Dear colleagues,

Across the country, today is Employee Appreciation Day, which provides me with the perfect opportunity to say something I can never say too often: Thank you!

Faculty and Staff:

Here's how you can help the Career Development Center this spring:

As part of the university’s NorthStar strategic visioning initiative, the University is announcing a Voluntary Separation Plan (UIS-VSP) available for all employees who meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the plan including that they have satisfied the retirement age and service requirements under the State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (“SURS”) prior to August 15, 2026 and who have not provided a written notice of resignation or intent to retire from UIS prior to the Plan Effective Date.

The Center for Lincoln Studies (CLS) is dedicated to engaging with UIS’s talented faculty. The Faculty Fellows program engages faculty to become the core of the Center’s intellectual community along with the Center’s two affiliate faculty. The faculty fellows will participate in Center programs and projects (when applicable) and the Center will amplify fellows’ work through its website and social media and provide travel funds to aid faculty research.

All faculty and staff, excluding extra help (EH) workers, are required to complete the Faculty and Staff Title IX Training module - Building Supportive Communities: Clery Act and Title IX. This online course, hosted by Vector Solutions, addresses sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and sexual harassment in the workplace, along with current Title IX requirements. Completion of this course is mandatory for all faculty and staff and satisfies the requirements outlined in state and federal law.

Don’t forget to submit your February entry for the UIS Library Reading Challenge! If you enter one submission per month (February, March, and April), you will get a custom reading challenge t-shirt at the end of the challenge. Additionally, you will be entered into the February gift card drawing. The winner will be drawn next week!

Spring Break Hours for Dining Services

Starbucks

• Closed March 7-15.
• Open regular hours beginning March 16.

Food Studio

• Closed March 7 and 8.
• Open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., March 9-13.
• Closed March 14.
• Open 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., March 15.

The Prepare for Illinois’ Future program powered by Kaplan’s All Access License will continue, ensuring ongoing support for students across Illinois!

Our partners with Kaplan are thrilled that UIS students have continued access to industry-leading courses. Encourage students to not miss out on this opportunity! They can enroll in one of the 40+ courses that will help secure their path to success in graduate school and beyond UIS.

Join us for the next installment of the Chancellor’s Thinkers Series as we continue a year of dialogue, reflection, and discovery.

Incorporating Student Peer Review in Online, Blended, and Face-to-Face Classes

Peer review is a structured process by which students evaluate the work of their peers. Having students engage in peer review isn’t just an assessment strategy—it’s a powerful practice that is known to promote student success.