Books of the Year: The Top Five

Dr. Michael Burlingame’s book “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” has been picked by The Atlantic Monthly magazine as one of the top five books of 2009. Burlingame is a professor of history at the University of Illinois Springfield and holds the Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies.

Read more online at:
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200912/books2009

Download a PDF of the article:
20091116-Atlantic-Monthly-Books-2009.pdf

U of I graduate instructors go on strike

Officials at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign say classes are continuing after graduate instructors went on strike.

The strike hasn’t been felt at the U of I Springfield because graduate assistants are handled differently at each campus.

“We do not have any graduate assistants not showing up for work today,” said Leslie DeFrates, assistant to the vice chancellor for graduate education and research at UIS. “We don’t use graduate assistants as instructors of record,” she said. “We do have teaching assistants, but they assist professors in areas such as tutoring and grading papers.”

DeFrates' comments were featured in an November 16, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20091116-SJR-U-of-I-graduate-instru.pdf

U of I committee starts presidential search

The retiring president of the University of Illi­nois got a standing ovation at his final meeting of the school’s board of trustees.

Meeting in Springfield, the board also ap­pointed a 19-member committee, including for­mer Springfield Mayor Karen Hasara, to search for a new president. The committee will be chaired by trustee Pamela Strobel.

Also appointed to the committee from the Uni­versity of Illinois Springfield were:

* Faculty members Tih-Fen Ting, chair of the campus senate and associate professor of envi­ronmental studies, and James Patrick Hall, di­rector of the MBA program and vice chair of the campus senate.

* Student representative Charles Olivier, vice president of the Student Government Associa­tion. He is an undergraduate in accountancy and business administration.

The appointments were reported in an November 13, 2009 State Journal-Register article.

Download a PDF of the article:
20091113-SJR-U-of-I-committee.pdf

U of I President Apologizes, Search for New President

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees has picked a committee to search for a new president for the university.

The U of I Board of Trustees meeting took place all day at UIS Thursday. The meeting started off with an apology from President B. Joesph White. He told the board he regrets the admissions problems at occured at the Urbana campus.

The Springfield meeting was featured in a live report on WICS-TV 20 on November 12, 2009.

Watch the report online:
http://www.wics.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wics_vid_916.shtml

Washington's Escue Signs with UI-Springfield

Grant Escue likes to be first.

The Washington senior is one of the first recruits for the new baseball program at Illinois-Springfield. Escue signed his National Letter of Intent with UIS Thursday.

"I think I might have been one of the first guys to officially commit to the program which is unique," said Escue. "Not too many guys can say that. I think that's pretty cool. It means a lot."

Escue was featured on November 12, 2009 in a sports report on WMBD-TV in Peoria.

Watch the report online:
http://centralillinoisproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=86421

Eck ends 31-year career with Prairie Stars

After 31 years, today is the first day Joe Eck is no longer with the Prairie Stars’ men’s soccer program, first with Sangamon State University and, since 1995, with the University of Illinois Springfield.

Eck, 54, announced his retirement earlier this month, citing family and employment reasons. Eck has worked at the university since 1981 and is assistant director for planning at the Department of Facilities and Services.

He said the school’s transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II status has “drastically increased” the paperwork associated with his part-time job as soccer coach.

Eck's story was featured in an October 26, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20091026-SJR-Eck-ends-31-year-career.pdf

Springfield looking more like a college town

No one is going to confuse Springfield with Ann Arbor or South Bend, but there's a sense that it might be becoming a bit of a college town.

“If it’s going to be a college town, it will be UIS driving it,” said Richard Ringeisen, chancellor at UIS.

UIS’s campus has taken on a more collegiate look in recent years, with a quad, a central colonnade, two 200-bed residence halls for freshmen and sophomores, and a new recreation and athletic center.

Ringeisen's comments were featured in an October 12, 2009 edition of the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20091012-SJR-Springfield-college-town.pdf

UIS Notes: Basketball season starts later for Prairie Stars

In past years, basketball season already would have tipped off for the University of Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars.

The program’s move to NCAA Division II from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has pushed the first day of men’s and women’s basketball practice to Thursday.

“It starts a little later than NAIA,” UIS men’s basketball coach Kevin Gamble said. “NAIA started practicing Oct. 1, whereas we’re starting Oct. 15.”

The story was featured in an October 9, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20091009-SJR-UIS-Notes-Basketball-sea.pdf

UIS adding new undergrad degree program

The University of Illinois Springfield is adding a 23rd undergraduate degree program that is expected to attract 25 students next year.

The state Board of Higher Education approved the Management Information Systems bachelor’s degree for UIS at its meeting in Chicago on Tuesday.

The undergraduate major is designed to provide students with a balance of technical skills and business knowledge and to prepare them for employment in private and public sectors in a changing global economy.

The announcement was featured in an October 8, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20091008-SJR-UIS-adding-new-undergra.pdf

Pep rally kicks off UIS homecoming week

Homecoming activities kick off today (Monday) at the University of Illinois Springfield and later in the week include a parade, a barbecue and varsity soccer games.

UIS Family Weekend also coincides with homecoming events on Saturday and Sunday.

The theme of the 2009 event is “There’s No Place Like Homecoming.”

The homecoming schedule was published in a September 28, 2009 edition of the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090928-SJR-UIS-homecoming-activiti.pdf

Student loan defaults up, but cause unclear

Figures released this week by the U.S. Department of Education show an increase in the student loan default rate, and Illinois numbers bear that out, too -- though the details vary among individual colleges and universities.

At the University of Illinois Springfield, the student loan default rate improved slightly. The most recent rate was 3.8 percent, compared with 3.9 percent for the prior year.

Gerard Joseph, director of financial assistance at UIS, said the school -- like many others -- tries to encourage students to borrow only what they need.

The story was featured in a September 18, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090918-SJR-Student-loan-defaults.pdf

Garrison Keillor cancels appearance in Illinois

Humorist Garrison Keillor has canceled an appearance at the University of Illinois-Springfield a week after suffering a minor stroke.

Keillor, host of A Prairie Home Companion, on Monday canceled the performance scheduled for Sept. 21. It will be rescheduled.

The news was featured in a September 14, 2009 article in the Chicago Tribune.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090915-Trib-Garrison-Keillor.pdf

Enrollment up at UIS

More students than ever before are attending the University of Illinois Springfield this fall.

Enrollment figures released this week for UIS show a record 4,961 students enrolled for the fall semester, a 5 percent increase over last fall’s 4,711 students.

Chancellor Richard Ringeisen said the higher figures “demonstrate the value attached to the high-quality education UIS delivers for students from all over Illinois.”

The enrollment numbers were featured in a September 11, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090911-SJR-UIS-enrollment.pdf

Law degree pays off for UIS compliance officer

Sports have always been a part of Alison Fitzgerald's life, now she's brought that passion to the University of Illinois Springfield.

The 26-year-old is consumed with athletics as it relates to the Great Lakes Valley Conference and NCAA Division II. Fitzgerald is the assistant director of athletics for compliance at the University of Illinois Springfield. It’s her job to know the NCAA and GLVC rules and regulations and keep the Prairie Stars’ athletic department in line with them.

Fitzgerald was featured in a September 11, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090911-SJR-UIS-compliance-officer.pdf

College grant cutoff devastating for some

Charles Olivier last year received about $1,200 toward his tuition and fees at the University of Illinois Springfield from a state program that helps students based on need

Olivier, a junior, will get another $600 during this year’s fall semester. But because of state budget cuts, he is scheduled to get $0 for the spring semester as every other Monetary Award Program grant recipient.

“It is a program aimed at our neediest students,” said UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen. “We’re aware that it’s a big problem.

The MAP grant story was featured in a September 10, 2009 edition of the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090910-SJR-MAPGrant.pdf

Quinn names former Springfield mayor, 4 others to U of I board

Gov. Pat Quinn appointed five new members Friday to the University of Illinois board of trustees, including former Springfield Mayor Karen Hasara, who earned two degrees from the University of Illinois Springfield.

UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen praised Quinn’s decision to appoint Hasara. “It is really an exciting moment for UIS,” he said. He said he is almost certain Hasara is the first UIS alumnus on the board of trustees.

Ringeisen's comments were featured in a September 5, 2009 edition of the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090905-SJR-Quinn-names-former-Spr.pdf

Former Springfield Mayor Appointed to U of I Board of Trustees

Governor Pat Quinn appointed former Springfield Mayor and UIS alumnus Karen Hasara to serve on the U of I Board of Trustees.

Reporter Catie Sheehan from WICS-TV 20 interviewd UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen for the story that aired on September 4, 2009.

Watch the full video of the report:
http://www.wics.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wics_vid_482.shtml

MAP Grant funding cut for Spring

State cuts to MAP Grant funding for the Spring 2010 semester were featured in a WICS-TV 20 report on the 10:00 p.m. news on September 2, 2009. UIS students Charles Olivier and Jaime Casinova were interviewed about how the funding cut will impact them.

Reporter Kelly Larson also set down with UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen to talk about what the university is doing to help students.

Watch the full video of the report online:
http://www.wics.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wics_vid_467.shtml

Peoria woman struggles through 'nightmare' year

It hasn't been a good year for Tenshar Farmer. The 35-year-old Peorian lost her job, her home and so far has been unable to collect unemployment insurance.

But she's not giving up. This fall, she plans to resume taking classes at Illinois Central College through the University of Illinois at Springfield.

The agreement with ICC was featured in an August 29, 2009, article in the Peoria Journal-Star.

Download a PDF of the article.

20090829-PJS-Peoriawoman.pdf

Quinn reversal criticism

Governor Pat Quinn is facing criticism after reversing himself on his second major decision in two days. Political experts question if the decision will factor into Quinn's re-election chances.

Quinn's meandering ways could become a thorny issue, said Charles Wheeler, a former statehouse reporter who teaches at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

"It's kind of inside baseball," Wheeler said, "but it becomes a liability when it allows people to present you as an ineffective leader."

Wheeler's comments were featured in an August 30, 2009, article in the Chicago Tribune.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090830-Trib-QuinnWheeler.pdf

Prairie Stars roll past Blackburn in opener

Before Friday’s season opener, University of Illinois Springfield men’s soccer coach Joe Eck said his team needed to set the tempo for the season in the Prairie Stars’ first year in NCAA Division II.

The Prairie Stars scheduled the right opponent to get off on the right foot as they beat Blackburn College 5-1 at Kiwanis Stadium.

The win was featured in an August 28, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090828-SJR-UISBlackburn.pdf

UIS soccer team will face former rivals in GLVC

This men’s soccer season will be a reunion of sorts for the University of Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars. After 31 years in the NAIA the Prairie Stars will reunite with old rivals Rockhurst, Wisconsin-Parkside, Lewis and Quincy in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference.

The Prairie Stars were ranked 13th out of the 15 GLVC teams in the preseason coaches’ poll.

“I don’t think we should be 13th, but if I were in the other coaches’ shoes, I’m not sure I’d vote any differently, either,” said UIS coach Joe Eck, who has guided the Prairie Stars since 2002.

The team was featured in an August 28, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090828-SJR-UISsoccer.pdf

UIS women's volleyball and soccer ready for GLVC

University of Illinois Springfield's volleyball coach Angie Riggle and women's soccer coach Pete Kowall talk about their teams getting ready for their first year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

The teams were featured in an August 26, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article.
UIS%20women%20volleyball%20and%20soccer%20preview.pdf

Political ties, scholarships dovetail

An Associated Press analysis of General Assembly scholarships and state political contribution records found that between 2004 and 2009, at least 41 scholarships went to relatives of someone who gave money to the lawmaker awarding the perk.

"When you engage in behavior that has the appearance of conflict of interest, whether it does or not, that just reinforces people's cynicism," said Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Redfield's comments on the topic were featured in the August 25, 2009, Chicago Tribune.

Download a PDF of the article
20090825-Tribune-Political%20ties.pdf

Quinn and LaHood Illinois River Honors

Gov. Pat Quinn and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will be honored in October for their bipartisan leadership in advancing restoration and protection efforts of the Illinois River.

One longtime political observer believes it is too soon to honor a sitting governor with a permanent marker. "It's not a huge deal, but it will strike some people as trying to curry favor with someone who has power over budgets and signs legislation," said Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's comments on the topic were featured in the August 24, 2009, Peoria Journal-Star.

Download a PDF of the article
20090825-PJS-Quinn%20and%20LaHood.pdf

US News and World Report ranks UIS fourth best in Midwest for second year

The University of Illinois Springfield has maintained its rankings from last year in U.S. News & World Report’s 2010 edition of America’s Best Colleges.

UIS is ranked as the best public university — master’s category — in Illinois and the fourth-best public university in that category in the entire Midwest. UIS held the same rankings in the 2009 edition.

The rankings were featured in an August 21, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090821-SJR-USNewsrankings.pdf

Grunzke hired as baseball coach for UIS

UIS athletic director Rodger Jehlicka announced Friday that Brian Grunzke will coach the baseball program at the university starting in the 2010-11 school year.

The news was featured in an August 21, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090821-SJR-baseballcoach.pdf

Move-in day for freshmen at UIS

UIS freshmen students were moving into the dorms on Wednesday, August 19th. Most students were able to get their belongings inside before tornado sirens sounded mid-afternoon.

The move-in process was featured in an August 20, 2009, article of the State Journal -Register and on WICS TV.

Download a PDF of the article

UIS%20freshmen%20move%20into%20dorms.pdf

To view the story go here

First case of H1N1 confirmed at UIS

The first case of HIN1 flu has been confirmed at the UIS, and health service officials are taking precautions.

The news was reported in an August 19, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090818-SJR-H1N1.pdf

UIS confirms H1N1 case

UIS has had its first confirmed case of the H1N1 virus on campus. The news was featured during a segment of the August 18, 2009, airing of WICS News Channel 20.

To view the story, go here.

UIS hosts event at Emiquon Preserve for meteor shower

Many members of the Springfield and surrounding areas gathered at Thompson Lake at the Emiquon Preserve on Tuesday night, August 11, to view the Perseid Meteor Shower. The Sangamon Astronomical Society had telescopes set up for viewing and UIS physics and astronomy professor John Martin was on hand to explain the meteor shower.

The event was featured in an August 15, 2009, article of the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090815-SJR-meteorshower.pdf

Quinn gets questioned about using private phone for work

Gov. Pat Quinn uses his own BlackBerry for government business, saying it saves taxpayers the cost of providing an official cell phone, but the practice also allows the governor to avoid public records laws.

Keeping tabs on politicians through public records, including the telephone numbers called on a state phone, helps to maintain public confidence, said Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's comments on the topic were featured in the August 10, 2009, Chicago Tribune.

Download a PDF of the article
20090810-ChicagoTrib-QuinnBlackberry.pdf

Budget forces universities to reexamine on-line learning enrollment restrictions

The University of Illinois at Springfield capped online classes at 20 students each more than a decade ago.

During a distance-education conference Ray Schroeder, director of UIS' Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning, raised the prospect that the university and others may have to reexamine online-enrollment restrictions as budget pressures mount.

Schroeder was featured in an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Dowload a pdf of the article
20090807-Chroniclehighered-onlinelearning.pdf

Bradley announces retirement from WUIS

Since January 1975, WUIS has had only one news director, and public radio listeners around Springfield have woken up to Rich Bradley’s voice for more than three decades.

But this week, Bradley announced he would retire from the station at the end of September.

Bradley's career and upcoming retirement were the focus of an August 6, 2009, feature in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090806-SJR-RichBradley.pdf

Note-sharing on the Web levels academic playing field

The development of free note-sharing Web sites, where students upload their class notes to share with their peers, has begun to create an open stockpile of downloadable information that some say is further leveling the academic playing field.

Karen Pressley, professor of psychology at UIS and chair of the academic integrity council, says that note-sharing sites could be concerning but it depends on how students actually use them.

The topic was the feature of an August 5, 2009, article on Inside Higher Ed.

Download a PDF of the article
20090805-InsideHigherEd-notesharing.pdf

Quinn faces dilemma over campaign finance bill

Gov. Pat Quinn is now considering reforming his campaign finance bill, although rewriting it would send the bill back to lawmakers, where it would face an uncertain future amid competing political agendas.

He'll be criticized regardless of what he does, according to Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

The topic was featured in an August 2, 2009, article in the Chicago Tribune.

Download a PDF of the article
20090802-ChiTrib-campaignfinancebill.pdf

First-year students preparing to move in

UIS resident assistant Chase Schneider gave insight into what college students should think about bringing to school with them when they move in to the dormitories or residence halls. Schneider's comments were featured in an August 4, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090804-SJR-movingindorms.pdf

Editorial says professor's arguments are correct regarding ethics in state

The State Journal-Register ran an editorial on July 31, 2009, calling for modifications to the state ethics bill.

The editorial mentions Charlie Wheeler, director of the public affairs reporting program at UIS, who argued recently in Illinois Issues magazine that the legislature did its job extinguishing the ethical fires disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich left within the executive branch. The article says that Wheeler's opinions are correct.

Download a PDF of the article
20090731-SJR-ethicsbill.pdf

UIS student heads to Switzerland for Global Model United Nations Conference

Kelsey Quinn, senior at UIS, is spending the weekend of August 1 in Geneva, Switzerland, where she will be portraying a United Nations delegate from Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Global Model U.N. Conference.

Quinn and her trip to the conference was the subject of a feature story in the July 28, 2009, Daily Chronicle.

Download a PDF of the article
20090728-DailyChronicle-KelseyQuinnUN.pdf

UIS professor explains changes in governors' offices

The state is already looking ahead to the next gubernatorial race, and UIS political science professor Chris Mooney was recently interviewed by Chicago Public Radio about the change in the governors' offices.

Listen to the interview here or download a PDF of the story's synopsis
20090730-ChiPublicRadio-governor.pdf

UIS mentioned in national article about online learning and technology

The world is getting smaller and smaller with the emergence of new technology every day, and the Web provides countless opportunities for online learning.

Technology and online learning was the topic of an article in the August 2009 Chief Learning Officer magazine, which mentioned UIS' online learning and degree programs.

Download a PDF of the article
200908-ChiefLearningOffice-onlinelearning.pdf

Capital spending plan criticized for giving money to private entities

When Gov. Pat Quinn signed a $31 billion capital spending measure this month, he and lawmakers who approved the bill touted the many state benefits the plan would create, not to mention jobs.

But a system in which party caucuses divvy up millions of dollars for private entities such as theaters, veterans groups, museums and zoos is not a good system, according to others, including Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's comments on the topic were featured in a July 26, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090726-SJR-capitalspending.pdf

Global Campus renamed "e-Learning Initiative"

The Global Campus Initiative, an e-learning effort that will expand educational access to other student populations, has been renamed "e-Learning Initiative." It was discussed during a meeting of the UI Chancellors and Provostial Committee.

UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen said the primary goal was a “grass roots faculty movement” to provide the support and innovation e-LI needs. The budget requested for e-LI was $3.8 million over 3 to 5 years, helping to compensate for an anticipated 4,000 new students, Ringeisen said.

Ringeisen's comments were featured in a July 23, 2009, article in the Daily Illini about the new initiative.

Download a PDF of the article
20090723-DI-elearninginitiative.pdf

Furlough days a possibility for U of I

A message from University of Illinois President B. Joseph White and the chancellors at the three U of I campuses went out alerting staff and faculty that unpaid furlough days may be considered as a way to alleviate any budget deficits.

The topic was featured in a July 22, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the story
20090722-SJR-furlough%20days.pdf

Lawmakers also played big part in U of I admissions scandal

The uproar over the admissions policy at the University of Illinois has focused mainly on campus officials, but state lawmakers pulled the majority of strings that set off the crisis over money and political influence.

A call from a legislator carries clout, according to Kent Redfield, a professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's comments were featured in a July 20, 2009, Associated Press article about the U of I admissions process.

Download a PDF of the article
20090720-AP-UIadmissions.pdf

Surprise item for UIS shows up on capitol projects plan

From the $31 billion in capital projects approved this week by Gov. Pat Quinn, UIS is supposed to receive $209,126 to “plan and begin construction of a supercomputing applications
facility.”

But the news comes as a surprise to UIS, which is not aware of any construction like that.

The surprise item was featured in a July 15, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090715-SJR-computerfacility.pdf

Quinn calls off tax hike vote for now

In calling off any tax hike vote for at least five months, Gov. Pat Quinn could be minimizing
the potential political fallout for himself and lawmakers who side with him.

But it also may be that it's a "reflection of the natural human propensity to put off hard decisions until the last minute," said Christopher Mooney, professor of political science at UIS.

Mooney's remarks were featured in a July 14, 2009, article in the Chicago Daily Herald about the budget.

Download a PDF of the article
20090714-DailyHerald-Budgetdelay.pdf

Governor job and Senate position are up for grabs

With Roland Burris' announcement to not seek a full Senate term and Lisa Madigan wanting to stay put in the Attorney General position, the Senate and Governor's jobs are the
top two up for grabs.

But UIS political science professor Chris Mooney says the two are very different jobs, and he thinks the Senate seat is more "winnable" because current Governor Pat Quinn is a stronger candidate than Roland Burris.

The topic was featured in a news story for WJBD Radio.

Download a PDF of the story
20090709-WJBDRadio-Madigan.pdf

Burris won't seek full Senate term

Senator Roland Burris, whose was appointed by Rod Blagojevich to fill Barack Obama's vacant seat, announced he would not seek a full term in 2010.

A former Illinois attorney general and the first black elected to statewide office, Burris would have been the weakest candidate in next year's Senate race in the state, said Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's quotes were in a July 10, 2009, article on Reuters.

Download a PDF of the article
20090710-Reuters-BurrisSenate.pdf

Springfield Enterprise Index predicts slow economy

The Greater Springfield Enterprise Index, a University of Illinois at Springfield index, indicates “below normal” local economic activity for April and projects lagging growth for the rest of 2009.

Compared to previous indexes, this is the first time a major slowing of the economy has been seen, according to Patty Byrnes, professor of economics at UIS.

The index was the feature of a July 9, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090709-SJR-SEIeconomy.pdf

Lisa Madigan wants to stay in current position

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that she wants to stay in her current position instead of pursuing a Senate seat or the seat of the governor.

Lawmakers who have long expected Madigan to successfully challenge current Governor Pat Quinn in a primary had little reason to listen to him previously when dealing with the budget, but being stuck with Quinn might change some things, according to Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's remarks were featured in a July 8, 2009, story in the Daily Herald.

Download a PDF of the article

20090708-DailyHerald-LisaMadigan.pdf

UIS names new head athletic trainer and assistant trainer

UIS has named a new head athletic trainer and an assistant trainer. Les Mitkos has been named the head trainer, and Debra Fitzl will be the assistant. They will begin their duties July 16.

The topic was featured in a July 1, 2009 article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090701-SJR-newathletictrainers.pdf

UIS joins COPLAC

UIS has been invited to join the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and is now the only COPLAC college in Illinois.

COPLAC consists of liberal arts colleges that tend to have smaller student populations, class sizes and faculty-to-student ratios.

The announcement was featured in the June 24, 2009, State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the story
20090624-COPLAC.pdf

SSU graduate has received four James Beard Foundation Awards for cookbooks

Former Springfield resident Cheryl Alters Jamison, a cookbook author, has received four of the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards, considered the "Oscars of the food world."

Jamison is a graduate of Sangamon State University, where she received her M.A. in community arts management in 1977.

Jamison was featured in a June 24, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090624-SJR-cookbookjamison.pdf

Wheeler uncertain about income tax increase passing before July

Charlie Wheeler, director of the Public Affairs Reporting program at UIS, has been watching goings-on at the Statehouse for nearly four decades, and he’s not hopeful that an income tax increase will pass before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

Wheeler was featured in a June 18, 2009, column in the State Journal-Register about the state's budget and funding.

Download a PDF
20090618-SJR-columnstatefunding.pdf

SJR requests more information from UIS

UIS has denied the State Journal-Register's Freedom of Information Act request about an investigation involving the resignation of three UIS athletics coaches in March. Reasons that the university is not able to disclose certain information includes the fact that the information is barred from release by state or federal law or contains employee personnel files.

The SJ-R wrote an opinion piece in the June 16, 2009, issue that claims that UIS should turn over all information requested.

Download a PDF of the editorial
20090616-SJR-FIOAeditorial.pdf

UIS would get new public safety building under capital construction plan

Springfield-area state lawmakers say the $29 billion capital construction plan they approved this spring illustrates their top spending priorities brought to them by their communities.

As part of the plan, UIS would be able to build a new 10,000-square-foot public safety building on the west side of campus with $4 million included in the proposed capital bill. The building is greatly needed, as the current police department is housed in an old farmhouse.

The capital plan was the topic of a June 8, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090608-SJR-capitalplan.pdf

Tapes don't prove innocence for Roland Burris

After being appointed as Senator by Rod Blagojevich, Roland Burris took office, but on May 26, a transcript of a November discussion between Burris and Robert Blagojevich was released by a federal court.

The discussion was about raising funds for the governor, and while Burris stated that the tape showed his innocence, others had the opposite perception, like UIS political scientist Kent Redfield.

Remarks by Redfield on the topic are featured in a June 5, 2009, story on http://www.findingdulcinea.com/.

Download a PDF
20090605-Dulcinea-Burristapes.pdf

Capital construction program will give UIS funds for Public Safety Building

The governor and legislature are in disagreement over state's budget, and a $29 billion statewide capital construction program is a large cause of that.

The program consists of an initial multi-billion-dollar road-construction plan and measures to create revenue to pay for it. A follow-up measure has about $1.5 billion for additional infrastructure and transit spending.

As part of the plan, UIS will get $4 million for the construction of the Public Safety Building on campus.

The budget was the topic of a June 2, 2009, article in the Galesburg Register Mail.

Download a PDF of the article
20090602-GalesburgRM-capitalprogram.pdf

Illinois attempts to reform campaigns with contribution limits

Campaign contribution limits for Illinois politicians are part of a push to redeem Illinois from the international spectacle of political scandal and corruption.

But some say the ethics push has little substance and is "an illusion of campaign finance reform," according to Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS.

Redfield's comments about the subject were featured in a June 3, 2009, article by the Associated Press.

Download a PDF of the article
20090603-AP-financereform.pdf

U of I launches Global Campus 2.0

U of I will be scrapping the old Global Campus in order to leave authority for online learning to its three campuses, now called Global Campus 2.0.

UIS is very optimistic about this move as it continues to be a leader in online learning around the country, according to Ray Schroeder, director of the Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning at UIS.

The plans were written about in a May 21, 2009, story in the Chronicles of Higher Education.

Download a PDF of the article
20090521-ChronHigherEd-GlobalCampus.pdf

Berman focuses on COPLAC visit in column

UIS Provost Harry Berman wrote an editorial column in the May 16, 2009, State Journal-Register in coordination with the UIS Commencement Ceremony.

The column focused on a recent visit from representatives of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), an organization of leading small, public liberal arts colleges and universities throughout the country. UIS is seeking membership in this organization, and during the site visit, the university had a chance to look at itself through the eyes of others.

Download a PDF of the column
20090516-SJR-Bermaneditorial.pdf

Matthew Holden was 38th Commencement Ceremony Speaker

Matthew Holden Jr., who has been designated as the first Wepner Distinguished Professor in Political Science at the University of Illinois at Springfield, was the Commencement Speaker at UIS’s 38th commencement ceremony.

The announcement about Holden was featured in the May 2, 2009, State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090502-SJR-commencementspeaker.pdf

Family graduates from area colleges together

Springfield resident Mary Keldermans, along with three of her and her husband Steven’s six children, all graduated from area colleges in May.

Mary graduated from UIS on Saturday, May 16, with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with a social justice theme.

The family was featured in a May 11, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090511-SJR-familygraduating.pdf

Commencement in Photos

UIS celebrated Commencement on Saturday, May 16, 2009.

View a photo gallery of the Commencement Ceremony on the Web site of the State Journal-Register here.

UIS celebrates Commencement

More than 600 UIS students walked donning their caps and gowns in the 38th UIS Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 16.

During the ceremony, Chancellor Richard Ringeisen pointed out that even though the graduates come from diverse backgrounds, they recognize the value of education in making them better citizens and they know education extends beyond the classroom.

The Commencement Ceremony was featured in a May 17, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090517-SJR-commencement.pdf

Future of Global Campus is uncertain

The U of I Global Campus was established in 2006 to expand the University's accessibility to nontraditional students by providing online distance learning classes.

But slow curriculum development, unsatisfactory enrollment numbers, questions about the program's educational quality and a multi-million dollar budget deficit have caused administrators, teachers and trustees to consider if the venture is still worth pursuing.

The topic was the subject of a May 12, 2009, article in the Daily Illini.

Download a PDF of the article
20090512-DI-GlobalCampusfuture.pdf

Students use time to work on Innocence Project

College students often have a bad reputation for how they spend their leisure hours, but at UIS, some students are using their spare time to work with the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, and battle what they see as miscarriages of justice.
Students' work on the Innocence Project was featured in a news segment from WICS Channel 20.

Watch the segment here.

UIS co-hosts Take Back the Night event

On Saturday, May 2, UIS and Lincoln Land hosted the second annual “Take Back the Night” event, aimed to educate people about partner violence and sexual assault.

The event was a feature of a May 3, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090503-SJR-takebackthenight.pdf

Downstate Illinois Innocence Project featured in Law Bulletin

The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project is situated within UIS' Institute for Legal, Legislative and Policy Studies and uses students to assist an experienced investigator and a pair of dedicated teachers to dig deeper into the cases of inmates who claim innocence.

A feature about the Innocence Project was written by a Public Affairs Reporting program graduate for the April 25, 2009, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.

Download a PDF of the article
20090425-ChiDailyLawBulletin-InnocenceProject.pdf

Proposed sports complex could be home to future UIS baseball team

A $60 million sports center that would include a 3,000-seat baseball stadium, soccer fields and a football/track facility is being proposed for the south side of Springfield.

It could be a beautiful home stadium for a new UIS baseball team from the way it is described, according to Chancellor Richard Ringeisen.

Ringeisen's comments were featured in a May 3, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register about the proposed facility.

Download a PDF of the article
20090503-SJR-sportscomplex.pdf

Chancellor explains his side of conflict with faculty

Richard Ringeisen, chancellor of the University of Illinois at Springfield, said long-standing tensions between the UIS administration and faculty led to recent events that included the resignations of three coaches and a no-confidence vote in him by some faculty members.

The subject was a part of an April 27, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090427-SJR-facultyadminconflict.pdf

Illinois government may propose something ethics-related

With former governor Rod Blagojevich heading to trial and other scandals being made known in Illinois government, it is possible that an ethics act or law may be passed this summer.

The subject was the topic of a column in the Crain's Chicago Business, which featured comments made by Charles Wheeler, director of the public affairs reporting program at UIS.

Download a PDF of the article
20090426-ChiBusiness-realisticreform.pdf

Ray Schroeder keeps up on educational technology trends

Keeping up with the latest educational technology trends is a key part of Ray Schroeder's job. Schroeder is the founder and director of the UIS Center for Online Learning, Research and Service (formerly the Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning.)

Schroeder was the subject of an April 23, 2009, feature article on eCampusNews.

Download a PDF of the article.
20090423-eschoolnews-RaySchroeder.pdf

UIS hosts Good as Gold Ceremony to honor local volunteers

The first ever Good as Gold Ceremony, a partnership between UIS and the Junior League of Springfield, drew about 275 people to honor more than 50 local volunteers who have made an impact on the community.

Members of the UIS community were among those being honored with UIS Student Star Award, UIS Staff Star Award, Heart of Gold Awards and awards for outstanding community service.

The ceremony was featured in an April 24, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.
20090424-SJR-goodasgoldceremony.pdf

Student-athletes at UIS defend athletic department

UIS student-athletes stood up and defended the athletic department and chancellor during a meeting of the Campus Senate in which the Senate voted for an investigation of the athletic department.

The meeting was the subject of an April 18, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090418-SJR-studentathletes.pdf

Campus Senate votes for athletic department investigation

The Campus Senate of the University of Illinois at Springfield on Friday ordered an independent investigation of the athletic department and decided to table a vote on a resolution of "no confidence" in the Chancellor.

The Senate meeting was reported on in an April 18, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article

20090418-SJR-senateinvestigation.pdf

Government jobs are cut less quickly than private businesses

Big government employers usually provide a degree of security that can be rare today as governments tend to react more slowly to economic downturns than private businesses. This is true today of cities like Bloomington, Champaign-Urbana and Springfield, where UIS and other state departments and agencies are located.

The topic was the focus of an April 9, 2009, article in the U of I's Daily Illini student newspaper.
20090409-DI-govtjobs.pdf

Redfield comments that state purchasing reform will likely take place

In an opinion column of the Peoria Journal Star, editors discussed changes in the way the state operates.

Comments from Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at UIS, were featured in the April 9, 2009, column. Redfield noted that the state has a "status-quo-oriented, risk-averse Legislature."

Download a PDF of the column
20090409-PJS-stategovt.pdf

Faculty members meet to discuss athletics

Faculty members at the University of Illinois at Springfield will meet Monday afternoon to discuss athletics at the school, as well as concerns surrounding the recent resignations of three coaches, in a meeting led by Pat Langley, chair of the UIS Campus Senate and a professor of women and gender studies and legal studies.

The meeting was the subject of an April 10, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register

Download a PDF of the article
20090410-SJR-facultyathletics.pdf

Three athletics coaches resign

UIS head softball coach and head volleyball coach Joe Fisher and Roy Gilmore, the head women’s basketball coach and assistant softball coach, resigned on March 20, and on March 26, men’s and women’s golf coach Jay Davis resigned after he was placed on administrative leave.

UIS administrators are not able to comment on the resignations because they are personnel matters.

The story was covered in the April 10, 2009, State Journal-Register.

Download a DDF of the article
20090410-SJR-coaches.pdf

UIS' production of "As You Like It" will be opening April 17

Opening night has been set - April 17 - for UIS' production of William Shakespeare's As You Like It, and rehearsals are in full swing. It’s the first time UIS Theatre has attempted to stage Shakespeare.

The production was the subject of a feature story in the April 10, 2009, State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090410-SJR-AsYouLikeIt.pdf

Former UIS administrator still does work in Springfield while living in Wisconsin

L. Christopher “Chris” Miller, previously an administrator at the University of Illinois at Springfield, left Illinois last year to become vice president for student affairs at Marquette University in Milwaukee, although he is still serving in a role to recruit minority applicants for the police and fire departments of Springfield.

Miller's role was discussed in an April 10, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090410-SJR-ChrisMiller.pdf

Professors explore appropriate dress for teachers

Two professors in Carbondale are exploring what makes the clothing of teachers considered appropriate and if teachers need a dress code like students do, according to an April 10, 2009, article in the Southern Illinoisan

Download a PDF of this article
20090410-SouthernIllinoisan-dresscode.pdf

Local economy is better than national, though growth is slow

An economic-outlook survey by UIS shows that while the local economy is still above normal, it is expected to grow slower relative to a year ago, until about May, according to UIS professor Patty Byrnes.

The survey and comments by Byrnes were featured in an April 10, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090410-SJR-economicoutlook.pdf

State 529 program launches incentive program

Starting today, College Illinois!, the state's only 529 prepaid tuition program launches its
"57 Reasons" Incentive Program, which helps to makes the decision to enroll easier by giving qualifying purchasers money.

The program was discussed in an April 9, 2009, article on PRNewsWire.

Download a PDF of the article
20090409-PRnewswire-collegepayment.pdf

Cost of Illinois government corruption to taxpayers is high

Charges against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich reinforce taxpayers' belief that the Illinois government has been spending residents' hard-earned money on patronage hires, wasteful contracts and inefficient bureaucracies for years.

Though the actual dollar cost to taxpayers is hard to pinpoint, experts like UIS' Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science, say the costs are substantial.

Redfield's comments were featured in an April 5, 2009, article in the Daily Herald.

Download a PDF of the article

20090405-DailyHerald-costofcorruption.pdf

U of I trustees consider future of online campus

After investing more than $10 million in a program that only currently has a few hundred students, University of Illinois trustees are considering whether to shut down the university's 2-year-old online campus.

The challenges of the U of I's Global Campus were the focus of an April 5, 2009, article in the Chicago Tribune.

Download a PDF of the article
20090405-ChiTrib-GlobalCampus.pdf

Sloan Foundation will close online education grant program

Though the Sloan Consortium will continue to promote online learning, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation announced that it is closing its online-education grant program, which leaves many colleges with online learning focuses without support.

The remarks of Ray Shroeder, director of the Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning at UIS, were featured in an April 6, 2009, article about the Foundation's announcement in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Download a PDF of the article
20090406-ChronofHigherEd-SloanFoundation.pdf

U of I Global Campus faces challenges, although online learning is rising

The University of Illinois Global Campus, a multimillion-dollar distance-learning project, is up and running, and it has enrolled 366 students for the March and April term.

Interest in online learning has increased, but enrolling students is still a challenge.

Details about the global campus and online learning were discussed in an April 3, 2009, issue of the Chronicles of Higher Ed.

Download a PDF of the article
20090403-ChronofHigherEd-globalcampus.pdf

Gov. Quinn's proposed tax hike is good news for Republicans

While it's unclear whether Gov. Pat Quinn's proposed tax increase will aid in fixing the state budget, his proposal is already paying off for state Republicans.

The GOP anti-tax campaign could be the Republicans' best chance at regaining power next year, according to Dr. Chris Mooney, professor of political science at UIS.

Mooney's comments were featured in a March 24, 2009, article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Download a PDF of the article
20090324-PostDispatch-GOPQuinntaxes.pdf

U of I alum McMillan named to Board of Trustees

Edward McMillan, a 1969 University of Illinois graduate in agricultural science from Greenville, is Gov. Pat Quinn's first nominee for appointment to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, the governor's office confirmed Monday.

The appointment was written about in a March 17, 2009, article in the Champaign News-Gazette.

Download a PDF of the article
20090317-McMillanBOT.pdf

UIS spearheads online learning collaboration

UIS recently joined a handful of other universities for a new online learning effort spearheaded by UIS and supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to improve the overall quality, offerings and availability of online courses.

The collaboration is one of the latest directions of online learning at a time when the recession
has driven more people to enroll in post-secondary education classes.

The effort was detailed in an article in the February 23, 2009, Southern Oregon's Mail Tribune with quotes from Ray Schroeder, director of the Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning at UIS.

Download a PDF of the article
20090223-MailTribune-onlinelearning.pdf

Governor tells U of I that education is priority

New governor, Pat Quinn, gave the University of Illinois some hope when he visited and told university leaders that education is at the top of his priority list.

The governor will give his budget address on March 18, and the university will wait to take action on its budget deficit based on the future of the state budget.

The governor's visit was reported on during a February 18, 2009, newscast by WCIA.

Download a PDF of the newscast
20090219-WCIA-universitybudget.pdf

UIS students' CNN interview covered in SJ-R

Five UIS students were part of the celebration of President Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday as they took part in an interview with CNN during Lincoln events on Thursday, February 12.

Coverage of the students' interview was mentioned in a column by Bernard Schoenburg in the February 15, 2009, State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090216-SJR-Schoenburgcolumn.pdf

UIS spring enrollment increases

UIS' enrollment for Spring 2009 has increased over last year's enrollment for the spring semester. A total of 4,535 students are attending UIS, 105 more than last spring, which is an increase of 2.3 percent.

The news was featured in a February 10, 2009, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090210-SJR-springenrollment.pdf

New DNR director is UIS graduate

Gov. Pat Quinn named Springfield resident Marc Miller as the new director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, as reported in a February 9, 2009, article in the Galesburg Register-Mail.


Miller has a master’s degree in environmental administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield.


Download a PDF of the article
20090209-GalesburgRM-DNR.pdf

Governor Blagojevich impeached

The Illinois Senate voted to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday, removing him from office and ceding the office to Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who was sworn in later that day.

Drs. Kent Redfield and Christopher Mooney, professors of political science at UIS, were quoted in an article about the governor's actions and his impeachment trial in a January 30, 2009, article that ran in the Christian Science Monitor.

Download a PDF of the article
20090130-CSMonitor-Blagoimpeached.pdf

UIS hosts economic outlook breakfast for Chamber

UIS hosted the annual economic outlook breakfast for the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, January 15, 2009. A UIS index was released at the breakfast and forecasts a rebound in the local economy this spring.

The meeting and the event's speaker, national economist Robert Genetski, were featured in a January 16, 2009, article by the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article
20090116-SJR-Chamberbreakfast.pdf

BOT votes to increase housing and meals plan prices

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees voted to raise the price of housing and accompanying meal plans by anywhere from four to eight percent during their January 15 Chicago meeting.

The meeting was featured in a January 16, 2009, article of the Chicago Tribune.

Download a PDF of the article
20090116-ChicagoTrib-univincreasecost.pdf