project like the UIS Student Union is a big aspiration,” said Koch. “It’s a game-changer and without the generosity of our donors it would still be only an aspiration and not the beautiful reality you see around us today.”

Approximately $6.25 million in private funds has been raised towards the $8 million goal to fund the construction of the $21.75 million facility. The private fundraising effort continues. The remaining cost will be paid through campus funds and a construction fee that students approved in 2012.

“For a long time, here in Springfield, we have wanted a versatile, central location that’s sole purpose is to tend to the needs of the students and surrounding community,” said Garrett Nimmo, a sophomore economics major and president of the UIS Student Government Association. “Our students, as well as myself, are very excited to have this new facility to call our own.”

The new facility will fill a void that officials say has grown since UIS became part of the University of Illinois system in 1995. The campus was originally founded in 1969 as Sangamon State University, catering to upperclassmen and graduate-level students, but is now a traditional four-year school that lacked the central gathering place that student unions provide at most colleges across the nation.

“It reflects a commitment to the student experience here at UIS that is so deep and unwavering that this state-of-the-art building rose amid an historic state budget impasse and without a dime of taxpayer support,” said U of I President Timothy Killeen. “The credit goes to you – our students, alumni and supporters – for your support and generosity and to Susan and her team for their hard work and persistence to make this long-held dream a reality.”

An open house immediately followed the ribbon cutting. Food Service and Starbucks will begin regular operations in the building when students return to campus for the beginning of Spring Semester 2018 classes on Tuesday, January 16.