Academic Portfolio Review Task Force

At the November 22 meeting of the Academic Portfolio Review Task Force, members met with the Interim Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Ken Kriz, who addressed questions on how the university calculated financial metrics. Task force members reviewed and discussed the university mission and the alignment of program review criteria with the mission. Discussions continued on the higher-level criteria to be included in the portfolio review process and the detailed measures and metrics under each.

UIS Course Survey Update

Refinements to the new UIS Course Survey app are nearing completion. In addition to the next walk-through informational session on Wednesday, several opportunities are also planned for early Spring 2025 semester.   

We hope you will be able to attend one of the walk-through informational sessions listed below.

• Wednesday, December 4, 3-3:45pm, UHB 2024 or join via Zoom
• Friday, January 31, 10-10:45am, location TBA
• Monday, February 3, 4-4:45pm, location TBA

HLC Quality Initiative Focus Group Update

Thanks to faculty, students, and staff who participated in seven focus group sessions earlier this month to explore university priorities as part of the HLC Quality Initiative. The study sought to gather detailed insights on three main themes identified in a survey distributed in the spring of this year: improving student retention and graduation rates, enhancing student services, and assessing general education outcomes. Early analysis of the results suggests various potential areas of focus, such as students’ financial constraints, advising, awareness and access to student services, and support for diverse student populations. Other emerging topics include the need for better communication and enhanced community building to foster a sense of belonging.

Academic Summer Camp 2025

The Office of Undergraduate Education is Interest forms are invited by December 6 for academic summer camps 2025. UIS hosts camps each year to help area high school students explore career options, gain practical skills through hands-on learning and have an unforgettable summer experience. Camps are taught by our world-class faculty, and can be a single day or multiple days and delivered on campus, online, or in a hybrid setting. Continuing and Professional Education (CAPE) will assist programs/faculty with planning, development, registration, collecting tuition, and marketing. Access to the CAPE Moodle LMS platform is also available. View photos from previous camps.

Important Business and Finance Updates

• Payments to Students: If you are involved in processing assistantship, fellowship, award, grant, research support, scholarship, or other payments to students, please take a moment to review the most recent update.
• FCIAA - Annual Internal Control Evaluation: Annually, unit heads and financial officers are required to submit FCIAA (Fiscal Control and Internal Auditing Act) Certification for each of their respective units. Resources are available to help you learn about the various roles in the FCIAA process, how to critically review internal controls, and identify internal control weaknesses; and think more critically and objectively about your own processes and controls. Visit Fiscal Control and Internal Auditing Act (FCIAA) for an application link, critical dates, and training materials.
• Travel Insurance update: University of Illinois System employees traveling internationally on system business are required to enroll in international travel insurance. View the policy update 
• Timely travel expense reimbursement: Employees are required to submit expense reports for travel expenses within 60 days of when the travel occurred. Reimbursement requests submitted by the expense owner more than 60 days after an expense is incurred may be reported as taxable income unless a reasonable justification for the delay is approved. Link to travel reimbursement policy information.

Grant Proposal and Resubmission Support

• Grant Resubmission Program: The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) is excited to offer a Grant Resubmission Program designed for faculty and staff seeking to improve their grant proposals after a denial. By working closely with Samantha Coad, our experienced UIS grant writer, and ORSP staff, you will receive tailored support to refine your proposal, address reviewer feedback, and enhance the quality of your submission. Personalized meetings, development of a revision timeline, assistance in identifying new funding opportunities, and peer review panels are included. The goal is to increase success rates in securing external grants by offering comprehensive guidance throughout the resubmission process. If you're interested in resubmitting your proposal, please contact ORSP to arrange a meeting and take advantage of this valuable resource. Read more about the Grant Resubmission Program.
• Illinois Innovation Grant Writing Workshops: On November 11, the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) released a Notice of Funding Opportunities to support research projects in sustainability. To support faculty and enhance the success of grant proposals, the ORSP is pleased to offer a grant writing workshop on December 19 (time and place TBA). This workshop will provide valuable insights and strategies for crafting competitive proposals. Due to limited space, participation is capped at 10 people. If you are interested in attending, please email ORSP at ora@uis.edu to express interest and secure your spot.