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4.21.26
Dear UIS Community:
With less than three weeks until Commencement, this time of year always feels a bit bittersweet. It’s a privilege to watch our students grow and prepare for the next chapter of their lives, and these final weeks are a meaningful opportunity to connect and celebrate alongside them.
New Information
Bargaining Update
UIS and UPI Local 4100 Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Union reached a tentative agreement on a three-year collective bargaining agreement. I want to thank the UIS and Union collective bargaining teams for their tireless work to reach this tentative agreement, which must now be ratified by both the Union and University as they go through their respective processes.
RISE Encore Session: 'Cultivating Other-Awareness'
As part of our CARE Framework, Dr. Jim Klein, UIS associate professor and chair of Counseling and Social Work, will present his popular RISE Retreat session, "Cultivating Other-Awareness: Its Contribution to Workplace Psychological Safety," from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 27 in UHB 2021. For anyone who may have missed this engaging session during the February retreat, this is a great opportunity to benefit from Jim's knowledge and expertise. Attendees will learn how cultivating "other-awareness" in the workplace can impact psychological safety and productivity and how the active fostering of empathy, inclusion and openness contributes to co-workers feeling seen and valued.
New Enterprise Resource Planning Platform
The University of Illinois System is launching a Business Modernization and Transformation effort to replace our long‑standing Banner system with a modern, cloud‑based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform to improve our core processes. Learn more on Orbit.
Annual Evaluations
The Annual Evaluation Process for Academic Professional and Civil Service employees has begun, with a new electronic form. Evaluations must be submitted to Human Resources no later than the close of business June 5. More information is on Orbit.
Sangamon Experience launches "Beyond City Limits"
The Sangamon Experience is launching a new initiative, “Beyond City Limits.” This summer program will document and digitize local historical materials while also developing engaging curriculum resources that help students explore the history and stories connected to these collections. The initiative is made possible by a donation from the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln. Learn more on UIS Newsroom.
AASCU Planning Collaborative
UIS was one of 10 institutions selected for the 2026 cohort of the AASCU Strategic Planning Collaborative. This initiative, funded by the Gates Foundation, supports senior consultants from AASCU Consulting to facilitate processes for participating universities to develop a strategic roadmap for their next strategic plan that leverages promising practices and reflects a commitment to student outcomes. AASCU is the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, which represents more than 500 regional public colleges, universities and systems.
Department Newsletters
The April Human Resource Newsletter is available.
Upcoming Events
- UIS Visual Arts Senior Exhibition: April 20-May 7. UIS Visual Arts Gallery. The Visual Arts Program presents “Up to Eleven,” an exhibition featuring artworks by senior visual arts majors.
- Health and Wellness Fair: 1-3 p.m. April 21. Quad. Prioritize your well-being at this year’s Health & Wellness Fair, featuring a variety of local experts and organizations dedicated to healthy living. The first 50 employees will receive a complimentary drink and snack from Wellthy Juice Co.
- John Holtz Memorial Lecture: 6 p.m. April 21. Brookens Auditorium or online. Friends of Brookens Library is co-sponsoring the John Holtz Memorial Lecture, featuring Michelle Sybert, director of the University of Illinois Press. The lecture will offer an engaging look into the world of academic publishing. Register today.
- Multimedia & Interactivity in Online Learning: Noon. April 22. UHB 1008 or online. Learn how to build an online course and use different tools, like DesignPLUS and H5P.
- Brasillinois Symposium: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 23. Student Union Ballroom. This symposium will bring together global perspectives on public governance, policy innovation, and applied research, featuring Dr. Ricardo Gomes as the keynote speaker.
- Library Commons Construction Update: 1-1:30 p.m. April 24. Library Commons Construction Site. Interested in the progress of the Library Commons? Come and learn more about the building’s construction process, then connect with fellow employees over lunch at the Union.
- Campus Spring Clean Up: 9 a.m.-noon. April 24. Student Leadership Center. Celebrate Earth Week by helping to tidy up outdoor spaces and promote sustainability.
Check the employee events calendar on Orbit for more opportunities to learn, connect and celebrate together.
Information that Bears Repeating
UIS Performing Arts Center Update
The original seats and carpet in Sangamon Auditorium have been fully removed, and over the next few months, crews will construct new aisles and install brand‑new seating and carpeting. Stay up to date on Orbit.
Summer Classes
There’s still time for students to register for summer courses, which begin June 1. Please encourage students who would benefit to sign up or learn more by visiting UIS.edu/summer.
Star Power
Congratulations to Rukayah Hussein, admissions processor for Enrollment and Retention Management, on being named Employee of the Month for April 2026. Known for her positive energy and dependability, Rukayah consistently goes above and beyond to support applicants. As her nominator shared, “She is always going above and beyond to help applicants.”
Congratulations to the UIS Office of Web & Digital Strategy, which launched a search engine optimization initiative that resulted in UIS being more relevant to search engines and UIS content reaching new audiences. Learn more on Orbit.
Getting to Know You
Shannon Stanley, experiential learning program coordinator for the Office of Engaged Learning, chose a career in higher education inspired by her own experience as a first-generation college student. That journey shaped her professional purpose: helping every student see that educational opportunities are within their reach. When she's not helping students reach their full potential, she enjoys reading, specifically Stephen King. She first started reading his books at age nine and has been fascinated by how he blends extraordinary events with ordinary characters to reveal truths about the human condition. Read more about Shannon on Orbit.
Enjoy the rest of the week,
Janet
Janet L. Gooch, Ph.D.
Chancellor
University of Illinois Springfield
P.S. If you have a topic you’d like me to consider for my newsletter, submit your idea here. I always appreciate the opportunity to showcase your news, events and accomplishments. Highlighting the outstanding work happening across our campus community allows us to celebrate your achievements, promote engagement and share the many ways UIS continues to make a positive impact.