UIS appoints new Associate Chancellor for Access and Equal Opportunity

Deanie Brown (pictured at the left) has been appointed Associate Chancellor for Access and Equal Opportunity at the University of Illinois at Springfield, effective July 15. Her appointment is pending approval by the U of I Board of Trustees.

Brown comes to UIS from Dillard University in New Orleans, where she served as Senior Executive Officer, providing leadership and oversight for the President's Office, University Athletics, University Police, the University Disabilities Support Task Force, and Human Resources.

"Ms. Brown brings to UIS a wealth of knowledge and experience about diversity values, goals and benefits, as well as civil rights and issues related to minorities," said UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen. "Her legal expertise and success in higher education administration have prepared her well for this position. We welcome her to this university."

Before accepting the position at Dillard in 2006, Brown was Assistant to the President for Internal Relations at California State University, Stanislaus, for three years. In that capacity, she served as Chief Diversity and AA/EEO Officer. From 1996 to 2003, she worked at the U of I in Urbana-Champaign, first as staff associate in the Office of the Assistant Chancellor for Equal Opportunity and Access and later as that office's associate director. From 1999 to 2003, she served as UIUC's Director of Employee Relations and Human Resources.

Brown graduated from the University of Illinois College of Law and received a bachelor's degree in History of Architecture and Art from the U of I at Chicago.

At UIS, she succeeds Dr. Margaret Noe, who accepted a position as dean of the College of Education at Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

UIS' Office of Access and Equal Opportunity

More about Dillard University

UIS Graduate Signs Copies of New Book on Campus

By Courtney Westlake

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UIS hosted a book signing with award-winning author Carol Manley on Wednesday evening, June 11, in the Public Affairs Center restaurant. Manley signed copies of her latest novel, Church Booty, which was a runner-up for the third annual Tartts Fiction Award.

Manley is a 2003 graduate of UIS and received her master's degree in English. She is currently a guest editor of the People's Poetry column in Illinois Times.

In 2006, Manley won a $7,000 Illinois Arts Council fellowship, as well as first place, third place, and seven honorable mentions in the categories of literary/mainstream short fiction and non-rhyming poetry in a contest sponsored by Writer's Digest.

Church Booty is Manley's second story. After her daughter got in a car accident a few years ago, and then Manley became involved in a couple of churches, these experiences led her to develop the characters and plot in Church Booty, she said.

Manley feels Church Booty could have easily been the winner of the Tartts Fiction Award, but, as evidence of her strong writing, it is the first time that the editors published the runner-up novel in addition to the winner.

"I've come in second to stories I haven't thought were as good as mine, but they're more dignified," Manley said. "But they've never done this before, never published the runner-up."

Manley said she has heard from her publisher that the people working on editing and publishing the book have enjoyed reading it. And to her credit, there was nothing they changed in the book, she said.

There have been delays in the book's release, but that didn't stop UIS professor emerita and Manley's mentor Dr. Jackie Jackson from organizing the book signing on Wednesday.

"It's exciting. It's all Jackie Jackson; she put it all together and pressured me," Manley laughed. "I'm really surprised and happy to see all these people. I think that people really like the book."

UIS students receive Avery Brundage scholarships

Five students at the University of Illinois at Springfield -- Kimberly Bartosiak, Priyanka Deo, Alexandria Janezic, Matt Reynolds, and Sarah Wellard -- were among 19 recipients of Avery Brundage Scholarships, made to U of I students who excel in both academics and athletics. Each will receive $2,500 for the 2008-2009 academic year.

Bartosiak is a freshman from Bethalto. She is majoring in Chemistry and is a member of the women's volleyball team.

Deo is a sophomore from Chicago. She is majoring in Political Science and is a member of the women's tennis team.

Janezic is a junior from Barrington. She is majoring in Psychology and is a member of the women's volleyball team.

Reynolds is a sophomore from Peoria. He is majoring in Business and is a member of the men's basketball team.

Wellard is a senior from Springfield. She is majoring in Legal Studies and is a member of UIS' cheerleading/spirit squad.

Brundage scholarship recipients are selected by a committee representing the faculties and student bodies of the three U of I campuses. Students chosen must engage in athletics for personal development, not as preparation for professional sports; must be working toward bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees at the U of I; and must be in the upper 25 percent of their undergraduate class or in good academic standing in their graduate program.

The scholarships were established in 1974 by an endowment from Avery Brundage, University of Illinois alumnus and former president of the International and U.S. Olympic committees. Since 1974, 776 scholarships have been awarded, totaling $956,200.

See more information about intercollegiate and intramural athletics and recreational sports at UIS.

Get details about the Brundage scholarship program.

Japanese Garden Dedicated at UIS

By Courtney Westlake

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Koto music played in the background and bonsai trees decorated the lobby of Sangamon Auditorium during a festive celebration and dedication of the Japanese Garden at UIS.

The Japanese Garden was given by Eileen Ensel as a living tribute to her late husband, Lee Ensel, who was very interested in the culture of the university. She decided on a Japanese garden after a tour of campus in May 2007, with Carolyn Ringeisen, wife of UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen, Joan Buckles, horticulturist and grounds worker supervisor, and Vicki Megginson, associate chancellor for development and vice president of the U of I Foundation.

The garden is located on the east and southeast sides of the Public Affairs Center. Ensel chose the spot of the garden due to its proximity to Sangamon Auditorium and to student housing.

"So when students come in to class from the places they live, they walk right by the Japanese Garden," Chancellor Ringeisen said during the garden's dedication. "And equally important is that this is the way many, many people come to Sangamon Auditorium to our events."

Ensel is no stranger to giving to UIS. Already established are two scholarships for students: the Lee Ensel scholarship for students interested in pre-law and the Eileen Ensel scholarship which is based on financial need. Ensel also donates to the Chancellor's Excellence Fund.

"And now on top of all those things, we have this very beautiful Japanese Garden," Ringeisen said. "Thank you, Eileen; we get the special privilege of enjoying the garden and thinking of you when we do."

Japanese gardens can represent many things, such as nature, religious ideas, philosophic ideas, frugality, self-restraint and simplicity, said Buckles, who helped to complete the project. The Japanese-style garden at UIS is in a public area, so although it doesn't provide the atmosphere for reflection or meditation common to many Japanese gardens, it still serves to provide public awareness of the bond between UIS and Springfield’s sister city, Ashikaga, Japan.

Contrary to the American idea of a garden, plant material plays a secondary role in Japanese gardens, Buckles said. Pines, junipers, boxwood and gingko have been used in dwarf, weeping and bonsai forms to represent windswept landscapes. Grasses and iris have also been added.

"Rocks are the backbone of Japanese gardens," Buckles said. "In this garden, rocks have been used to represent mountains, the beginnings of a river bed, as well as the dry river bed itself which runs the length of the garden."

Other features included are a lantern, a rock bench and a granite bridge, which is a reclaimed piece of curbing from a downtown St. Louis parking lot.

UIS’ grounds worker Cliff Edwards, with the help of Brian Beckerman and Frank Moscardelli, designed UIS' Japanese Garden. Scott Day and Gary Trammell allowed Edwards and his crew to tour their own personal gardens, offering suggestions and sparking creative ideas.

Ensel said she was thrilled with the outcome of the project and thanked everyone involved.

"I just hope that you all enjoy it, that the staff, faculty and students here enjoy it," she said. "I'm just so pleased with it, and I think Joan Buckles, and everyone else, did a wonderful job."

U of I ethics officer wins statewide award

University of Illinois Ethics Officer Donna McNeely has been named recipient of the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission's 2008 Abraham Lincoln Ethics Award. The award was presented at a luncheon held April 29 at UIS.

The award recognizes a state employee who has a "demonstrated record of exemplary adherence to the principles of integrity, fairness, and service" to Illinois citizens. McNeely is responsible for ethics issues across all three U of I campuses. Read more>>