UIS celebrates its 50th anniversary

The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this academic year.

UIS Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney said the university began as an upstart campus in a temporary building. Now, it is ranked as the No. 1 public regional university in the state by U.S. News & World Report.

On June 10, 1969, former Illinois Gov. Richard Ogilvie signed legislation to create Sangamon State University (SSU), which later became UIS.

SSU was considered an "upper-level" three-year university. It offered junior, senior, and graduate courses.

Then, on Sept. 28, 1970, university staff began teaching 811 students in temporary classrooms at First United Methodist Church in Springfield due to construction delays.

The first day of classes on UIS' present campus was held on Oct. 5, 1970.

The university recently hung billboards in the capital city with its 50th anniversary logo and tagline: "Bold Legacy. Bright Future."

UIS also plans to celebrate the milestone on social media.

This story appeared on WICS Newschannel 20 on September 2, 2020.

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Thoughts on Creating an Inclusive Environment in Online Classes

The following article was written by Ray Schroeder, Associate Vice Chancellor or Online Learning at the University of Illinois Springfield.

In preparing for the fall term, most colleges and universities are responding to the renewed public consciousness about equality, inclusiveness and fairness for all students.

As we reflect on American history and, in particular, the history of our institutions of higher education, we see that in so many conscious and unconscious ways we have failed in our responsibility to promote the core values we express as a society, most notably inclusion and equity. The country has been reminded that Black lives matter -- not that all lives don’t matter -- but, that despite the Civil War, despite Emancipation, despite the civil rights legislation over the years, we still are not equally united across racial, cultural and gender lines. This is abundantly clear in widely reported horrifying acts of racial violence against minorities, but is also evident in the disparity of salaries for the same work, disparity of diversity in positions of prominence and disparity in preparedness and success of youth entering higher education. Polls show that most Americans agree that we must do better. And the time to renew our commitment is today.

The opportunities to begin to make a difference are endless through the online platform, where that platform is equitably available. Not limited to students recruited to the campus, not limited to students who can relocate and come to campus, online programs reach across cultures and locations to serve students where they are. And yet, minority and low-income students do not thrive at the same rates as others in the current system. So where can we begin in developing more successful diverse and inclusive online programs?

This article appeared in Inside Higher Ed on August 26, 2020.

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Former University High basketball player Destiny Ramsey hired as assistant coach at the University of Illinois Springfield

When plotting one's future, it doesn't hurt to have a Plan B in case Plan A doesn't pan out.

Destiny Ramsey, to her credit, also has a Plan C, but every potential dream job she is contemplating includes coaching basketball, too.

The former University High School player's current multi-tasking situation finds her as the new assistant coach for the women's team at her alma mater, the University of Illinois Springfield, where she will also be pursuing a master's degree in business administration and a certificate in human resource management while working remotely part-time for the Chris Mizell State Farm Agency in Bloomington.

"I don't know life without being busy," said Ramsey, who hasn't pinpointed exactly what she wants to do.

Ramsey's new coaching job is on the staff of third-year UIS head coach Casey Thousand, whose program went 9-19 last season. Ramsey spent the past two seasons as a volunteer assistant working with post players at Illinois Central College, which went 57-10 with her help and reached the 2019 national tournament.

"It's an honor," Ramsey said of her new assignment.

This story appeared in the The Pantagraph on August 27, 2020..

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