UIS Perspectives: Commencement is a celebration of endings and beginnings

The following is an excerpt from a column by University of Illinois Springfield Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney. This column appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 8, 2021. 

This week, I am so very proud to announce that the University of Illinois Springfield will celebrate the incredible achievements of the Class of 2021 through both in-person and virtual commencement ceremonies.

Commencement also marks a beginning of the next stage of one’s life as a college graduate. It marks so many next milestones — for some, it is the transition fully into adulthood. It is the entry into professional employment, graduate school, military service or adding to an already accomplished life with an advanced degree, or all things in between.

This year’s commencement is not just any commencement, and it is not just any year. This commencement marks the 50th anniversary of this great university’s founding, and it is occurring during one of the greatest health threats to the world — the COVID-19 pandemic.

The world is a completely different place from when the Class of 2021 started their college journey. To be sure, nothing — not a pandemic, not the greatest social challenges of our time — keeps UIS from living and achieving our mission of providing “a uniquely student-centered educational experience both in and out of the classroom.” What these great challenges do is inform HOW we stay true to our mission. Through hard work, grit, innovation and creativity, we have figured how to stay United in Safety this year and live our mission.

To our esteemed Class of 2021: Thank you. Thank you for being such a special class. Thank you for adhering to our robust health and safety standards, for gracefully adapting to last-minute changes and brand-new circumstances. Thank you for your creativity and innovation and for your determination to making this year so successful.

It’s time to go out there and show everyone what “Leadership Lived” really means. Be a leader in every possible way, and put the strength of your shiny new U of I degree on full display.

Congratulations! Go Stars!

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UIS Expands COVID Testing To The Public

The University of Illinois Springfield COVID-19 saliva testing site is now offering free tests to the public. A separate “community lane” has been established in the lower-level PAC testing area for community visitors.

The free tests are being funded through an agreement between the Illinois Department of Public Health and SHIELD Illinois using federal relief money.

This story appeared on NPR Illinois on May 6, 2021.

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UIS PERSPECTIVES: Planning, transparency and community mark UIS’ COVID-19 response

The following is an excerpt from a column by Bethany Bilyeu, UIS executive director of Student Support Services. This column appeared in The State Journal-Register on February 13, 2021.

As we are quickly moving through this new year, many of us have spent time reflecting on the past year, and 2020 provided us so much to reflect on. In past years, there are several things that we can safely say are behind us as we look at them in the rear-view mirror. However, this year, there are still many things that we will continue to navigate.

For most of the last year, I have spent most of my personal and professional energy dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, as so many others have. I am a member of the University of Illinois Springfield’s COVID-19 Rapid Response Team. The team’s main purpose is to shepherd UIS through the COVID-19 pandemic, and I believe UIS has done a remarkable job managing COVID-19 on our campus.

For Fall 2020 to be as successful as it was, months of planning and coordination occurred throughout the U of I system. Last spring, as word quickly spread around the world of the growing pandemic, the University of Illinois initiated a system-wide response team that helped guide our COVID-19 response at each of its three universities.

Our campus has risen to meet these many challenges with grace and compassion. I am awestruck by the level of support at this university. One of the most rewarding parts of the past year has been seeing people support one another through this exceedingly difficult time.

Over the past year, many of us have had to make unbelievably hard choices and sacrifices, and more may be coming. And yet, I am hopeful for the future not only for UIS but society at large. I witnessed a group of people coming together in many ways for the first time to work together delivering great outcomes. I know it’s possible for people with different interests to engage in tough conversations and find common ground for the betterment of everyone.

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Springfield firefighters required to do weekly saliva COVID-19 testing

The Springfield Fire Department officially began weekly rapid saliva COVID-19 testing in partnership with the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS).

The Springfield Fire Department is requiring their workers to get tested for COVID-19 every week on the UIS campus.

“We are sending every crew every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of every week to go to UIS and to get tested,” Springfield Fire Chief Brandon Blough said.

The Springfield Fire Department expects to test around 150 to 200 people a week. Most should expect the results from UIS within 24 hours.

This story aired on WICS on Jan. 26, 2021.

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UIS health roundtable will discuss vaccines, herd immunity

The University of Illinois Springfield Innovation Hub, UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Community Health Roundtable will host a Zoom public webinar titled “COVID-19 Vaccine: The Journey to Immunity” at noon on Friday.

The roundtable will feature public health and health care panelists discussing the COVID-19 vaccine and answering questions around the safety and efficacy of each vaccine, allocation and distribution.

Additionally, panelists will discuss COVID-19’s impact on specific populations and how the impact has determined vaccine prioritization, along with giving some understanding of when herd immunity will be reached.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on Jan. 12, 2021.

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Springfield firefighters to soon get access to U of I's saliva-based, rapid COVID-19 testing program

The Springfield Fire Department, nearly two months after a COVID-19 outbreak sidelined more than one-third of its force, will soon have access to once-a-week rapid virus testing through the University of Illinois.

The city is authorized to spend up to $100,000 on the testing program, though most expect the actual number to be far below that. The program will likely be covered with either federal or state COVID-19 relief funds.

It comes about two months after the department was hit with a COVID-19 outbreak that, at its height, quarantined 73 firefighters, including 19 who tested positive for the virus.

The rapid, saliva-based test was developed by the University of Illinois, which has been administering them with emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration since mid-August.

University officials say the rapid testing has allowed them to keep classrooms open for students while keeping the virus at bay. Positivity rates on all three campuses have been much lower than that of their surrounding communities.

This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on December 30, 2020.

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Local program looks to lessen Central Illinois nursing shortage

A shortage of nurses across Central Illinois is raising concerns about how hospitals will care for patients as COVID-19 cases rise.

The pandemic has only made this issue more apparent.

However, the nursing program at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) created a University of Illinois Springfield campus to help solve this problem, and it's stronger than ever amid the pandemic.

They're partnering with Memorial Health System to train Central Illinois students to become Central Illinois nurses.

UIC Professor Sara McPherson said she's seeing even more passion in her students during this pandemic.

"It's very rewarding to be a part of graduating nurses who stay local in the area and can help fulfill this shortage, and continue to take care of patients, families, in the community," McPherson said.

This story aired on WICS Newschannel 20 on December 4, 2020.

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Sangamon County health officials fear community COVID-19 trajectory

The University of Illinois Springfield hosted a webinar with physicians on the front lines of the pandemic.

Dr. Raj Govindaiah, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Memorial Health System, said for nine months, health care workers have lived through the stress of the pandemic.

"We shut down. We stopped doing things and people said, 'Why'd we do that, nothing happened,'" Govindaiah said. "Well, it's happening now."

Govindaiah said the recent surge of cases has hit health care systems hard.

"It's taking its toll on everyone in the community," Govindaiah said. "It's taking its toll on our hospital care, and it's taking an immense toll on the people who are providing that care."

According to Govindaiah, positivity rates in Sangamon County are at an all-time high.

"COVID-19 positive test results, you can see the percentage, it skyrocketed, reaching as high as 26 percent," Govindaiah said. "Right now, we're at 22.6 percent for the last seven days. This is all-together too high."

This story appeared on WAND on November 20, 2020.

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UIS to resume in-person instruction Thursday after two-day pause

The University of Illinois Springfield will resume in-person instruction Thursday.

UIS Interim Chancellor Karen M. Whitney made the announcement in a campus-wide letter.

The university pivoted to online classes Tuesday while other activities took a pause due to an increase in positive COVID-19 tests on campus.

Whitney said the intention is “to safely finish this semester...with in-person courses through Nov. 25.”

UIS goes fully-remote when it comes back from Thanksgiving break on Nov. 30.

While the university is resuming in-person classes, it is reducing non-instructional activities to only essential activities.

On-site work may continue, but employees were being encouraged to work remotely if they can do so.

The recommendations come from the university’s COVID-19 Rapid Response Team.

UIS experienced the highest number of one-day positive cases from its saliva testing on Monday.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on November 11, 2020.

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UIS goes remote in two-day COVID pause

The University of Illinois Springfield called a two-day pause in activities Tuesday due to an increase in positive COVID-19 tests on campus.

In a message to students, faculty and staff Tuesday morning, which was also posted on the UIS website, Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney said all classes through at least Wednesday should pivot to remote-only.

“This decision was not taken lightly,” Whitney wrote. “While we hope this pause is very temporary, we must be flexible in how we approach the coming days to allow the CRRT (COVID-19 rapid response team) to make the best decisions possible to prioritize health and safety at UIS.”

UIS spokesman Derek Schnapp said that of 476 COVID-19 tests done Monday, 15 came back positive. That topped 3 percent, and was significantly higher than usual, leading to the pause in activity to allow contact tracing to help slow the spread of the virus.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on November 10, 2020.

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COVID-19 and college: UIS on-campus students and faculty are getting tested weekly

The University of Illinois is aiming to have its saliva tests used throughout the nation and world. The so-called Shield tests provide rapid results and were developed by researchers in Urbana-Champaign at UIUC. "Direct saliva testing can address bottlenecks of time, cost and supplies," said Martin Burke in a release. "Our test also has unique features that enable fast and frequent testing on a large scale, and we are now working together with many partners to make our testing method broadly available as soon as possible." Burke is a chemistry professor at UIUC and helped develop the tests, which are under FDA emergency authorization.

The tests are being used at all three U of I campuses, including in Springfield. The aim at UIS is to test weekly those who learn, live and work on campus. Testing, combined with contact tracing, provides a picture of where outbreaks are occurring and how to mitigate further spread. Interim UIS chancellor Karen Whitney has repeatedly described the coming school year as a roller coaster, and it's already proven to be true.

"The lab is slammed in Urbana, and we've had bumps in the road," Whitney said during an Aug. 27 UIS virtual meeting about COVID-19.

"UIS is not closing unless the governor or the system head directs me to. The question gets into how will we operate," Whitney told Illinois Times. Students and faculty who become ill will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Pauses in on-campus activity and a temporary shift to online learning for all are included as potential mitigation efforts. Meanwhile, about 80% of students are learning purely online according to Whitney. Those who attend in-person classes must wear masks and keep a distance from others.

In-person learning is a privilege, said Whitney. There could be discipline for faculty and students who don't abide by rules. So far though, "I'm impressed with how conscientious people have been, how thoughtful they've been," Whitney said. "I'm very optimistic."

This story appeared in the Illinois Times on September 3, 2020.

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