Events cancelled due to winter weather

The following events at the University of Illinois Springfield have been cancelled or rescheduled due to winter weather.

The latest cancellations or schedule changes:

Teacher Education Program On Campus Conference

The Teacher Education Program On Campus Conference for online courses has been cancelled for this weekend February 4-5, 2011 due to the winter weather. The conference will not be rescheduled.

UIS Women's Basketball vs. Oakland City University

Due to the severe winter weather the Illinois-Springfield athletic department and Oakland City University have postponed the home women's basketball game scheduled for Wednesday, February 2. The game has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 8 starting at 5:30 p.m at TRAC.

UIS Men & Women's Basketball vs. Quincy

Due to the severe winter storms ravaging the Midwest, Great Lakes Valley Conference officials have moved the Illinois-Springfield men's and women's home basketball doubleheader against Quincy from Saturday, February 5 to Sunday, February 6 at 12:00 and 2:15 p.m.


Previous event cancellations:

Rape Aggression Defense Class

The first Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) women’s self-defense class scheduled for Tuesday, February 1 has been cancelled. The next class will be held on Tuesday, February 8 in the Lincoln Residence Hall Great Room. The RAD class will still run four weeks. The final class will now be Tuesday, March 1.

Healthcare: Reform and its Impact on College Health Programs and Students

The UIS Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presentation “Healthcare: Reform and its Impact on College Health Programs and Students” has been cancelled. The event was scheduled to take place Tuesday, February 1. The event may be rescheduled at a later date.

Black History Month Speaker – Dr. Corey Walker

Dr. Corey Walker, associate professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Brown University, has cancelled his appearance on Wednesday, February 2. The event may be rescheduled at a later date. Walker’s appearance is part of the Black History Month celebration at UIS, with a variety of activities throughout the month.

Speakers Series presents the documentary Amasong Chorus: Singing Out

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents a screening of the documentary Amasong Chorus: Singing Out. The film will be followed by a discussion with guest speaker Kristina Boerger, who founded the choir.

WHEN: Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 4 p.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: Could a lesbian/feminist choral group succeed – and thrive – in an area best known for cornfields and conservatives? The award-winning ensemble, Amasong: Champaign-Urbana's Premier Lesbian/Feminist Chorus, proves that it can in this inspiring story of commitment, community and triumph. Jay Rosenstein’s acclaimed PBS documentary has toured festivals worldwide and enjoyed repeated local PBS broadcasts since its national broadcast debut in June of 2004.

Kristina Boerger founded the Amasong Chorus in 1990 and directed and produced two award-winning recordings for the chorus, which has performed at several national venues, and toured the Czech Republic. She holds the doctorate in Choral Conducting and Literature from the University of Illinois. Having directed independent choirs in Urbana-Champaign and New York, she was recently appointed Director of Choral Activities at Carroll University in Wisconsin.

Also mark your calendars for a live Amasong Chorus concert on Sunday, February 13, 4 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 321 South Seventh St., in downtown Springfield (across from Lincoln Library).

The screening and discussion is made possible by the following sponsors at UIS: ECCE Speakers Series, Student Affairs, Friends of Brookens Library, Safe Zone, Diversity Center, Campus Health Services, LGBTQ Resource Office, Women’s Center, UIS Music, Women & Gender Studies and the Office of Disability Services.

For more information contact Pamela Salela at 217/206-6783 or email psale2@uis.edu.

Educational Series sponsored by U of I Alumni Association announced

Join us for a thought-provoking, three-session educational series that will focus on topics related to Illinois government and political figures, Timely Talk About Timeless Topics, held February 14, March 9 and April 20. Sponsored by the UIS Alumni SAGE Society, the Illinois State Historical Society and the UIS Chancellor’s Office, the series will include an evening lecture and two lunch-time programs.

“Ronald Reagan: The Foundations of a World Leader” is the topic on February 14 at 7 p.m. at Springfield’s First Christian Church, 700 S. Sixth St. An illustrated lecture program will be presented by Dr. Brian Sajko founding curator of the Ronald Reagan Museum at Eureka College. The presentation will focus on the core life values President Reagan experienced during his years as a Eureka College student. February 6 is the 100th anniversary of President Reagan’s birth, the only United States President born in Illinois. A donation of $5 at the door is suggested.

On Wednesday, March 9 a lunch-time program will be presented on the University of Illinois Springfield campus: “Springfield’s State Capitol Buildings”. Wally Henderson, architect for the firm that restored and renovated the Old State Capitol, will share insider information about what was considered an impossible project. Mark Sorensen, recently retired from the Illinois State Archives and currently President of the Illinois State Historical Society, will make an illustrated presentation about our current statehouse and its recent renovations. Bill Furry, UIS graduate and Executive Director of the Illinois State Historical Society will moderate this session.

Wednesday, April 20, “The American People, the Government, and the Public Trust” is the subject for the second lunch time program at UIS. Former UIS Chancellor and political scientist Dr. Naomi B. Lynn will moderate a provocative discussion about our American political institutions with former Governor Jim Edgar and Mike Lawrence. Governor Edgar is Distinguished Fellow with the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs. Mike Lawrence is recently retired as the Director of the Paul Simon Institute for Public Policy at SIU Carbondale. He has relocated to the Springfield area and is a well known political commentator, syndicated columnist and blogger.

The luncheon programs are from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in the UIS Public Affairs Center Conference Rooms C/D. Cost for lunch and program is $20/per person. Enjoy a reduced price for attending both luncheon sessions for $35 if reservations are made by March 2, 2011. The programs begin at noon and seating is available in the back for those who do not purchase the luncheon buffet. Reservations are requested since seating is limited.

Visit www.uiaa.org/uis for more information and online registration. Additional information is available at alumni@uis.edu or by phoning 217/206-7395.

Whitney Young program to showcase student fellows

WHAT: The Whitney M. Young Graduate Fellowship Program at the University of Illinois Springfield will host a symposium to showcase the work of students who are current Fellows. The event is free and open to the public.

WHEN: Friday, February 4, 2011 from 10 a.m. to noon

WHERE: Conference room G in the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus

DETAILS: The fellowship program is open to full-time students who are accepted into a graduate degree program at UIS and is designed to help students pursue and complete their degrees in a timely manner. The program also aims to enhance research and leadership skills through regular seminars and by involving students in public service projects that complement their academic disciplines.

The program is named after the late Whitney M. Young Jr., former Executive Director of the National Urban league, educator, and activist. The program carries on his legacy and is focused on graduate students who are underrepresented at UIS, including ethnic and racial minorities, first generation college students and students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

During the symposium, current Fellows of the program will speak about both academic and public service work they have done this year in the classroom and in the community. Fellows will be available for discussion after formal presentations. Come out to see some of UIS’ best, brightest and most committed graduate students.

For more information about the symposium or the fellowship program, contact Cecilia Cornell, director of the program, at 217/206-7430 or email ccorn1@uis.edu.

Speakers Series presents Healthcare: Reform and its Impact on College Health Programs and Students

WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents Healthcare: Reform and its Impact on College Health Programs and Students. The featured speaker for this event is James Mitchell, director of Student Health Service at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 1, 2011 at 4:30 p.m. Free health screenings will take place before and after the event from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and 6 to 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium and Concourse on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: Mitchell has been a spokesperson for the Lookout Mountain Group since 2009. The group is a non-partisan study group looking at the impact of healthcare reform on college health. He has also been a member of American College Health Association for more than 30 years. Mitchell will conduct an overview of legislation and its potential effect on college students; discuss relevant regulations that have been issued since passage of the Health Care Reform Act; describe how student insurance plans will be affected; discuss options for students to obtain insurance coverage; and review the impact of new legislation for on-campus primary care, counseling and health promotion programs.

UIS Campus Health Service will offer free health screenings in the Brookens Concourse before and after the event. Cholesterol and blood sugar testing, total body analysis – including body fat and flexibility, and massage therapy will be offered. A dietician will also be on hand to answer questions.

This event is being sponsored by UIS Campus Health Service, the Department of Recreational Sports, ECCE Speaker Series and the MPH Student Association. For more information contact Campus Health Service at 217/206-6676 or HealthService@uis.edu.

UIS to celebrate Black History Month 2011

The University of Illinois Springfield will celebrate Black History Month in February with a variety of events designed to educate and raise awareness. The following is a list of planned events that are free and open to the public.

Thursday, February 3

Join moderators Dr. Angela Winand, assistant professor of African-American Studies and Dr. Michael Murphy, assistant professor of Women & Gender Studies at UIS for a screening and discussion of the documentary Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin. This event will take place in Brookens Auditorium beginning at 6 p.m. Rustin was there at most of the important events of the Civil Rights Movement - but always in the background. Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin asks "Why?" It presents a vivid drama, intermingling the personal and the political, about one of the most enigmatic figures in 20th-century American history. One of the first "freedom riders," an adviser to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and A. Philip Randolph, organizer of the march on Washington, intelligent, gregarious and charismatic, Bayard Rustin was denied his place in the limelight for one reason - he was gay.

Wednesday, February 9

Carlotta Walls, the youngest of the Little Rock Nine members to integrate Central High School will discuss her book A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice of Little Rock Central High School. The discussion will take place beginning at 6 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium. Her act of courage and defiance became the catalyst for change in the American educational system. By ushering in a new order, she and her fellow warriors became ‘foot soldiers’ for freedom.

Wednesday, Feb. 9 and Thursday, Feb. 10

Tunnel of Oppression, an interactive event that highlights contemporary issues of oppression as part of Black History Month. This event will take place on Wednesday, February 9 from 4 to 7 p.m. and Thursday, February 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center (PAC) first floor conference rooms. Tunnel of Oppression is designed to introduce participants to the concepts of oppression, privilege and power. Participants are guided through a series of scenes that aim to educate and challenge them to think more deeply about issues of oppression. At the end of the tour, participants are provided with the opportunity to discuss their experiences with each other. Facilitators help participants reflect on their experiences and put their newfound knowledge to use in their everyday lives. Additionally, Jessica Pettitt, a speaker well-versed in issues of social justice, will engage with students in a dialogue following the event.

Wednesday, February 23

Retired U.S. Marshal Robert Moore will sign copies of his book The President's Men – The Untold Story, Black U.S. Marshals starting at 7 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center Conference Rooms C/D. Moore holds two degrees from the University of Illinois Springfield and has had a distinguished career in law enforcement, serving as a chief of police, deputy chief of police, state police officer, affirmative action officer and deputy sheriff in addition to his stint as U.S. Marshal.

For more information contact Dr. Clarice Ford, executive director of the UIS Diversity Center at 217/206-6333 or email cford21@uis.edu.

UIS welcomes new international students during orientation

The University of Illinois Springfield is welcoming nearly 45 new international students for the spring 2011 semester. The students spent their first week at UIS learning about the services available to them and meeting campus leaders.

“It’s very important because otherwise students have to basically get the information on their own. This is just a convenient way for students to meet everyone in a short amount of time and get the information they need quickly,” said Rick Lane, director of the Office of International Student Services.

The new students spent their first day checking in and were then taken on a shopping trip. Lane says the trip is designed to give students a chance to buy things they will need on campus or may have left at home. On the second day, they heard from Health Services, Admissions and learned about the library among other topics.

“Today in orientation I think it’s the first day in our college. It would be the best day for us and the most memorable day too,” said Nikhitha Akula, a graduate student from India.

Akula has a cousin who attended UIS and knew it was the right school to help launch her career in Computer Science. Other students like Wenzhong Tang from China came to UIS because they have family members living in Illinois.

“It’s a nice campus and it’s quite attractive because it’s academic. It’s a strong academic environment and people here I met last summer are quite friendly,” said Tang.

International Student Orientation lasts a total of four days with additional sessions on careers, student organizations and information on cultural issues and immigration.

As of fall 2010, UIS had a population of 195 international students from 29 different countries. Lane expects the numbers to continue to rise and more international students discover UIS.

Humanitarian and New York Times bestselling author Greg Mortenson to speak at UIS

WHAT: Tickets are now on sale for humanitarian and author Greg Mortenson’s appearance at the University of Illinois Springfield. Mortenson is the co-founder of the nonprofit Central Asia Institute, Pennies for Peace and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Three Cups of Tea.

WHEN: Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Sangamon Auditorium

DETAILS: Three Cups of Tea is mandatory reading for all U.S. military commanders and Special Forces deploying to Afghanistan. The book has sold over four million copies, been published in 45 countries and was on the New York Times bestseller list for over 170 weeks following its release.

Mortenson’s new book, Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books Not Bombs, In Afghanistan and Pakistan, was released by Viking on December 1, 2009 and debuted as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list.

As of 2010, Mortenson has established over 141 schools, and another five dozen temporary refugee schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, which provide education to over 64,000 children, including 52,000 girls, where few education opportunities existed before.

Several bi-partisan U.S. Congressional representatives have nominated Mortenson twice for the Nobel Peace Prize in both 2009 and 2010. President Obama designated $100,000 of his Nobel Peace Prize award to be donated to Mortenson’s effort in Afghanistan in March 2010.

Ticket Information:

Tickets for this event are $30 and are on sale now. To order tickets call the Sangamon Auditorium Ticket Office at 217-206-6160 or toll free at 1-800-207-6960. Tickets can also be purchased in-person at the Ticket Office, which is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.