deer outside residence hall 
koi pond on campus 
flowers outside student union
Training Opportunities
Employee Development Series: Performance Management
We are excited to announce the next installment of the monthly Employee Development Series: Performance Management. This session will be presented by Drew Schlosser, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Human Resources. Topics discussed will include but are not limited to the guiding principles of performance management, processes available for various groups on campus, tips for supervisors, and Do’s/Don’ts from a Legal Perspective. Whether you are new to supervising employees or seeking advanced insights, this session will equip you with essential knowledge that will be key to enhancing the performance of your team.
This session will be held in person on July 31, 2025 from 9:00-10:30am in the Student Union Ballroom.
Leave of Absence Training Opportunity
Human Resources would like to remind unit supervisors, deans, and administration of the leave of absence training opportunity available to your faculty and staff. Upon request, Leave Coordinator Heather Moore is available to schedule sessions and travel to your campus location to provide an informational overview on University leave of absence offerings and benefits. This session covers leave options available to employees, who is eligible, how to apply, timekeeping entries, and gives employees an opportunity to ask questions in real time with HR during the session. The training has been well received in several units, and we encourage your unit administration to schedule a session!
If you have had a session in the past, it may be beneficial to schedule another session on an annual basis to help employees stay up to date on policy and benefit changes as well. To schedule your unit’s presentation on leaves of absence, please contact Heather Moore to discuss logistics and availability at hkimb2@uis.edu.
Reminders
Rising Stars Registration Opens 8/1/2025
Join the Rising Stars Program! A premier experience for new Academic Professional & Civil Service employees. Starting a new role? Make connections, learn the campus, and build your network with Rising Stars! This program helps new employees get familiar with key places, faces, and resources while fostering friendships and professional growth. Participants rave about the friendships and insights gained through the program. Invitations will be emailed to new hires on August 1, 2025. There are only 30 spots available. Don’t miss this opportunity to kickstart your journey on campus!
Shared Benefits Program Reminder
As a friendly reminder, UIS faculty and staff may participate in the Shared Benefits Program. This program provides eligible employees who have exhausted all accumulated sick leave (and vacation leave, if applicable) with the opportunity to receive additional leave days when a disability claim is pending with the State Universities Retirement System (SURS). SURS Disability Leave has a 60-calendar day waiting period prior to utilizing their benefit, and the Shared Benefits Program is intended to help bridge the gap between when an employee’s accumulated leave is exhausted and when SURS Disability Leave will begin with the intention of keeping the employee in pay and benefits eligible status throughout their applicable waiting period.
To be eligible for this benefit, employees must donate one accrued leave day to the program. Employees may also choose to donate additional days in certain circumstances. Please visit the Shared Benefits Program policy webpage for more detailed information on eligibility requirements, when and how to donate, and how to request leave days from the program. If you have any questions or would like to participate in the program, please contact our UIS Leave Coordinator, Heather Moore, at hkimb2@uis.edu or 217-206-7020.
Future Development Series Topics: Call to Action
Have you identified knowledge or skill gaps amongst your team or across campus? As we continue the Employee Development Series into 2026, we are constantly looking for topics that will both engage and enrich our campus community. We would love to provide the greatest benefit to our campus as we plan future events. If you are interested in partnering with the Office of Human Resources to be part of the Employee Development Series, please contact Kelsea Hott at kbatt2@uis.edu. If you have suggestions on future topics, please fill out the online suggestion box. We want to hear how to best serve you!
Upcoming Events
July Lunch at the Lake
Did you know that UIS has a field station located on Lake Springfield just steps away from campus? Well now you do! Bring your lunch and join us for lawn games, canoeing or a field station lab tour on July 15, 2025 from 11:30am-1:30pm! Spend your lunch hour getting to know this hidden gem and all that this space has to offer! Cookies will also be provided.
The Field Station is located at: 9 Club Area Springfield, IL 62712.
**Please note that release time is not in effect for this event.**
Employee Development Series: Leaves
We are thrilled to introduce the August installment of the Employee Development Series: Leaves of Absence. This session will be presented by Heather Moore from the Office of Human Resources. Get ready to take a comprehensive dive into Leave Types/Benefits, how/when to apply to a Leave of Absence with HR, and how/when to report Leave in our Timekeeping Systems. With this session, we hope to demystify Leaves of Absence and foster a better understanding among our campus community.
Do you have questions related to Leaves of Absences? We want to ensure we have answers! Please use this form to submit questions prior to the session.
This session will be held virtually on August 26, 2025 from 9:00-10:00am. Save this link to join our session!
Save the Date
- 07/01/2025 Fiscal Year 2026 Begins
- 07/04/2025 HOLIDAY - Independence Day
- 07/09/2025 New Employee Orientation (in person)- contact mwest22@uis.edu for more info
- 07/15/2025 Lunch at the Lake
- 07/23/2025 New Employee Orientation (virtual)
- 07/31/2025 Employee Development Series: Performance Management
- 08/01/2025 Rising Stars Registration Begins
- 08/06/2025 New Employee Orientation (in person)
- 08/20/2025 New Employee Orientation (virtual)
- 08/26/2025 Employee Development Series: Leaves
© 2025 UIS Human Resources
HR homepage | ph. 217-206-6652 | fax 217-206-7145 | uishr@uis.edu