5.31.22
Dear UIS Colleagues:
I hope you had a meaningful Memorial Day weekend, and maybe even got the chance to catch some Prairie Stars baseball. Last Friday and Saturday, UIS hosted the NCAA Division II Midwest Super Regional at our own UIS Baseball Field, and the Stars were victorious! For the first time in program history, UIS Baseball is heading to the NCAA Division II World Series in Cary, North Carolina, and is seeded seventh. They will play Point Loma at 5 p.m. Saturday. GO STARS!
New Information
Summer classes
In one week, students will start UIS summer courses. Congratulations to our instructors, and offices of Records and Registration, Financial Aid, Admission, Marketing and Public Relations for working hard this past year to refresh and bring more awareness to our great summer offerings. That hard work paid off. As of today, we have 1,458 students registered for summer courses, which is an increase over last summer.
Interim Deans
Dr. Mark Anderson will lead the new College of Health, Science and Technology as Interim Dean in its inaugural year. Dr. Anderson comes from The Registry and will fill the position while a search takes place during the 2022-23 academic year. Dr. Lan Dong has agreed to serve an additional year as the Interim Dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and a search to fill that position will also take place this coming academic year.
CSAC and APAC nominations and appointments
Nominations are open to serve on the Civil Service Advisory Council. All non-probationary Civil Service employees are eligible to be nominated or submit their nomination by 3 p.m. June 3. Eight positions are open, each for two-year terms. Online voting will take place June 7-9. The Academic Professional Advisory Council is also accepting applications for appointment. Send them to apac@uis.edu.
Phishing schemes
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) website continues to note that they are aware of phishing schemes targeting Illinoisans. Additionally, the University of Illinois System has recently seen an increase in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Please be careful and protect your personal information. Don’t forget to take the latest cybersecurity training, “Multi-Factor Authentication,” by June 30.
HyFlex teaching summer workshops
COLRS is offering workshops on HyFlex teaching this summer. Workshops are approximately one hour, and attendance is mandatory for instructors who are interested in receiving the $500 stipend for converting a course to HyFlex format. Faculty applying for the HyFlex stipend will be required to submit a syllabus as well as HyFlex lesson plans through the mid-term for their course. Workshop dates are via Zoom at 11 a.m. June 20 or 11 a.m. July 20.
Juneteenth
Friday, June 17, is a day off for UIS employees. The date was added to the University of Illinois System holiday schedule this year to honor Juneteenth National Independence Day. You can see the approved 2023 holiday calendar here.
Orientation
New Student Orientation kicks off June 11. This summer, UIS Orientation Leaders will host incoming students and their families in six informational sessions. Be sure to say hello if you see a group on campus.
Host a Fall Welcome event
Fall Welcome is looking for campus departments to host an event the first week students are back on campus. Submit your event on UIS Connection. Welcome Week learning goals are: self-awareness, connections and inclusion.
Dine to donate
Mark your calendar and join your colleagues for dinner at Texas Roadhouse June 5-9. Ten percent of proceeds raised on these dates will benefit the UIS/CSAC Mike Love Staff Scholarship, which provides scholarship opportunities for Civil Service or Academic Professional employees, their spouses or children enrolled at UIS.
CAPE summer youth workshops
The Office of Continuing and Professional Education is offering four youth workshops this summer for middle and high school students. There’s still time to register.
- The Startup Academy – Raising Entrepreneurial Aspirations: June 6-10 (high school)
- Math Challenge: Cool Math for Middle School Students: June 20-21
- Relativity: The Physics and Math Behind Einstein’s Theory: June 27 (high school)
- UIS-CSI: Crime Scene Institute: July 7-8 (high school)
Information that Bears Repeating
Benefits deadline is today
Today is the last day for employees to make elections or changes for the upcoming plan year. If no changes are made, your elections will remain the same, except for flexible spending accounts. Employees who choose to do so must re-enroll in flexible spending accounts (FSAs) each plan year.
SHIELD testing
The UIS SHIELD testing site has revised hours over summer break.
- Monday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Tuesday and Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to noon
Orbit
Just a reminder to check out Orbit, the new web hub for all things employee-related at UIS.
Celebrating our Star Power
Congratulations to Yokasty Owens who was named Employee of the Month for May 2022. Yokasty is a building service worker who always “brings a positive attitude to her job,” said her supervisor.
As my time as your interim chancellor nears its end June 30, please know how grateful I am for my two years at this great university. Let’s make the most of our last month together! See you soon, Prairie Stars.
Karen
Karen M. Whitney, PhD
Interim Chancellor University of Illinois Springfield