11.24.25

Happy Holidays,

As we head into the final stretch before a well-earned holiday break, I want to express my gratitude for your dedication and hard work. You are the reason I and so many others are proud to be Prairie Stars.

To celebrate the season, I hope you’ll join colleagues and friends at the Campus Holiday Party from 4 to 6 p.m. Dec. 18 in the Student Union Ballroom. And if you’re staying in town over the break, consider cheering on our basketball teams at TRAC. The schedule is on uisprairiestars.com.

New Information

Commencement Dates for 2026

The 2026 UIS Commencement ceremonies will be held at 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on May 9 at the Bank of Springfield Center in downtown Springfield. We’ll share which colleges are in each ceremony at a later date.

UIS Athletics Adds Women’s Flag Football and Expands Track & Field

Our Athletics program announced last week that UIS will introduce women’s flag football as a varsity sport and expand the track and field program, expanding opportunities for student-athletes.

2026 Voluntary Separation Plan

As part of the university’s NorthStar strategic visioning initiative, the University will be offering a 2026 Voluntary Separation Plan (UIS-VSP). Details regarding eligibility and the application process will be shared with employees in January 2026.

Prepare for Spring: Review Accessibility

As we approach the spring semester, all administrative units and faculty are encouraged to review websites, course materials, and digital content for accessibility. Submit any accessibility requests to the Office of Digital Accessibility (ODA) by Dec. 12 to help ensure every student has equitable access to learning and resources.

University Travel

Per University policy, business-related travel must be pre-approved, and employees in travel status are expected to use good judgment when incurring travel costs. Business-related international travel must be pre-approved by the Division Head via an updated International Travel Request form. Domestic travel pre-approval should now be submitted via Emburse (formerly Chrome River). Please refer to the International Travel on University Business website for more information.

NorthStar Updates

Structured responses to programs' Academic Portfolio Review and Prioritization classifications are currently being accepted, and the deadline has been extended to Jan. 9 to allow additional time for thoughtful responses. These responses should address the expectations that were communicated in the APR prioritization results and must be submitted via the APR Response webform.

More information on the APR and other initiatives are on the NorthStar website.

Cheer on the Prairie Stars This Basketball Season

UIS employees can grab season tickets in the chairback section for just $100 and enjoy all 19 home games. This year’s season includes themed College Nights:

• CPAE: Jan. 15
• CBM: Jan. 29 & Feb. 19
• CLASS: Jan. 31

Employees with children or youth teams can bring the whole team for only $2 per ticket—contact AJ Golembiewski to set up group seating. Stay updated at UISPrairieStars.com and gear up with official Nike apparel through the online Sideline Store. Learn more about employee perks on Orbit.

St. Louis Cardinals Are Coming to UIS

UIS will host an abbreviated St. Louis Cardinals Caravan stop at TRAC on Jan. 17 as part of the Prairie Star basketball doubleheader. Current Cardinal players, top prospects, alumni and broadcasters will be on court at halftime of the women's game and available for autographs between the two games. The women's game tips off at 1 p.m., followed by the men's at 3 p.m. All games are free for employees.

Upcoming Events

• CPAE Dean Finalist Presentations: 3:15-4:15 p.m. Dec. 8 and 2:15 p.m.-3:15 p.m. Dec. 10. You’re invited to attend the presentations by the finalists for the Dean of the College of Public Affairs and Education, held in UHB 3145 or via Zoom. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback following each presentation.
• ITS Workshops: Planning for Disaster Recovery Failover Exercise: 10-10:30 a.m. Dec. 9. in UHB 2009. Information Technology Services will conduct a planned Disaster Recovery (DR) Failover Exercise on Jan. 6 to prepare the university for a major IT disruption. To help your unit prepare, each team is encouraged to send at least one representative to this workshop if you haven't yet done so. This session is available in person or via Zoom, and no registration is required.
• 2025 Employee Holiday Party: 4-6 p.m. Dec. 18. Student Union Ballroom. All faculty and staff are invited to a Holiday Party for music, drinks, and appetizers to celebrate the season. Release time will be in effect for this event. Register today!

Check the employee events calendar on Orbit for more opportunities to learn, connect and celebrate together.

Information that Bears Repeating

Save the Date: RISE Professional Development Retreat, Feb. 6

Mark your calendars for the annual RISE Professional Development Retreat on Feb. 6. This year’s retreat will introduce the CARE Framework, a campus-wide approach that focuses on strengthening student-centered practices through Communication, Action, Respect and Empathy. Join colleagues from across campus to explore how everyday interactions impact the student experience.

Nominate for the Promising Prairie Star Recognition Program

Know a promising Prairie Star? The Promising Prairie Star Recognition Program shines a light on rising UIS alumni who are under 40 or early in their careers and already making meaningful contributions in their fields and communities. Submit your nomination by Dec. 15 on Orbit.

Closure of LRH’s Great Room, Seminar Room and Prayer Room

As of Nov. 14, the LRH Great Room, Seminar Room and Prayer Room are closed due to roofing repairs through winter break. More information can be found on Orbit.

Cybersecurity Training

Please log into the University of Illinois System’s Security Education Platform to be sure you are up to date on any required training and consider reviewing the optional courses as well. The better informed you are, the easier it is to protect yourself and the university from potential disruption or damage.

Free Kaplan Test Prep for Fall Graduates

There's still time to encourage fall graduates to enroll in Kaplan’s free test prep program to access test prep materials for admission exams, licensures and career-readiness courses before graduating.

Celebrating Our Star Power

AJ Simmons, research director of the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership, and Nick Waterbury, the center’s assistant research director, have published a new article examining how voters form attitudes toward the possible adoption of ranked choice voting, currently under consideration by the Illinois General Assembly. Their analysis appears in the Journal of Elections, Public Opinion, and Parties.

Congratulations to our Strategic Communication team for winning six awards in the 13th Annual Education Digital Marketing Awards. They won bronze, merit or silver in the following categories: Digital Advertising, Total Digital Marketing Program, Social Media Content - Single, Instagram, Social Media Content - Campaign and Digital Special Video: Over 2 minutes. Learn more on the EDM website.

Getting to Know You

---

Wishing you a restful and joyful holiday season! 

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.