Bah Humbug!

A CHRISTMAS CAROL -1940'S RADIO PLAY will be presented at the Hoogland Center for the Arts (LRS - Theatre 1) on Friday, December 21 at 8 p.m., Saturday, December 22 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, December 23 at 2 p.m.

Local favorite Don Schneider will star as Ebenenzer Scrooge and will head a large cast of popular performers including UIS' Eric and Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson, Leigh Steiner, Dennis Rendleman, Ken Bradbury, Pat Foster, Brett Rutherford, Gus, Claire and Amy Gordon, Linda Schneider, Ann Collins, Paul Presney Jr., Michael Presney, Karl Bockemeier, Kayla Primm, Chris McDonald, Aasne Vigesaa, Jake Rogers and Cory Ganner.

1940's era pre-show entertainment will begin 15 minutes before each performance. Call 523-ARTS (2787) for tickets.

Student Leadership Awards Accepting Nominations

The U of I Alumni Association is accepting nominations for the annual Student Leadership Award, which honors exceptional graduating students for their volunteer contributions as leaders of student societies, groups and organizations at UIS.

Undergraduate, graduate, or professional students who received their degrees in summer or fall 2007 or who will graduate in May 2008 are eligible for the award. Nominees should have demonstrated exceptional leadership through involvement in campus and/or student organizations as an officer or chair or through loyalty and commitment with actions that inspired others.

The deadline to submit nominations is Wednesday, January 16. The program is sponsored by the UIS Campus Alumni Advisory Board, and awards will be presented at a ceremony late in the spring semester. To make a nomination or for more information, contact Mary Caroline Mitchell, associate director of alumni relations at UIS, by phone at 6-7395 or by e-mail at mmitc1@uis.edu.

Relax In Between Finals

The Office of Student Life is hosting several events the next few days to help students take a load off their brains from the stress of finals week. Those include:

*Snacks and fun treats provided by HRC today, December 11 until 8 p.m. in Pennyroyal 20
*Make your own trailmix program today, December 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Student Life Office
*PBJ Buffet today, December 11 at 7 p.m. in the Housing Commons
*Snack and fun treats tomorrow, December 12 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Pennyroyal 20
*Professional massages tomorrow, December 12 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Student Life Office (appointments, please)
*Late Night Breakfast tomorrow, December 12 from 9 to 10:30 p.m. in the PAC Food Emporium
*Snacks and fun treats on Thursday, December 13 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Pennyroyal 20

Enjoy!

Freedom from Smoking

In 2008, Illinois is making the move to a smoke-free state, and the time to quit smoking has never been more perfect.

On December 18, the Office of Human Resources is holding an informational session regarding Freedom From Smoking, the American Lung Association’s most popular smoking cessation program. The session is at 1:30 p.m. in Conference Room G in the PAC.

Anyone interested in the program is encouraged to attend this session to learn more about the benefits of Freedom From Smoking, which is a free program. No commitment is necessary to attend this meeting. The program is scheduled to start in early to mid-January.

For more questions or to register (on or before December 14, please), call Maureen Hoover at 206-7020.

Help with Finals

The Center for Learning and Teaching is hosting a Finals Help House on Tuesday, December 11 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Wednesday, December 12 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The sessions will be held in Brookens Library, room 460.

No appointment is necessary to get some extra help with math, writing and more in preparing for the week of finals. There will also be snacks provided by the Advocates for Academics.

For more information, contact the CTL at 206-6503 or email ctl@uis.edu.

Put Your Poker Faces On...

The Student Activities Committee is sponsoring a Casino Night tonight, Friday, December 7, in the Atrium of the Public Affairs Center, starting at 8 p.m.

A variety of games will be played, including poker, craps, blackjack and roulette. The event is totally free to the public, and there will be more than $200 in prizes.

Come for a bit of fun and gambling action as a break from your finals week studying, and don't forget to put your poker faces on!

Come out the the Christmas Extravaganza

The UIS Christian Student Fellowship is hosting a Christmas Extravanganza on Friday, December 7 at 6 p.m.

The event will be held in the Lincoln Residence Hall Great Room. There will be food, games and overflowing Christmas spirit.

There will also be a Christmas contest for the most hideous Christmas sweater, sweatshirt or vest, and the winner will receive a fun prize.

Come out for a great time in celebrating the season!

Calling All Bidders to the Visual Arts Gallery!

The Visual Arts Gallery at UIS is now holding its 17th Annual Benefit and Silent Auction fundraiser starting today, Wednesday, December 5, through Friday, December 7.

Art and crafts in every kind, including paintings, drawings, prints, ceramics and photography, will be on display for silent bids each day in the gallery, located in room 201 of the Health and Sciences Building. On Friday evening, a reception will conclude the auction with final bidding from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the gallery. The reception is free and open to the public.

The auction is the gallery's only fundraiser and all proceeds are used to support future exhibitions. For more information, contact Morgan Carroll at 206-6506 or visarts-ga@uis.edu.

"What's Morally Wrong with Homosexuality?"

Dr. John Corvino, known as “The Gay Moralist,” will be speaking at UIS on Wednesday, December 5 at 4 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium.

Corvino holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin and is currently Associate Professor of Philosophy at Wayne State. For more than 15 years, he has been traveling the country speaking on gay rights.

On Wednesday, Corvino will challenge his audience to confront the question: What is wrong with homosexuality, if anything (and if nothing, then what’s all the fuss about)?

Whatever your sexual orientation, moral perspective, or religious convictions, this program will invite you to rethink some of the “easy assumptions” that often characterize the debate over homosexuality.

Winter Wonderland

The Advocates for Academics is hosting a celebration of education called the Winter Wonderland on Thursday, December 6.

The event will be held in the Center for Teaching and Learning located in Brookens 460 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be a variety of soups, stews and other snacks.

Come join in for the end of the year celebration!

For more information, contact afa@uis.edu.