UIS, LLCC welcome back students to a different kind of school year

Raeann Sherada of Riverton is the senior lead at the University of Illinois Springfield’s Student Union welcome desk.

Sherada, a communications major, greets students, hands out TV remotes, dispenses masks for those who forget them and oversees reservations for the Student Union’s conference rooms.

One day last week, Sherada, sitting behind free standing plexiglass and wearing a UIS mask, was making signs reminding students not to move furniture.

“We’re doing our best to make sure it is safe for everyone,” Sherada said. “I think it will be OK as long as people wear face coverings and maintain their distance. We’re cleaning a lot more around here.”

Three of her classes are now online, plus one class meets in-person periodically, a notion Sherada doesn’t mind.

“I’d be OK with going all-remote, too,” Sherada said. “I’m pretty adaptable. Moving online in the spring was a difficult transition, but we all got through it. We’re more prepared for that than ever, so I think it’ll be good.”

UIS and Lincoln Land Community College began classes at full throttle Monday, but the campuses had a different buzz to them under the COVID-19 pandemic.

About three-quarters of both schools’ course offerings this semester are either online or remote.

Online courses have no scheduled class times. Students can watch a professor’s lecture at their leisure. Remote classes are face-to-face via Zoom or other web sites that meet on regular days and at regular times.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on August 24, 2020.

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See photos from UIS' first day of class.

UIS Perspectives: Working together for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

The following is an excerpt from a column by Justin Rose, University of Illinois Springfield director of diversity and inclusion. This column appeared in The State Journal-Register on July 20, 2020.

When it was written in 1776 ”... that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” it was surely the most amazingly written expression in the Declaration of Independence. Sadly, our country’s practice of that document, the Constitution, and the Amendments to follow did not necessarily reflect that message.

Over the past 244 years, we have witnessed these words being selectively applied to uniquely advantage one group over another, as much of our history has its connection to the creation and implementation of slavery. In short, slavery in America has been a system in which property law principles are applied to people, allowing individuals to own, buy, and sell other individuals as a form of property. Over the lifespan of America’s development, we have seen this system morph due to many brave, courageous, and servant leaders who fought against the intense overt oppression and subversive suppression. Decade after decade, these Davids of our time took on the Goliath of our nation — racism.

America’s issues are vast and people want to see change, particularly our traditionally marginalized and underrepresented communities. I, myself, subscribe to that notion. As a Black male working at an institution of higher education, I have witnessed my students expressively say they feel they live in an America that does not love them.

Those words scream out to me a much louder message. To me, they place attention on what our America’s history has been and why we all need to stand up for the rights of those who are continuously scraped, cut, and gashed — left to bleed. I firmly believe, in order to begin healing, we have to stop the bleeding. With that as the chorus in mind, we need to seek to apply the doctrine the way it was so eloquently written so that we can see reflected an America that pulls people from the margins into the larger picture — thus allowing for real opportunity at Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

At UIS, we have decided to not turn a blind eye and to recommit ourselves to the alignment of the doctrine. The recent national events of racial injustice have reawakened the world and have been front and center for us. We are ensuring our students, staff, faculty, and administrators (myself included) are not ignoring the long history, practice, and ideology of systemic racism. Standing firm with the Black community and other marginalized groups who are deeply entrenched in the fight towards justice is our fight.

Listening to our campus community’s experiences has prompted the launch of our comprehensive “How Do We Heal Pathway Forward” resource guide, which can be found at uis.edu/diversitycenter/. The guide is designed to be interactive/clickable/digestible for people to learn. It has video features, web links to learn how to be anti-racist, and web links to enhance civic involvement. But equally as important, it has the framework for our “Where We Can Go” Diversity Mini-Series. The July Diversity Mini-Series is now entering its third week with programs addressing the current civil unrest on issues of Race, Police Brutality, and Allyship.

We believe that exploring these topics and helping our students, staff, faculty, and administrators through our weekly discussion opportunities is helping us move forward together. We believe it is a part of the formula to help shape a community rooted in equity, justice, and inclusion — you know, like the declaration that was so eloquently indoctrinated for our nation to follow.

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National Weather Service certifies UIS as a StormReady® University

The National Weather Service has certified the University of Illinois Springfield as a StormReady® University. The StormReady® universities are better prepared for saving lives from the onslaught of severe weather through advanced planning, education, and awareness, according to the National Weather Service.

To create a StormReady® plan, the UIS Police Department participated in severe storm spotter training and worked with the National Weather Service. Donald Mitchell, chief of the UIS Police Department said, “The StormReady® certification was something we felt would help reinforce our dedication to the safety of our community.”

Mitchell added, “While we felt that we were following the best practices for notifying our community of hazardous weather, this certification allowed us the opportunity to have weather experts evaluate our systems to help us improve. I’m proud to have the endorsement of the National Weather Service showing our efforts are right on track.”

Chris Miller, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Lincoln said, “This is clearly the result of the leadership, extensive planning, and commitment by you and those at the UIS Police Department, and cooperating departments on campus. The willingness, of more than a dozen of your staff members, to complete severe storm spotter training was exceptional.”

This article was published in the Chicago Morning Star on July 11, 2020.

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UIS offers detailed plan for students returning to campus in fall

The University of Illinois Springfield on Wednesday detailed how it hopes students might safely return to the campus for fall semester classes in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 18-page plan, “Return to the Prairie,” addresses how the campus will offer “on-ground,” or in-person classes as well as blended classes, that combine face-to-face and remote instruction.

It also spells out plans for student living arrangement and on-campus activities.

Of note is that the university will go remote with all classes beginning Nov. 25 until the end of the semester, which is Dec. 12.

Face coverings that cover the nose and mouth will be required on campus when a six-foot physical distance from others is not possible. Face coverings are required in all common areas, which includes classrooms.

“It is our best intention to unite us in public health and safety, and we are committed to providing a high-quality experience regardless of the circumstances in which we may find ourselves,” said UIS Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney. “Whether our Prairie Stars are learning via on-campus instruction or remotely, UIS is committed to and capable of providing a high-quality university experience to everyone who calls UIS home.”

Classrooms and laboratories, along with common, meeting and event spaces will be set up and organized to facilitate appropriate social distancing. They will be cleaned and disinfected daily by building service workers.

Students will be allowed to live on campus in single and double occupancy residence halls, townhouses and apartments, however, guests will not be allowed in residence halls.

Carry-out options will be encouraged at the UIS Student Union Food Studio and no self-service options available. Seating in dining areas will be arranged to encourage social distancing.

COVID-19 testing will be available to all students on campus through Campus Health Services.

The “Return to the Prairie” plan was created by two teams focused on academic planning, student affairs and community engagement.

Classes at UIS begin Aug. 24.

‘This is how I can help’ / UIS interim chancellor takes reigns amid pandemic

University of Illinois Springfield interim Chancellor Karen Whitney was clear-eyed when she accepted the yearlong appointment earlier this year.

Among the challenges staring her down: an unprecedented public health crisis that has significantly altered the delivery of academic services, great social upheaval as institutions across the country confront uncomfortable truths on race and ensuring that other major university initiatives, such as the construction of the Springfield Innovation Center, don’t get lost in the shuffle.

These circumstances are exactly what attracted Whitney to the job.

“This is how I can help,” Whitney said in an interview with The State Journal-Register last week. “I’m not in science or public health. If I could, I’d go to a lab and I would make the vaccine that would keep us safe. I can’t do those things, but I know how to run a university and work with a lot of people and that’s how I’m going to help.”

She takes over for Chancellor Emeritus Susan Koch, whose retirement became official last week after nine years leading the Springfield campus.

Whitney laid out her list of goals and priorities she hopes to accomplish during her limited tenure in Springfield. At the top of this list is meeting the moment the country currently finds itself in, she said.

“So the goal is to work with the university, the faculty, the staff and students to ensure the university continues to provide high quality teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Whitney said. “That’s job one. Job two is to embrace this incredible moment we’re in and to continue the university’s work around anti-racism and social justice.”

Though the plan now is to welcome students back to campus this fall, Whitney acknowledged that it can change on a dime.

Whitney said the response to the pandemic and social unrest in the country are top priorities. But, this won’t distract her from the other important work to be done, she said.

Whitney said she plans to work with the university’s enrollment team to improve recruitment efforts of both graduate and undergraduate students. This includes implementing the Common Application, an admission application that allow students to apply for hundreds of schools at once verses applying for each individually.

Whitney said she would work to continue implementing the university’s strategic plan, secure a new collective bargaining agreement with university faculty and reach out to the Springfield community as Koch did.

She will also continue the push for the development of the Springfield Innovation Center, which will be the first hub of the Illinois Innovation Network.

Yet even on borrowed time, Whitney said don’t expect her to be a caretaker chancellor.

“This year is going to be a very busy year, it’s going to be one with unprecedented existential threats that we will respond to,” Whitney said. “And it’s a year though, because of that, to take stock, and to advance on what we do really well, and to be clear that we always need to innovate, create and improve. So I would say, hang on, it’s gonna be a busy year.”

This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on July 5, 2020.

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Fall semester at UIS will be mixture of in-person, online classes

On-campus educational activities will resume this fall at the University of Illinois system’s three universities in Urbana, Chicago and Springfield with a hybrid mixture of in-person and online classes.

The announcement was made in a letter Thursday from system president Tim Killeen. It was also signed by Barb Wilson, executive vice president and vice president for academic affairs, and the system’s chancellors.

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, Killeen noted.

The decision assumes that Illinois stays on track to meet Phase 4 requirements established by Gov. JB Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan that allow reopening of classrooms.

Currently, UIS starts classes Aug. 24.

“UIS is still going to be providing details of our unique campus-based plan within the next couple of weeks, including starting dates and calendars for the fall semester,” said Derek Schnapp, a spokesman for UIS.

The plan, Killeen said in the letter, is “a thoughtful, science-based approach that will bring our universities back to life, with a campus experience that will look somewhat different.”

In-person courses and classroom schedules will be adjusted appropriately to ensure physical distancing and safer traffic flow.

There will be accommodations 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.

Campus classrooms will be cleaned and disinfected daily. High-touch surfaces, including door handles and elevator buttons, will be disinfected multiple times daily.

All students will be provided reusable, washable masks which will be required in all classrooms. Hand sanitizer will be widely available in all buildings.

Outside visitors to the campus will be asked to follow physical distancing and wear masks in public places. The size of gatherings on campus will be based on standards under the state reopening guidelines in force.

Schnapp said there a “very limited” number of workers on campus. Remote work, he added, “remains appropriate for employees who can complete the essential functions of their job or effectively perform their job duties while working remotely to the satisfaction of their supervisors.”

A system-wide coordination committee assisted steering committees and planning teams at each of the three universities.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on June 18, 2020.

Susan Koch: Grateful for the opportunities

The following is an excerpt from a column by University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Susan Koch. This column appeared in The State Journal-Register on June 13, 2020.

Shortly after becoming Chancellor of the University of Illinois Springfield in 2011, I had lunch at a favorite Chinese restaurant near the UIS campus. When the traditional fortune cookie arrived, the slip of paper inside offered the following prophecy: “You will be fortunate in the opportunities presented to you.”

That slip of paper has been taped to the screen of my computer ever since — reminding me daily to pursue every opportunity (and embrace every responsibility) that would best serve the interests of UIS and the public good of our community and our state.

As I compose this 90th UIS Perspectives column, the last before my retirement at the end of June, I find myself reflecting on the many ways that prophecy has been realized during the past nine years. Thanks in part to the many students, faculty, staff, community leaders, donors and alums who have contributed in so many ways, we can be proud of the opportunities we have made real ... together.

The addition of new academic programs such as Education, Data Analytics, Exercise Science, Biochemistry, Theatre, and a BSN in Nursing (in partnership with Memorial Health System and the University of Illinois Chicago) have made our young university more attractive for prospective students and produced more graduates who are contributing to their communities in meaningful ways.

The University of Illinois System’s Distinguished Faculty Hiring Program has brought new and outstanding teacher-scholars, while more UIS faculty than ever have earned Full Professor rank — confirming their excellence and enabling them to contribute more fully to their academic disciplines and the reputation of the university. At the same time, many young professionals have chosen to advance their careers at UIS — faculty and staff who are “rising stars” both on campus and in the community.

The opening of the Student Union on January 14, 2018, was a decisive moment for the university. This award-winning $21 million building has become the heart of campus life and a valuable resource for the entire community. A sustainable building with a green roof, the Student Union project was successful thanks to determined student body leadership and the generous support of donors who understood what it would mean for the university and for the student experience.

Infrastructure, including campus beautification, is so important. It is vital for student recruitment and retention but also because it creates campus pride and a positive environment for staff, faculty and visitors. I’m especially grateful for private support from the University of Illinois Chester Endowment that enabled us to commission “The Young Lawyer,” a sculpture of Abraham Lincoln that has become a campus landmark. The fund also helped create a beautiful and much-beloved Shakespeare Garden as well as supported the purchase of two prominent works of art for the Student Union.

Before I assume my new title as Chancellor Emeritus at the end of this month, I’ll tuck that slip of paper into my pocket — inspiration, perhaps, for new opportunities to come. But I’ll always appreciate my time as Chancellor of UIS.

UIS Announces Classes To Be Taught Remotely Due To COVID-19 Concerns

University of Illinois Springfield students are scheduled to return from spring break next week. But they won't be coming back to the classrooms. The U of I system has announced alternative delivery for instruction.

The following message was sent on Wednesday March 11: We write today to share new policies for the University of Illinois System and its universities in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield, all designed to protect the health and welfare of our students, faculty and staff amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. The proactive policies are focused squarely on doing our part to help curb the virus. Fortunately, there have been no confirmed cases among our faculty, staff and students. But such cases have been increasing in Illinois and our experts say early intervention is the best option to limit the spread.

Our policies will adopt best practices endorsed by state and national health officials by minimizing face-to-face exposure in classrooms and other types of large gatherings, and by limiting international and domestic travel.

They were developed with guidance from the leading-edge healthcare experts across our universities, who have been consulting daily with a leadership team composed of the president, the chancellors and the provosts from all three universities. We will continue to monitor the outbreak and stay in constant contact with the Governor’s Office, the Illinois Department of Public Health, local health departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other universities around the state and the nation.

The new policies were carefully crafted to safeguard our students, faculty and staff without compromising the world-class education and the groundbreaking research discovery that are synonymous with the U of I System.

They are: Instruction Courses at each of our three universities will immediately begin migrating to online or alternative delivery mechanisms to provide the social distancing that helps limit transmission of the virus, with a goal of completion by March 23. Classes will be held at their currently scheduled times. Online and other alternative learning methods will continue until further notice, but our expectation is that it will be temporary and students will be updated regularly via email and updates on system and university websites. Students have the option of studying remotely from home or from their campus residence after spring break. Our campuses will remain open and ready to serve students, including residence and dining halls.

Each university will provide specific guidance for their students regarding both academic and housing arrangements. Faculty and staff will continue their work on campus, including research, and human resources offices will provide guidance for work conditions that foster safety and for employees who suspect exposure or infection and must self-quarantine.

Events with more than 50 attendees that are university-sponsored or hosted by registered student organizations will be suspended indefinitely, effective Friday, March 13. Events may occur via livestream or other telecommunications, or be postponed to a future date. Please check with each university for specific guidance.

All university-sponsored international travel is prohibited, along with non-essential domestic travel until further notice. Personal international travel is strongly discouraged, and we urge caution and the exercise of good judgment for personal domestic travel. Leaders of our three universities will share further information for how these policies will be implemented to address the specific educational and safety needs of their campus communities.

Our policies are rooted in our expert scientific knowledge base and exhibit an abundance of caution to take care of each other until the COVID-19 outbreak eases.

This article appeared NPR Illinois on March 11, 2020.
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Freshmen students move in to UIS Wednesday

New freshmen students are calling the University of Illinois Springfield home!

The annual move-in day kicked off at UIS Wednesday.

 "Just getting to know everyone makes it more comfortable to walk around campus and just not be afraid of talking to new people," Freshman student Hannah Piel said.

This story aired on WICS Newschannel 20 on August 22, 2018.

Watch the story online.

Attempting to cut the cost of education

On average, college students pay more than $1,000 for textbooks each year.

That's why Congress is stepping up and trying to ease the burden on students.

Senator Dick Durbin has been a leader in this fight for seven years and has been successful in requiring textbook companies to be more transparent and using online versions when possible. 

However, even with provisions in place, he says textbook costs are still skyrocketing.

"I feel for a student who's in my class, who is suffering because they can't afford a textbook," said University of Illinois Springfield Associate Professor Layne Morsch.

Morsch, decided to take a leap and create his own way for students to save money. He launched an online textbook which began a trend at UI campuses.

"We find information on the web. We look things up on the web, so I'm trying to teach them, there's good sources to find quality information that you're going to use when you're professional in your career," said Morsch.

This is just one avenue Senator Durbin wants to see at all colleges and universities under the Affordable College Textbook Act. He also wants to go one step further to fund grant programs so more professors can create digital sources.

The bill would also require textbook companies to not sell books in bundles. "It's unfair that we have to buy them and then don't even get to use them that much."

While online resources are becoming more popular, Morsch says students should also be able to keep digital copies for future use.

"What they do is... they sell you access. You'll get access for one year is less than buying the textbook, but after that year is done, you have no access," said Morsch.

The UI was one of the first to test digital textbooks.

Senator Durbin says many companies are still trying to keep print copies alive and charging more for books which change a few lines in the next edition.

This story aired on WCIA on September 27, 2017.

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Unveiling Shakespeare Garden at UIS

On the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death, a brand new garden will be unveiled on the University of Illinois Springfield campus Thursday around 1:30 p.m.

The themed garden will feature plants often mentioned in William Shakespeare’s work.

The Shakespeare Garden,was made possible by an award from the University of Illinois’ Chester Fund, and will include signs near each plant with the relevant quotes and references to the certain plays or poems where the plant or flower was used as a metaphor.

The centerpiece of the Garden is a life-sized bronze sculpture of the Bard himself, titled “Shakespeare,” by renowned sculptor Gary Lee Price.

Its location will be in between Brooken's Library and the UIS Police Station.

This story was posted on wandtv.com on September 27, 2016.

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Uninsured rate dropped 66 percent in Sangamon from 2013 to 2015, survey says

The share of Sangamon County adults who lack health insurance has dropped by two-thirds since 2013, according to the 2015 Sangamon County Citizen Survey.

The change appears to be directly tied to the Affordable Care Act's federally funded expansion of Medicaid eligibility and federal subsidies that can reduce the price of health insurance through Illinois' health insurance exchange, said Ashley Kirzinger, director of the Survey Research Office at the University of Illinois Springfield.

The county's uninsured rate dropped from 11.3 percent in 2013 — before the health care law's key provisions took effect in January 2014 — to 3.8 percent this year, meaning about 11,300 more people with insurance. "That's excellent news," said Dr. Jerry Kruse, CEO of SIU HealthCare, the multispecialty practice of doctors at Springfield's Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

The survey, a scientific measure of community attitudes conducted by telephone with 576 people 18 and older from April 15 to May 18, showed a drop in uninsured rates similar to what has been found nationwide by the Gallup organization.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on June 26, 2015.

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New U of I president visits Springfield campus

The new president of University of Illinois made the rounds to the school's campuses this week. 

Timothy Killeen began his term as the 20th university president earlier this week following the retirement of Robert Easter after last weekend's graduation ceremonies.

He visited the Springfield campus earlier today to discuss the university's direction under his leadership. "We are very anxious to take our wonderful 150 year-almost legacy of excellence and expand it's world-class impact in world-class teaching and learning and research, and emphasizing to some degree our role in economic revitalization for the state of Illinois," said Killeen.

Killeen was named the school's 20th president last November. He previously served as the vice chancellor of the State University of New York Research Foundation.

This story appeared online on WICS News Channel 20 on Friday, May 22, 2015.

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Killeen ready to take the reins at UI

The first day for a university president Timothy Killeen has had lots of on-the-job training since that day in mid-November when he arrived at Chicago's Midway Airport to accept his new position at the University of Illinois.

There to greet him at the bottom of the escalator was his predecessor, current UI President Robert Easter. The two had never met; Easter was holding a photo of Killeen so he'd be sure not to miss him.

It was the night before the announcement, and Killeen and his wife, Roberta, went to dinner with Bob and Cheryl Easter. The two presidents hit it off and have worked closely together ever since, on decisions big and small — including a tuition freeze and the creation of a new medical school in Urbana.

The unusual arrangement was designed to provide a smooth transition for Killeen, former vice chancellor for research at the State University of New York, who officially takes over as UI president on Monday.

At first Easter was uncomfortable with the idea: "You're going to name someone and then the old guy's going to hang around for six months?" Both were in deferential mode for a while, each offering to "sit in the back," Killeen said. "I was very careful that everybody knew who was the president and who was not the president."

Over time, Easter has deferred to Killeen more and more, "because it affects his time, his watch." In the decision to endorse the new medical school in March, Easter wrote a rough draft of the statement to the board; Killeen added the "absolutely critical" line that the two medical schools would be collaborative by design, Easter said.

"We tend to think about things in a similar way," Easter said. "He's been very respectful of my responsibilities and I've tried to respect his increasing role."

The UI worked out an arrangement for Killeen to reduce his time at SUNY while he gradually took on more responsibilities in Illinois. He was paid $200 an hour for his UI work, or about $47,200 — 12 hours a week in January and February, 16 hours a week in March and April, and 40 hours a week since April 22, according to the UI. He will take on his full $600,000 presidential salary on Monday.

 Killeen has already moved some things into the UI President's House and stays there when he's in Urbana. His wife will remain in Albany until their son, Cormac, 17, graduates from high school, then join him here. Killeen will also spend significant time in Chicago, but said, "I'm going to be an Urbana resident. I've met many members of the community already and feel wonderfully welcome there." Easter will formally hand over the presidential regalia to Killeen at the Springfield commencement, the last of the day.

Whereupon Killeen will face plenty of challenges — from a UI budget under duress to faculty discontent over the Steven Salaita controversy to allegations that arose last week about the UI's football program.

Perhaps the biggest? Sticking to his agenda as crises pop up. "That's the hardest reality," said former UI President B. Joseph White, who knew Killeen at the University of Michigan.

We asked the UI's past, current and future presidents for their thoughts on what's ahead. The budget ... The state budget crisis tops Killeen's to-do list, as the university works through how it might shoulder a potential 31.5 percent state funding cut — or roughly $208 million.

"I'm actually optimistic that it won't be that bad," Killeen said Tuesday, on his way to Springfield for legislative meetings. The university is not immune from responsibility in solving the state's budget problems, but "I'm making the case wherever I can: This is a very important institution to the state of Illinois," he said. "We're going to make it cogently, we're going to make it with data, we're going to demonstrate the value we bring to the table." Killeen has visited Springfield with Easter and on his own, meeting with Gov. Bruce Rauner, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, as well as their chiefs of staff and committee chairs.

This article appeared in The News-Gazette on May 17, 2015.

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$209 million 'significant hit' to UI's funding

The University of Illinois goes through a lot of money in a year — more than $5 billion, in fact.

But most of it is restricted to specific uses — gifts from donors for a designated building; grants for a particular research project; income from the medical clinics in Chicago. It can't be used to pay an English professor (unless it's designated for that purpose).

So when the governor talks about cutting nearly $209 million from the university's appropriation — 31.5 percent of its state funding — it is a "significant hit," says Randall Kangas, UI associate vice president for planning and budgeting.

The UI gets about $667 million in state general revenue funding, plus more than $1 billion in state-appropriated tuition income, or $1.765 billion in total. That $209 million represents a 12 percent cut to the UI's unrestricted funding, Kangas said.

"State funds really are the skeleton of the university," Kangas said.

What does $209 million buy, in university terms? Two Springfield campuses, and then some, in terms of total budget ($88.8 million) — or four if you consider just their $53 million in unrestricted funding.

At Urbana, it covers 60 percent of the campus instructional budget ($345 million), or nearly the entire budget for the huge College of Liberal Arts and Sciences ($232.4 million).

This article was published online in The News-Gazette on February 20, 2015.

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Stress reduction crucial during exams

Some stress may be inevitable during finals week, but you don’t have to let it get the best of you.

Dr. Judy Shipp is executive director of the Counseling Center and Student Support Services at the University of Illinois Springfield. To stay levelheaded while studying, she suggests getting enough sleep, making sure to exercise, taking breaks during your studying, planning a study schedule and starting preparation early.

“A lot of times students tend to save things to the last minute, and then there’s never enough time,” Shipp said.

She also encouraged stressed-out students to talk with a family member, friend or counseling professional.

Shipp was featured by the State Journal-Register on December 11, 2012.

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UIS hosts talk on peace-keeping

The World Affairs Council will present a lecture at Brookens Auditorium at UIS on United Nations peace-keeping efforts in Syria by Kristina Koch-Avan at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 25.

Koch-Avan is employed by the United Nations and was involved in the peace-keeping efforts in former Yugoslavia.

The appearance was featured by the State Journal-Register on October 22, 2012.

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Shimomura to display works at UIS Visual Arts Gallery

The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery welcomes Roger Shimomura, an internationally renowned and celebrated artist known for his prints, paintings and performance works.

The gallery exhibit, "America Behind Barbed Wire", runs from Oct. 1 through Dec. 1. Shimomura will present a lecture from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11 in the Public Affairs Center. A gallery reception will follow from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the UIS Visual Arts Gallery. This event is free and open to the public.

The exhibit was featured by the State Journal-Register on Sept. 27, 2012.

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Lincoln Legacy Lectures returns for 10th year Oct. 11

The 10th annual Lincoln Legacy Lectures, "Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation,” will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11 at Brookens Auditorium, University of Illinois Springfield.

The lectures will offer “Four Roads to Emancipation” presented by Allen Guelzo, and “Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today” presented by Ron Soodalter with Michael Burlingame as the moderator.

Admission is free and open to the public. For more information call 206-7094.

The lectures were featured by the State Journal-Register on Sept. 27, 2012.

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Hayden speaks to full house at UIS

Political activist Tom Hayden told students and community members at the University of Illinois Springfield Thursday that change can come, but it sometimes takes a while.

“The lesson I’d like to pass along to anybody who needs to hear it is that change comes. It comes inch by inch, it comes no matter how impatient, how radical you are, or how urgent you are, it comes very slowly,” Hayden said.

Hayden was one of the founders of the 1960s group, Students for a Democratic Society. In 1968, he was one of the “Chicago 7” who were charged with conspiracy for disturbances at the Democratic convention.

Hayden spoke to a packed house of more than 200 people at UIS's Brookens Auditorium.

Hayden's appearance was featured by the State Journal-Register on Sept. 28, 2012.

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