9.3.24
Happy Tuesday, UIS:
It has been amazing to see campus come alive once again. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone at the Faculty and Staff Academic Year Kickoff and at New Student Convocation. In case you were unable to attend Kickoff, a is available. I am confident that this academic year will be exceptional.
New Information
New Card Readers
During the fall semester, card reader locks will be installed at the Public Affairs Center (PAC) building鈥檚 exterior tower entrances to enhance event security and streamline ticket operations for the Performing Arts Center. During events, access to the PAC may be restricted. While these changes may cause some inconvenience, they are crucial for ensuring the safety of our community.
New Parking Policy
The new proposed UIS parking policy is available online for comments by members of the university through Sept. 12.
Social Media Accessibility Training
At 10 a.m. Sept. 13, the Office of Media Strategy will host a for using required accessibility features, such as alt text and closed captioning, on unit social media accounts. UIS requires that all units use these features to comply with the U.S. Department of Justice鈥檚 new .
Faculty Experts and Speakers Page
Faculty members鈥攗pdate your biographical information so it appears on . Visit and search for your name. Next, scroll to the bottom and click 鈥渆dit.鈥� Click the 鈥淯pdate biography, area of specialization, or area of expertise鈥� link, and provide your information.
Submit Your AI Research Project
UIS is curating a list of AI research projects, completed or in progress, by UIS faculty, students and/or staff. This initiative will help bring together all the great research and showcase it on the . If you have an AI research project you are involved in, please or to guide best practice and preparation for swift developments in the field.
Reminders about Library Resources
Brookens Library has a including course reserves, instruction consultations and access to resources like the I-Share catalog, and a subscription to The State Journal-Register. Additionally, the library is leading a $102,668 Open Educational Resources (OER) grant to enhance courses and reduce textbook costs for students.
ITS are available to support you and our students. Classroom and lab computers have been upgraded to Windows 11, and HyFlex classrooms have been enhanced with new teaching tools. Faculty can also access resources like , and for classroom support.
through . These flexible, practical courses cover a range of topics, including instructional design and technology integration, and are designed to help you excel as an online educator.
Information that Bears Repeating
Lincoln Legacy Lecture: Sept. 12
The UIS Center for Lincoln Studies will host the focusing on 鈥淟incoln and Political Conflict,鈥� at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 12 in the Student Union Ballroom. The lecture is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged.
Celebrating Our Star Power
Please join me in welcoming the for Fall 2024. These educators bring a wealth of expertise and passion to their respective fields, enriching the academic environment and furthering UIS' commitment to excellence and innovation.
Congratulations to Jacob Friefeld, PhD, director of the Center for Lincoln Studies, for winning a in the nonfiction history category for his book, 鈥淭he First Migrants,鈥� co-authored with Richard Edwards. Published by Bison Books, the book examines the migration of Black homesteaders to the Great Plains from 1877 to 1920.
Michele Gribbins, EdD, has been named Associate Provost for Institutional Research and Effectiveness (APIRE). We look forward to enhanced capacity in the areas of institutional research and institutional effectiveness under Dr. Gribbins' leadership.
Getting to Know You
This is a new section of the newsletter that I鈥檝e been wanting to implement for some time. We have so many amazing people working at UIS, I thought this would be a great opportunity to spotlight an employee in each newsletter.
This week I would like to introduce Mike Hermann, our new Athletic Director. Read about Mike鈥檚 past work experience, his midwestern upbringing and love of pie on Orbit.
Have a great week!
Janet
Janet L. Gooch, PhD
Chancellor
University of Illinois Springfield
P.S. If you have a topic you鈥檇 like me to consider for my newsletter, . I love to highlight your news, events and accolades.