Susan Koch: A beautiful, functional and improving campus

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 August 19, 2018.

Though summertime at the University of Illinois Springfield entails a variety of both educational and recreational pursuits, the end of the academic year and the arrival of warmer weather also presents opportunities for campus improvements that will enhance the college experience for students as well as improve the environment for faculty, staff and visitors.

For students, research shows a functional and beautiful campus can be a deciding factor in their college choice and UIS students often tell me they “fell in love” with the campus itself when they made their first visit.

With a property consisting of about 750 acres and, with recent additions including the Lincoln sculpture, a Shakespeare Garden and the new Student Union, the UIS campus is, indeed, both welcoming and beautiful.

Chuck Coderko, Associate Chancellor for Facilities and Services, can attest better than anyone that Summer 2018 has been particularly busy!

“The biggest transformation underway this summer,” says Coderko, “is the main floor of Brookens Library — a project that started in mid-May and will be completed in early October.”

University libraries are no longer the quiet repositories of books they were when Brookens opened its doors about 40 years ago.

The renovation includes a more open layout, state-of-the-art LED lighting, modern and durable flooring, mobile furniture, and collaborative spaces that encourage group interaction and active learning. The project also adds a high-tech classroom for library instruction and workshops.

The second-oldest building on campus, the Public Affairs Center (circa 1980), has also been undergoing major improvements this summer including a new roof, completion of a stair rail safety project and various enhancements and safety improvements to Sangamon Auditorium, which launches its 2018-19 season September 16 with a performance by acclaimed comedian Jay Leno.

The newly acquired UIS Field Station at Lake Springfield, formerly the FOP lake club, is also undergoing transformation. Just a short walk from campus, the facility will enable easily accessible opportunities for education, research, recreation and community outreach on and near the lake. Director of Field Stations Dr. Tom Rothfus tells me several classes are already scheduled to use the new lakeshore location this fall.

Superintendent of Grounds Brian Beckerman and his talented team spend the summer months maintaining and improving the entire landscape which includes nearly 500 tree and shrub varieties, about 375 distinct flowers and ornamental grasses, and acres of lawn and sports fields for recreation, youth sports and intercollegiate athletics.

“We’ve adopted a more sustainable philosophy in recent years,” says Beckerman, “using native grasses and other materials that have natural beauty and require less mowing and maintenance. We’ve been pleased to work with the university’s new Green Fee Committee and others,” he continues, “on projects like the green roof on the Student Union (expected to achieve LEED Gold recognition later this year) and the campus community garden.”

“Members of the Facilities and Services team have a tremendous sense of pride and ownership in their work at UIS,” says Coderko. “If it touches the ground, it’s ours,” he continues, “and we want to make it better, safer and more enjoyable for students, faculty, staff and visitors.”

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UIS debuts new entrance markers

A series of new entrance markers will greet University of Illinois Springfield students, staff and faculty returning for fall semester later this month.

The three signs, placed on West Lake Shore Drive, 11th Street at University Drive and on Shepherd Road, were installed last month. They feature a dark blue background with the university’s spelled out name emblazoned in white.

The cost — which included building the structure, installing it and landscaping the area surrounding it — was about $15,000, according to UIS spokesman Derek Schnapp.

Schnapp said the old signs, which featured the UIS dome logo, were in poor condition and out of date.

Materials from the old signage were recycled, he said.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on August 4, 2018.

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New UIS building is going green

The roof of the new student union building at the University of Illinois Springfield is going green.

The university is starting planting succulents on the roof this week. "You don't need a lot of deep roots for a succulent so they really take care of themselves," Student Union Executive Director Ann Comerford said.

"If you put grasses or wildflowers there's a lot more care and they won't actually do the work that you need a green roof to do."

According to research from Michigan State University, green roofs have multiple benefits including helping the environment, conserve energy and can save money.

The green roof is expected to be completed next week.

The Student Union is scheduled to open in January of 2018.

This story aired on Fox Illinois on September 15, 2017.

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UIS Baseball lays down new infield turf

The University of Illinois Springfield baseball grounds crew put the finishing touches on the new infield turf over the weekend.

The new turf costed around $300 thousand. UIS Head Baseball Coach Chris Ramirez says he's excited to take the field.

This story aired on WICS Newschannel 20 on June 26, 2017.

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Shakespeare Garden dedicated at UIS

The University of Illinois at Springfield dedicated its new Shakespeare Garden Thursday, which includes plants and flowers mentioned in The Bard’s plays and poems.

There are roses in honor of “Romeo and Juliet"; columbine, which is mentioned in “Hamlet”; and daisies from “Love’s Labor’s Lost." The garden also has a fountain and a bench with a statue of William Shakespeare so that visitors can sit down and have their picture taken with it.

Chancellor Susan Koch said the Shakespeare Garden is not just for faculty and students. “The Shakespeare Garden is another beautiful addition to our growing campus,” Koch said. “As we are growing in enrollment, we are also growing in our contribution to the community. We feel like the garden is going to be another great attraction, not only for people on the campus, but for people in the community.”

This year marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.

Brian Beckerman, superintendent of grounds at UIS, designed the garden.

This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 29, 2016.

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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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