8.7.23
Happy Monday, UIS!
I’m looking forward to fall semester beginning in a few short weeks. While the summer break is always a welcome reprieve, there’s nothing like the excitement in August when campus is bustling again. We’re already ramping up in many ways, and you’ll see this reflected in the lengthy list of important items listed below. Bear with me as you scroll…and scroll. It was all too timely and important not to share with you.
New Information
Innovation Center, Innovate Springfield and Lincoln Studies Leadership
Congratulations to Rob Kerr, new executive director of innovation and opportunity. Rob has more than 20 years of experience in economic development, innovation and entrepreneurship, most recently serving as the director of Continuing and Professional Education (CAPE) at UIS.
Welcome to Ben Hage, the new director of Innovate Springfield, who began Aug. 1. Ben is a leader in entrepreneurship, leadership development and business education.
And welcome to Jacob Friefeld, the new director of the Center for Lincoln Studies, beginning Aug. 16. Dr. Friefeld comes to us from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and has been actively involved in public history initiatives and scholarly work.
Faculty-Staff Academic Year Kickoff Meeting, Aug. 24
Faculty and staff are invited to launch the new academic year at a kickoff meeting from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, in the Student Union ballroom. This will be an opportunity similar to our former Faculty Convocation event — hear from the chancellor, provost and vice chancellors about their vision for the year ahead and meet new members of our team. More information will be shared soon.
UIS Institute for Race, Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice
The new Institute for Race, Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice, housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, will offer academic programs, develop community partnerships and outreach, and conduct research to help address social justice issues in central Illinois and beyond. This is a step toward improved training for our employees and enhanced recruitment of diverse students and employees. Read more.
AI Involvement
We are doing several things to help curate our work around Artificial Intelligence. First, we ask anyone doing work in this space to let us know via the AI Involvement Form. Second, an AI news category has been added on the website so that articles can be earmarked as AI-related. This will help us highlight employees’ work and to have a reference when needed for potential new funding sources.
New Recruitment Opportunity for Quad Cities and St. Louis Students
Beginning in fall 2024, on-campus undergraduate students from certain counties in Missouri and Iowa will be eligible for UIS in-state tuition. Read more.
Support Student-Athletes
The men’s and women’s soccer teams begin competition Aug. 16 and 17, respectively. Let’s give them a good turnout to start their season off right! Volleyball and cross country will be in season soon as well. Athletics schedule.
Register for Fall Grad Week
Our online Grad Week events continue to be a great recruitment tool! Programs should register to participate for Fall Grad Week by Aug. 28. We’re inviting prospective students to an Oct. 9 Open House for in-person recruitment opportunities for programs (more info coming soon).
Save the Date: Professional Development Retreat
Please mark your calendars for the morning of Sept. 15 for a half-day professional development opportunity open to Civil Service employees, Academic Professional employees and Faculty. More info is forthcoming, including how to register.
No Mail Services Today, Aug. 7
UIS Campus Services Mail will not be staffed on Monday, Aug. 7, so there will be no mail pickup or delivery. If you have time-sensitive or critical outgoing mail, please call or email Patty Sullivan (psull1@uis.edu) or email UIS Print/Publications so alternate arrangements can be made.
Information that Bears Repeating
Updates to Campus Facilities
Reminder: Facilities and Services is renovating and moving select units to use available space more efficiently on campus and better centralize offices for student convenience and staff operations throughout fall semester. Read the latest update on Orbit.
Celebrating our Star Power
- Associate Professor Sudeep Sharma recently shared his research on conflict management and negotiation challenges at the University of Trento in Italy.
- Professor Peter Boltuc has joined one of the top Artificial General Intelligence teams in the world, exploring ways to incorporate AGI into businesses. He wants to find ways to use AGI to make business offerings more valuable to consumers.
- Congrats to Public Affairs Reporting for earning a two-year, $100,000 grant from the Joyce Foundation!
- Emeritus Professor Raymond Schroeder was honored with the inaugural UPCEA Leadership Award for the Advancement of Digital Learning.
- Forbes has named our bachelor’s degree in English a top online program for 2023.
- A job well done to faculty who were approved for tenure and promotion—10 total! Make sure to congratulate your colleagues when you see them on campus this fall.
- Congratulations to July employee of the month Ardis Livingston, electrician for Building Maintenance: “Simply put, Ardis is a self-starter who works daily to improve the infrastructure and work environment for UIS students and employees,” said his supervisor.
- Congrats to the following Enrollment and Retention Management employees on changes in their roles:
- Aleta Carlberg will be adding coordination of retention data to her job responsibilities as Associate Director of Records and Registration.
- Brian Clevenger will move from Senior Director of ERM/Registrar to the position of Associate Vice Chancellor for ERM.
- Lea Smith will be moving into the role of Director of Records and Registration/Registrar.
Thank you for reading this far and for all the hard work reflected above. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon and for a semester full of excitement and progress.
Janet
Janet L. Gooch, PhD
Chancellor
University of Illinois Springfield