New guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend limiting in-person meetings and gatherings to fewer than 50 people to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus — from now through early May.
To prevent further spread of the disease, state officials are urging people to stay home as much as possible. Guidelines for proper hand-washing and disinfecting surfaces are on the CDC’s website.
Springfield schools are closed, and organizations and businesses across the city are postponing or cancelling events.
The University of Illinois Springfield is immediately closing The Recreation and Athletic Center, Student Life Office, Diversity Center, Women's Center, Gender and Sexuality Student Services, UIS Bookstore and the Volunteer & Civic Engagement office, according to an email sent Monday.
The university will keep the Student Union and Food Studio open, but encourages people to stay 6 feet apart. The university is also encouraging students who do not live on campus to complete the semester remotely.
UIS announced last week it would extend spring break through March 22 and begin remote classes March 23.
This story appeared on NPR Illinois on March 16, 2020.
Read the entire article online.
Showing posts with label Public. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Public. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Friday, January 13, 2017
Eagle Days are announced at Emiquon
Family-friendly Eagle Day events will be held at various locations throughout the day in Fulton and Mason County Saturday, Feb. 4.
See eagles at the Emiquon Preserve Visitor Use Observatories where spotting scopes will be provided for eagle and bird watching along with hot cocoa, a warming station and displays. Additionally, the University of Illinois-Springfield Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon will provide a microscopic view of Emiquon. Events will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (weather permitting).
Activities and parking will be at the Lakeside Observatory located directly off State Route 78/97. For additional information call 309-547- 2730.
The story was reported by the Canton Daily Ledger on January 12, 2017.
Read the story online.
See eagles at the Emiquon Preserve Visitor Use Observatories where spotting scopes will be provided for eagle and bird watching along with hot cocoa, a warming station and displays. Additionally, the University of Illinois-Springfield Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon will provide a microscopic view of Emiquon. Events will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (weather permitting).
Activities and parking will be at the Lakeside Observatory located directly off State Route 78/97. For additional information call 309-547- 2730.
The story was reported by the Canton Daily Ledger on January 12, 2017.
Read the story online.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Survey shows Sangamon County businesses worried about state finances
The Survey Research Office at the University of Illinois Springfield has released the Spring 2016 Sangamon County Economic Outlook Survey.
The study examines the economic perceptions, expectations and evaluations of Sangamon County businesses as well as public and non-profit organizations.
The spring 2016 survey reveals that economic expectations for the economy of Sangamon County have decreased slightly since the spring of 2015 across all economic sectors. More than a third of respondents (36%) expect to see a decline in the state of the overall economy in the next 12 months. Similarly, 27% say that overall employment will decline, and 25% think that revenue will also decrease in the next 12 months.
The story was reported by WUIS Radio on May 31, 2016.
Read/listen to the full story online.
The study examines the economic perceptions, expectations and evaluations of Sangamon County businesses as well as public and non-profit organizations.
The spring 2016 survey reveals that economic expectations for the economy of Sangamon County have decreased slightly since the spring of 2015 across all economic sectors. More than a third of respondents (36%) expect to see a decline in the state of the overall economy in the next 12 months. Similarly, 27% say that overall employment will decline, and 25% think that revenue will also decrease in the next 12 months.
The story was reported by WUIS Radio on May 31, 2016.
Read/listen to the full story online.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Challenging ‘junk science’ in arson case
A Naperville man is asking a judge to overturn his murder conviction on the grounds that the prosecution’s case was built on junk science.
William Amor spent the last 21 years behind bars for the death of his mother-in-law in a 1995 condo fire that investigators ruled as arson. His exoneration bid hinges on convincing the judge that new scientific research debunks old beliefs about how fire behaves.
The Illinois Innocence Project, based at the University of Illinois Springfield, took on Amor’s case and is working to get his conviction overturned.
The story was reported by the Illinois Times on May 19, 2016.
Read the article online.
William Amor spent the last 21 years behind bars for the death of his mother-in-law in a 1995 condo fire that investigators ruled as arson. His exoneration bid hinges on convincing the judge that new scientific research debunks old beliefs about how fire behaves.
The Illinois Innocence Project, based at the University of Illinois Springfield, took on Amor’s case and is working to get his conviction overturned.
The story was reported by the Illinois Times on May 19, 2016.
Read the article online.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
'Dirty Dancing,' 'Once' headline Sangamon Auditorium 2016-17 season
With the current season coming to a close, Sangamon Auditorium is looking toward the 2016-17 season with an eclectic lineup of shows.
“We have a full season of Broadway, our Visiting Artist series and our Kitchen Sink series,” said Bob Vaughn, director of Sangamon Auditorium. “And each of those series have a variety of different things going on.”
Audiences will be most familiar with the shows in the UIS Broadway series. This year, the touring Broadway productions of “Dirty Dancing,” “Once,” “Pippin,” “Chicago,” and “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” will hit the stage.
While “Chicago” and “Cinderella” are household names, “Once” is still a fairly new musical to most audiences. Premiering on Broadway in 2012, the show is a stage adaptation of the 2007 movie of the same name. The two main characters, Guy and Girl fall in love, using the power of music to navigate a relationship complicated by outside forces. The show won a number of Tonys that year, including Best Musical.
In addition to the Broadway series, UIS has a Visiting Artists series, and this year’s lineup is a diverse group.
The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 19, 2016.
Read the full article online.
“We have a full season of Broadway, our Visiting Artist series and our Kitchen Sink series,” said Bob Vaughn, director of Sangamon Auditorium. “And each of those series have a variety of different things going on.”
Audiences will be most familiar with the shows in the UIS Broadway series. This year, the touring Broadway productions of “Dirty Dancing,” “Once,” “Pippin,” “Chicago,” and “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” will hit the stage.
While “Chicago” and “Cinderella” are household names, “Once” is still a fairly new musical to most audiences. Premiering on Broadway in 2012, the show is a stage adaptation of the 2007 movie of the same name. The two main characters, Guy and Girl fall in love, using the power of music to navigate a relationship complicated by outside forces. The show won a number of Tonys that year, including Best Musical.
In addition to the Broadway series, UIS has a Visiting Artists series, and this year’s lineup is a diverse group.
The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 19, 2016.
Read the full article online.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Training program at UIS aims to curb child abuse, neglect
The small, nondescript house with blistering gray paint on the north end of the University of Illinois Springfield campus holds at the same time both hope and horror.
Fortunately, the horror — in the form of child abuse and neglect — is fabricated and is used as a training tool for students, state Department of Children and Family Services investigators and first-responders.
The training at the Residential Simulation Lab House, as well as in a mock courtroom established in the campus television studio in the Public Affairs Center, offers hope that improved training will enable investigators to better curb child abuse and neglect.
The simulated training house and mock courtroom, part of a DCFS Child Protection Training Academy pilot program designed by the UIS State Center for Policy and Leadership, was dedicated Monday, although training began in February.
The house, vacant since 2010, was formerly a branch of the Sangamon Schools Credit Union, which closed that year because of a problem with the septic system.
Betsy Goulet, clinical assistant professor in the public administration graduate program and coordinator of the Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) program at UIS, said discussion with DCFS about establishing such a program began several years ago.
UIS Chancellor Susan Koch said the academy “is happening because of her (Goulet).”
Goulet said when she was studying for her PhD, she learned about the program, which simulates real-life situations, and went through the training. With training for child-protection investigators considered inadequate, she wanted to apply the simulation training to improve the skills of present-day investigators.
The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on April 26, 2016.
Read the full article online.
Fortunately, the horror — in the form of child abuse and neglect — is fabricated and is used as a training tool for students, state Department of Children and Family Services investigators and first-responders.
The training at the Residential Simulation Lab House, as well as in a mock courtroom established in the campus television studio in the Public Affairs Center, offers hope that improved training will enable investigators to better curb child abuse and neglect.
The simulated training house and mock courtroom, part of a DCFS Child Protection Training Academy pilot program designed by the UIS State Center for Policy and Leadership, was dedicated Monday, although training began in February.
The house, vacant since 2010, was formerly a branch of the Sangamon Schools Credit Union, which closed that year because of a problem with the septic system.
Betsy Goulet, clinical assistant professor in the public administration graduate program and coordinator of the Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) program at UIS, said discussion with DCFS about establishing such a program began several years ago.
UIS Chancellor Susan Koch said the academy “is happening because of her (Goulet).”
Goulet said when she was studying for her PhD, she learned about the program, which simulates real-life situations, and went through the training. With training for child-protection investigators considered inadequate, she wanted to apply the simulation training to improve the skills of present-day investigators.
The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on April 26, 2016.
Read the full article online.
Monday, March 28, 2016
UIS star parties set to resume April 1
When you hear someone mention Friday Night Lights at the University of Illinois Springfield, they may not be talking about high school football.
The lights on Friday nights at UIS, at least in the spring and fall, come from above, when the nearly 40-year-old Friday Night Star Parties are held.
Those free parties resume next month at the UIS Observatory on the roof of Brookens Library. They’ll be from 8 to 10 p.m., weather permitting, on April 1, 8, 15, and 22, then resume after school begins in the fall.
John Martin, associate professor of astronomy and physics at UIS, hosts the events, during which the observatory’s telescopes are used to view a number of celestial objects including Jupiter, the moon, the Great Nebula in Orion and other stars and star clusters when they are visible.
The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on March 28, 2016.
Read the full article online.
The lights on Friday nights at UIS, at least in the spring and fall, come from above, when the nearly 40-year-old Friday Night Star Parties are held.
Those free parties resume next month at the UIS Observatory on the roof of Brookens Library. They’ll be from 8 to 10 p.m., weather permitting, on April 1, 8, 15, and 22, then resume after school begins in the fall.
John Martin, associate professor of astronomy and physics at UIS, hosts the events, during which the observatory’s telescopes are used to view a number of celestial objects including Jupiter, the moon, the Great Nebula in Orion and other stars and star clusters when they are visible.
The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on March 28, 2016.
Read the full article online.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
UIS teaming with IDOT, Secretary of State's Office for child safety seat checks
The University of Illinois Springfield is teaming up with the Illinois Department of Transportation's Division of Traffic Safety and the Illinois Secretary of State's Office to host a free child safety seat check on March 4.
According to the Illinois Secretary of State's Office, traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages four through 14, and that nearly 80 percent of child safety seats are installed improperly. Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend this event, which is being held on the UIS campus from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Certified child passenger safety seat technicians will be on hand to ensure that safety seats are properly installed, and to educate attendees on proper installation procedures. Anyone unable to attend this event can call (217) 557-5190 to make a future appointment.
This event is free and open to the public. For more information, email Stacey Gilmore at shemb1@uis.edu.
The story was reported by WAND-TV on February 23, 2016.
Read the story online.
According to the Illinois Secretary of State's Office, traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages four through 14, and that nearly 80 percent of child safety seats are installed improperly. Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend this event, which is being held on the UIS campus from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Certified child passenger safety seat technicians will be on hand to ensure that safety seats are properly installed, and to educate attendees on proper installation procedures. Anyone unable to attend this event can call (217) 557-5190 to make a future appointment.
This event is free and open to the public. For more information, email Stacey Gilmore at shemb1@uis.edu.
The story was reported by WAND-TV on February 23, 2016.
Read the story online.
Monday, November 2, 2015
$754K federal grant seeks to help exonerate wrongfully convicted Latinos
The Illinois Innocence Project at the University of Illinois Springfield is shifting its focus to exonerating Latino inmates who have been wrongfully convicted in Illinois.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin joined UIS Chancellor Susan Koch on Friday to announce that the Innocence Project has been awarded a $753,958 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.
John Hanlon, executive director of the Innocence Project, said Latinos are more susceptible to wrongful convictions due to barriers involving language, citizenship and status.
The federal grant will allow the Innocence Project to hire two additional bilingual lawyers, Hanlon said.
The organization, which receives help from UIS students, is primarily funded through federal grants but also receives private donations.
"We hope to address these disparities, which often lead to improper convictions and create difficulties for Latino inmates, by working on cases where the individual can be proved innocent through the use of DNA testing," Hanlon said.
In addition, Hanlon said staff at the Innocence Project will continue to use DNA testing to attempt to exonerate other inmates who they believe were wrongfully convicted.
The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on October 31, 2015.
Read the story online.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin joined UIS Chancellor Susan Koch on Friday to announce that the Innocence Project has been awarded a $753,958 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.
John Hanlon, executive director of the Innocence Project, said Latinos are more susceptible to wrongful convictions due to barriers involving language, citizenship and status.
The federal grant will allow the Innocence Project to hire two additional bilingual lawyers, Hanlon said.
The organization, which receives help from UIS students, is primarily funded through federal grants but also receives private donations.
"We hope to address these disparities, which often lead to improper convictions and create difficulties for Latino inmates, by working on cases where the individual can be proved innocent through the use of DNA testing," Hanlon said.
In addition, Hanlon said staff at the Innocence Project will continue to use DNA testing to attempt to exonerate other inmates who they believe were wrongfully convicted.
The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on October 31, 2015.
Read the story online.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Civil rights icon John Lewis' to appear at UIS as part of campuswide reading program
An appearance by civil rights icon John Lewis, now a U.S. congressman, will highlight events related to the University of Illinois Springfield's "One Book, One UIS" community read for 2015-16.
The graphic memoir "March," written by Lewis and Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell, tells Lewis' life story as a civil rights activist and leader. The book is a trilogy, with the third part yet to be published.
Jane Treadwell, UIS librarian and dean of library instructional services, said the book selection committee considered whether a graphic novel would have as much appeal as a traditional book to the campus community.
"Undergraduates already have been exposed, and they like that format," Treadwell said. "We decided that because of the subject matter, it would work."
The highlight of the "March" initiative is an Oct. 19 appearance by Lewis, Aydin and Powell at UIS. Tickets for the 7 p.m. event, which are free, are available Monday through the Sangamon Auditorium ticket office. The event is supported in part by Illinois Humanities and the Field Foundation of Illinois.
More information on the community read and the Oct. 19 event is available at onebookoneuis.com.
The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on August 31, 2015.
Read the story online.
The graphic memoir "March," written by Lewis and Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell, tells Lewis' life story as a civil rights activist and leader. The book is a trilogy, with the third part yet to be published.
Jane Treadwell, UIS librarian and dean of library instructional services, said the book selection committee considered whether a graphic novel would have as much appeal as a traditional book to the campus community.
"Undergraduates already have been exposed, and they like that format," Treadwell said. "We decided that because of the subject matter, it would work."
The highlight of the "March" initiative is an Oct. 19 appearance by Lewis, Aydin and Powell at UIS. Tickets for the 7 p.m. event, which are free, are available Monday through the Sangamon Auditorium ticket office. The event is supported in part by Illinois Humanities and the Field Foundation of Illinois.
More information on the community read and the Oct. 19 event is available at onebookoneuis.com.
The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on August 31, 2015.
Read the story online.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Symposium to address post-Lincoln racial issues
An upcoming three-day symposium at the University of Illinois Springfield will advance the concept of "counter-emancipation" following Abraham Lincoln's death as part of his legacy.
The fifth Wepner Symposium on the Lincoln Legacy and Contemporary Scholarship will discuss counter-emancipation's effects on contemporary racial inequality.
Matthew Holden Jr., the Wepner distinguished professor in political science at UIS, said the symposium, to be held Thursday through Saturday at UIS and at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site downtown, will provide a means of thinking carefully about what happened after Lincoln.
All presentations are free and open to the public.
The symposium was featured by The State Journal-Register on June 21, 2015.
Read the full article online
The fifth Wepner Symposium on the Lincoln Legacy and Contemporary Scholarship will discuss counter-emancipation's effects on contemporary racial inequality.
Matthew Holden Jr., the Wepner distinguished professor in political science at UIS, said the symposium, to be held Thursday through Saturday at UIS and at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site downtown, will provide a means of thinking carefully about what happened after Lincoln.
All presentations are free and open to the public.
The symposium was featured by The State Journal-Register on June 21, 2015.
Read the full article online
Friday, June 5, 2015
Sangamon Auditorium announces 2015-16 season
The one thing Sangamon Auditorium Director Bob Vaughn wants audiences to get out of the 2015-16 season is a sense of magic and wonder.
“I want that magic,” he said. “I want them to feel the magic that you can only get when you’re an audience member and you’re interacting with that artist on stage because you can’t get that on a flat screen.”
In fact, Sangamon Auditorium audiences can look forward to actual magic this season. On Oct. 13, the Illusionists from Broadway are coming to the stage in Springfield. Each magician has a specialty. Vaughn predicts it’s going to be one of the biggest draws for people this season.
“They’re going to be huge as people learn about them,” he said. “Once they become more widely known and people get the opportunity to see what they’ll do … the producers think that we’ll probably go back and add another show.”
The season was highlighted by The State Journal-Register on June 4, 2015.
Read the article online
“I want that magic,” he said. “I want them to feel the magic that you can only get when you’re an audience member and you’re interacting with that artist on stage because you can’t get that on a flat screen.”
In fact, Sangamon Auditorium audiences can look forward to actual magic this season. On Oct. 13, the Illusionists from Broadway are coming to the stage in Springfield. Each magician has a specialty. Vaughn predicts it’s going to be one of the biggest draws for people this season.
“They’re going to be huge as people learn about them,” he said. “Once they become more widely known and people get the opportunity to see what they’ll do … the producers think that we’ll probably go back and add another show.”
The season was highlighted by The State Journal-Register on June 4, 2015.
Read the article online
Monday, April 13, 2015
UIS Star Parties give glimpse of the galaxy
Star gazers don't need to head out to the country away from the lights the next few weekends.
The University of Illinois Springfield opened up its observatory on top of the Brookens Library roof Friday night for its popular Star Parties series.
The Star Parties, which are free and open to the public, will continue from 8 to 10 p.m. the next two Fridays, weather permitting.
About 25 people attended the first event Friday. Among those in attendance were Noel and Mike Fitzgibbon, along with their 8-year-old daughter, Sydney, and one of her friends.
The Rochester couple said they had never been to the observatory at UIS and thought it would be a good opportunity for their daughter to see firsthand the stars and planets she's learning about in the classroom.
"We thought it would be interesting and good for her education to get that hands-on experience," Noel Fitzgibbon said.
UIS astronomy professor John Martin said the Star Parties have been a tradition in Springfield since 1976.
They were started by UIS professer Charles Schweighauser and have continued nearly every year except for a brief hiatus in the mid-2000s, he said.
Star Parties were featured by The State Journal-Register on April 11, 2015.
Read the full article online
The University of Illinois Springfield opened up its observatory on top of the Brookens Library roof Friday night for its popular Star Parties series.
The Star Parties, which are free and open to the public, will continue from 8 to 10 p.m. the next two Fridays, weather permitting.
About 25 people attended the first event Friday. Among those in attendance were Noel and Mike Fitzgibbon, along with their 8-year-old daughter, Sydney, and one of her friends.
The Rochester couple said they had never been to the observatory at UIS and thought it would be a good opportunity for their daughter to see firsthand the stars and planets she's learning about in the classroom.
"We thought it would be interesting and good for her education to get that hands-on experience," Noel Fitzgibbon said.
UIS astronomy professor John Martin said the Star Parties have been a tradition in Springfield since 1976.
They were started by UIS professer Charles Schweighauser and have continued nearly every year except for a brief hiatus in the mid-2000s, he said.
Star Parties were featured by The State Journal-Register on April 11, 2015.
Read the full article online
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Next UI president: Timothy Killeen
A leading Welsh researcher in geophysics and space science has been named the 20th president of the University of Illinois.
Timothy Killeen, vice chancellor for research and president of the Research Foundation of the State University of New York, will replace longtime UI administrator Bob Easter.
A start date has not been determined.
Killeen will receive a base salary of $600,000 a year and up to $100,000 annually in performance incentives, UI spokesman Tom Hardy said today. He will also be eligible for retention payments that he will receive at the end of five years, starting at $30,000 annually and increasing by $7,500 a year, Hardy said.
Killeen, 62, joined UI officials today for the official announcement at the three campuses and to meet with future colleagues, faculty, students and constituents. The kickoff was at 8:30 a.m. in Chicago, followed by noon on the Springfield campus and 3 p.m. in the South Lounge of the Illini Union in Urbana.
The story was reported by the Champaign News-Gazette on November 19, 2014.
Read the article online
Timothy Killeen, vice chancellor for research and president of the Research Foundation of the State University of New York, will replace longtime UI administrator Bob Easter.
A start date has not been determined.
Killeen will receive a base salary of $600,000 a year and up to $100,000 annually in performance incentives, UI spokesman Tom Hardy said today. He will also be eligible for retention payments that he will receive at the end of five years, starting at $30,000 annually and increasing by $7,500 a year, Hardy said.
Killeen, 62, joined UI officials today for the official announcement at the three campuses and to meet with future colleagues, faculty, students and constituents. The kickoff was at 8:30 a.m. in Chicago, followed by noon on the Springfield campus and 3 p.m. in the South Lounge of the Illini Union in Urbana.
The story was reported by the Champaign News-Gazette on November 19, 2014.
Read the article online
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Lincoln’s funeral subject of UIS lectures
With the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s death and funeral approaching next year, the 12th annual Lincoln Legacy lectures at the University of Illinois Springfield will focus on Lincoln’s funeral.
This year’s speakers are James L. Swanson, senior legal scholar at The Heritage Foundation, and Richard Wightman Fox, professor of history at the University of Southern California.
Swanson, author of “Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer” and its sequel, “Bloody Crimes: The Funeral for Abraham Lincoln and the Chase for Jefferson Davis,” will present a lecture titled “I give you my sprig of lilac: The Death and Funeral of Abraham Lincoln.” Swanson also wrote “End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy.”
In his lecture, “What We’ve Forgotten about Lincoln’s Funeral and What We’ve Never Known,” Fox will examine what the loss of Lincoln meant to citizens of his time. Fox is the author of the forthcoming “Lincoln’s Body: A Cultural History.”
The lectures are from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday in Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS. The lectures and a reception and book-signing that immediately will follow are free and open to the public.
The lectures were featured by The State Journal-Register on October 15, 2014.
Read the article online
This year’s speakers are James L. Swanson, senior legal scholar at The Heritage Foundation, and Richard Wightman Fox, professor of history at the University of Southern California.
Swanson, author of “Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer” and its sequel, “Bloody Crimes: The Funeral for Abraham Lincoln and the Chase for Jefferson Davis,” will present a lecture titled “I give you my sprig of lilac: The Death and Funeral of Abraham Lincoln.” Swanson also wrote “End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy.”
In his lecture, “What We’ve Forgotten about Lincoln’s Funeral and What We’ve Never Known,” Fox will examine what the loss of Lincoln meant to citizens of his time. Fox is the author of the forthcoming “Lincoln’s Body: A Cultural History.”
The lectures are from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday in Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS. The lectures and a reception and book-signing that immediately will follow are free and open to the public.
The lectures were featured by The State Journal-Register on October 15, 2014.
Read the article online
Cyber Security Awareness Month
Cyber Security Awareness Month is a time all of us who rely on electronics, who also need to keep them safe from hackers, leaks, and malware.
The IT department at the University of Illinois Springfield is educating students on how to keep cell phones and computers safe. This month on campus, they're checking out student's devices from computers to phones to make sure they're virus free.
The devices can also receive a special piece of software to protect them.
"It's everybody's job to make sure their systems are as secure as can be, because what you don't know can hurt you in this sort of environment. Anywhere from malware being propagated to from not only the internet but now from your machine, so making sure that your systems are as clean as can be," said Clayton Bellot, Security Analyst at the University of Illinois Springfield.
Analysts suggest checking the security settings on your computer, and regularly updating for virus software you might have because new threats are always coming out.
The story was reported by WICS-TV 20 on October 14, 2014.
Watch the story online
The IT department at the University of Illinois Springfield is educating students on how to keep cell phones and computers safe. This month on campus, they're checking out student's devices from computers to phones to make sure they're virus free.
The devices can also receive a special piece of software to protect them.
"It's everybody's job to make sure their systems are as secure as can be, because what you don't know can hurt you in this sort of environment. Anywhere from malware being propagated to from not only the internet but now from your machine, so making sure that your systems are as clean as can be," said Clayton Bellot, Security Analyst at the University of Illinois Springfield.
Analysts suggest checking the security settings on your computer, and regularly updating for virus software you might have because new threats are always coming out.
The story was reported by WICS-TV 20 on October 14, 2014.
Watch the story online
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Illinois Innocence Project receives quarter-million dollar grant
The University of Illinois in Springfield gets a quarter of a million dollars for a special project.
The money comes from the U.S. Department of Justice in the form of a grant, and will help fund the Illinois Innocence Project based at UIS. The group investigates credible claims of innocence and works to remedy wrongful convictions.
They receive over 300 requests a year for assistance. The grant will allow legal and student staff to continue working on potential cases.
"We are dependent upon grants and private contributions and whatever to help the university can provide for us in order to fund the project. So this is going to help in terms of funding legal staff to take the cases," said Larry Golden, founding director of Illinois Innocence Project.
The story was reported by WICS-TV 20 on September 17, 2014.
Watch the story online
The money comes from the U.S. Department of Justice in the form of a grant, and will help fund the Illinois Innocence Project based at UIS. The group investigates credible claims of innocence and works to remedy wrongful convictions.
They receive over 300 requests a year for assistance. The grant will allow legal and student staff to continue working on potential cases.
"We are dependent upon grants and private contributions and whatever to help the university can provide for us in order to fund the project. So this is going to help in terms of funding legal staff to take the cases," said Larry Golden, founding director of Illinois Innocence Project.
The story was reported by WICS-TV 20 on September 17, 2014.
Watch the story online
Monday, September 15, 2014
UIS hosts "War on Poverty" forum
It’s been 50 years since the “War on Poverty” was launched. Around 15% of Illinois residents currently live in poverty, the same percentage of a half century ago. Universities, non-profits, and other organizations are teaming up to draw attention to the unrelenting problem. The University of Illinois Springfield is hosting a series of poverty-related events in the coming year. The first was a “poverty simulation.”
The poverty simulation allows participants to maneuver their way through a world that nearly 2 million Illinois residents face 24/7. A family of four earning less than $24,000 a year is considered to be in poverty. And it's more of a problem among minorities and women. A half century after the national “War on Poverty” was declared, Christine Westerlund says there's still a long way to go.
“The war has not yet been won, but you know - the thing is what we need to do is bring awareness to the next generation that there (are) still issues that needs to be addressed - inequality that needs to be in conversation ... This is really what this is, is heightening awareness about poverty,” said Westerlund.
This event is the first part of a 'War on Poverty' forum being held at UIS - a film and panel discussion will follow in October and November.
The series was spotlighted by WUIS Public Radio on September 15, 2014.
Listen to the story online
The poverty simulation allows participants to maneuver their way through a world that nearly 2 million Illinois residents face 24/7. A family of four earning less than $24,000 a year is considered to be in poverty. And it's more of a problem among minorities and women. A half century after the national “War on Poverty” was declared, Christine Westerlund says there's still a long way to go.
“The war has not yet been won, but you know - the thing is what we need to do is bring awareness to the next generation that there (are) still issues that needs to be addressed - inequality that needs to be in conversation ... This is really what this is, is heightening awareness about poverty,” said Westerlund.
This event is the first part of a 'War on Poverty' forum being held at UIS - a film and panel discussion will follow in October and November.
The series was spotlighted by WUIS Public Radio on September 15, 2014.
Listen to the story online
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Unlikely friends part of UIS foreign/indie film series
The unofficial theme of the 2014 Fall Foreign and Independent Film Series could be “unlikely friends.”
The four-film series – which was released Wednesday with apologies for not being made available sooner – kicks off Friday at Brookens Auditorium at the University of Illinois Springfield.
All films begin at 7 p.m. Admission is free except where noted.
Sept. 5: Headlined by Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club” is set in the mid-1980s when AIDS was still a death sentence.
Oct. 3: Ralph Fiennes stars in Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” about the unlikely friendship between a hotel concierge and a lobby boy who must deal with the theft of a priceless painting.
Nov. 7: The 2011 French film “The Intouchables” is based on the true story of a disabled millionaire and the ex-con from a poor side of town who becomes his caretaker. Subtitled in English.
Dec. 5: “Born in Chicago” is a documentary about white teenagers from the Chicago area who frequented blues clubs on the city’s south side in the early 1960s to learn how to play blues music from the best. Tickets are required for this film because of the large anticipated audience. Call 206-6160 to reserve tickets.
The series was featured by The State Journal-Register on September 3, 2014.
Read the article online
The four-film series – which was released Wednesday with apologies for not being made available sooner – kicks off Friday at Brookens Auditorium at the University of Illinois Springfield.
All films begin at 7 p.m. Admission is free except where noted.
Sept. 5: Headlined by Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club” is set in the mid-1980s when AIDS was still a death sentence.
Oct. 3: Ralph Fiennes stars in Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” about the unlikely friendship between a hotel concierge and a lobby boy who must deal with the theft of a priceless painting.
Nov. 7: The 2011 French film “The Intouchables” is based on the true story of a disabled millionaire and the ex-con from a poor side of town who becomes his caretaker. Subtitled in English.
Dec. 5: “Born in Chicago” is a documentary about white teenagers from the Chicago area who frequented blues clubs on the city’s south side in the early 1960s to learn how to play blues music from the best. Tickets are required for this film because of the large anticipated audience. Call 206-6160 to reserve tickets.
The series was featured by The State Journal-Register on September 3, 2014.
Read the article online
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Local expert explains Ebola virus
There has been a lot of talk about the Ebola virus lately, especially with Americans who have contracted the disease coming back to the states. Many people are not quite sure how it spreads. We got the chance to talk to an expert on the topic.
Josiah Alamu, a University of Illinois Springfield professor from West Africa, explained to us how the disease spreads, and how the cultural aspect contributes to the rapid spreading of the disease as well.
"Ebola is extremely infectious when somebody shows signs and symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea during the later stage before death," Alamu said. "So people who are caring for these people have already had contact with the fluid, the secretion, the urine, the vomiting, you know all those things, and they also have been exposed."
Alamu says caretakers share the news of the patients with families of friends and spread the disease to even more people during this time. He also says it was difficult to get a handle on Ebola sooner because they don't trust other countries, so it was hard for them to get the assistance.
Alamu was featured by WICS-TV 20 on August 6, 2014.
Watch the story online
Josiah Alamu, a University of Illinois Springfield professor from West Africa, explained to us how the disease spreads, and how the cultural aspect contributes to the rapid spreading of the disease as well.
"Ebola is extremely infectious when somebody shows signs and symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea during the later stage before death," Alamu said. "So people who are caring for these people have already had contact with the fluid, the secretion, the urine, the vomiting, you know all those things, and they also have been exposed."
Alamu says caretakers share the news of the patients with families of friends and spread the disease to even more people during this time. He also says it was difficult to get a handle on Ebola sooner because they don't trust other countries, so it was hard for them to get the assistance.
Alamu was featured by WICS-TV 20 on August 6, 2014.
Watch the story online
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