Veselenak is community resource for mushroom hunters

Jim Veselenak, UIS associate professor of Clinical Laboratory Science and Public Health, is also an expert on mushrooms.

Illinois Times correspondent Julianne Glatz talked with Veselenak for an IT article on hunting wild mushrooms that was posted on September 25, 2008.

Download a pdf copy of the article
20080925-IT-ForagingforFungi.pdf

Redfield sees McCain decision to suspend campaign as a ploy

Opinions differ on Sen. John McCain's suspension of his Presidential campaign to return to Washington while Congress considered the administration's plan to resolve the economic crisis.

In an article that appeared in the September 25, 2008, Galesburg Register Mail, UIS Professor Emeritus of Political Science Kent Redfield observed, "His implication is, I care more about this issue than Obama does, and I'm above politics….The irony is, you have a political ploy…to show he's above politics."

Download a pdf file of the article
20080925-GRM-PoliticsorStatesmanship.pdf

White will seek independence for Global Campus

The U of I's Global Campus, launched in January, is so far showing significantly smaller enrollments and fewer course offerings than originally planned. University President B. Joseph White says that, to speed up development of degree programs, he would like to turn the Global Campus into an independent, accredited university and he intends to put the proposal before the BOT in November.

A report on this initiative was posted by the Associated Press on September 25, 2008.

Download a pdf copy
20080925-AP-GlobalCampusFlounders.pdf

Redfield sees campaign suspension as a political ploy

Opinions differ on Sen. John McCain's recent decision to suspend his Presidential campaign in order to return to Washington while Congress considers the Bush administration's proposal to mend the economic crisis.

In an article that appeared in the September 24, 2008, State Journal-Register, UIS Professor Emeritus of Political Science Kent Redfield observes, "The irony is, you have a political ploy from the McCain camp to show he's above politics."

Download a pdf file of the article
20080924-SJR-PoliticsorStatesmanship.pdf

UIS part of the "miracle" at Emiquon

Chicago Sun Times reporter Dale Bowman toured The Nature Conservancy's Emiquon Preserve in late summer and found himself "stunned" by the results that have been achieved in such a short time. Much of that success he credits to the "clout" of The Nature Conservancy and the "intellectual strength" of UIS. His article about the experience appeared in the September 21, 2008, Sun Times Outdoors section.

Download a pdf file of the article
20080921-CST-CreatingaMiracle.pdf

Redfield: Comment about draft is a "third rail"

At a recent public forum in Peoria, Colleen Callahan, Democratic candidate for a seat in the 18th Congressional District, suggested that she could support a reinstatement of the military draft as "the fairest way for us to begin to rebuild our military." Her comment touched off an immediate controversy, much as her opponent, Aaron Schock, had done earlier when he stated that the U.S. should sell nuclear missiles to Taiwan.

State Journal-Register columnist Bernard Schoenburg discussed the situation at length with Kent Redfield, UIS professor emeritus of Political Studies, for an article that appeared on September 14, 2008.

Download a pdf file of the article

20080914-SJR-CallahanHitsHotButton.pdf

More students living on campus

UIS' enrollment figures for the 2008 fall semester showed an increase in undergraduate students and the most-ever (1,050) living on campus.

Chancellor Ringeisen spoke with reporter Chris Dettro about student demographics for an article that appeared in the September 15, 2008, State Journal-Register.

Download a pdf file of the article

20080915-SJR-MoreStudentsLivingOnCampus.pdf

Gas prices affect athletics, too

An article in the September issue of the Springfield Business Journal discussed the impact of rising gas prices on local businesses. Correspondent Raegan Hennemann also spoke with UIS Athletic Director Rodger Jehlicka about its effect on college sports. Jehlicka noted that UIS coaches have several options to avoid going over budget. Download a pdf file of the article:
20080900-SBJ-AffectofGasPrices.pdf

LA Tech joins consortium founded by Schroeder and Oakley

Louisiana Tech is one of seven charter members of the New Century Learning Consortium, a group founded by Ray Schroeder, director of UIS' Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning, and Burks Oakley II, founding director of University of Illinois Online.

The consortium was designed to assist universities in implementing high quality, large-scale online and blended learning programs.

An article published in the September 10, 2008, Monroe, Louisiana, News-Star described the organization and quoted Schroeder, who noted that the first meeting, held at UIS in July, “enabled us to formalize our relationships and begin collaborations in the development of online and blended learning initiatives that will span the country."

Download a pdf file of the article

20080910-LNS-LATechJoinsConsortium.pdf

UIS receives grant for mentoring program

On September 10 the Women for Women initiative of the Sangamon County Community Foundation awarded its first-ever grant of $10,000 to a joint mentoring program of the UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center and UIS Athletics.

In the Girl to Girl DreamSpeakers Program, UIS female athletes will serve as mentors to approximately 120 female students in grades 8 through 10 in Springfield public schools.

An article in the September 11, 2008, State Journal-Register profiled the award and related events UIS is planning.

Download a pdf file of the article.

20080911-SJR-WomensGroupAnnouncesAwardforMentoringProgram.pdf

Governor back in the spotlight

After months of keeping a relatively low profile, Gov. Rod Blagojevich is once again making public appearances and talking with reporters.

In an article that appeared in the September 8, 2008, Chicago Tribune, Kent Redfield, UIS professor emeritus of Political Studies, speculated that the reason for the Governor's return to the public eye may be that he's feeling less pressure now that the trial of his friend and fundraiser Tony Rezko is over.

Download a pdf file of the article

20080908-CT-GovernorNotShyingAway.pdf

Documentary by Dave Antoine to be shown

"Springfield Had No Shame," a documentary by UIS staff member Dave Antoine, will be shown on September 15 as part of the campus' series of events commemorating the city's 1908 race riot.

In an article that appeared in the September 8, 2008, State Journal-Register, reporter Pete Sherman talked with Antoine about his experiences producing the film.

Download a pdf file of the article

20080908-SJR-DocumentarybyDaveAntoine.pdf

Redfield on Governor's third term

On August 29, 2008, Chicago Newsradio WBBM reported on Governor Rod Blagojevich's hint that he might seek a third term. The report cited UIS Professor Emeritus of Political Studies Kent Redfield's assessment that there would be "little enthusiasm" should the Governor decide to run for reelection in 2010.

Download a pdf file of the report

20080829-WBBM-Blagojevich3rdTerm.pdf

Campus Town proposal will be submitted again

The master plan that UIS will submit to the Board of Trustees in November will once again include plans for a commercial "campus town" development on 80 acres on the west side of campus.

The idea aroused little interest from businesses when it was first proposed several years ago. However Chancellor Ringeisen is confident that several factors, including a much larger number of residential students, have combined to ensure success this time.

Tim Landis' column in the August 31, 2008, State Journal-Register outlined the revamped plan.

Download a pdf file of the column

20080831-SJR-CampusTown.pdf

Innocence Project asks court to re-examine evidence in 1989 murder

The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project at UIS is expected to ask a Springfield circuit court to allow evidence from the 1989 murder of Melissa Koontz to be re-examined, using technologies such as DNA testing that were not widely available at the time of the trial.

One of the men serving a life sentence for the crime, Tom McMillen, has repeatedly denied any involvement. Director of Investigations Bill Clutter and students Priyanka Deo and Sarah Wellard say they have statements from some key witnesses who now claim not to have told the truth during the original investigation. The three have spent several weeks presenting their evidence to local authorities.

The August 31, 2008, State Journal-Register published an article about the case and the Innocence Project's role in re-examining McMillen's conviction.

Download a pdf file of the article

20080831-SJR-InnProjWants1989MurderRe-examined.pdf