Budget issues - come to the campus forum

We're trying to do two things: (1) manage a difficult budget period and (2) keep an open conversation going about what it all means at UIS. Chancellor Richard Ringeisen issued a statement to the campus community about this last week. The chancellor and Provost Harry Berman will lead a campus forum at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 22, in Brookens Auditorium. Ask whatever you'd like about our financial situation or the budget. Or give us your perspective. Or add your comments right now by clicking on the comments link just below this post.

The whole House was here, making history

The House of Representatives was on campus today. All 118 of them, as they were sworn in on the first day of the new General Assembly. What a privilege for UIS to be in the capital city and host events like this. Watch some video here. More photos are available here from the UIS web site. It's notable that Governor Blagojevich was impeached for a second time after the members were sworn in. Thirty years from now, people will be wondering why the House took this vote for the second time and why they did it at UIS instead of in their own chamber in the state Capitol. I plan to chronicle that.

The full House is coming

The Illinois House of Representatives is coming to UIS on Wednesday. All the members. Just two days from now, for their swearing in. We're expecting nine buses and more than 2,000 guests. It's a privilege to be in the state capital, and the House is coming to campus so that it can accommodate many more people than the House chamber could in the Capitol. UIS hosted this event two years ago, and it was great fun for the members and for us. We're doing everything we can to make everybody feel welcome, and we're really looking forward to it.

Observing the impeachment

The news about our governor's impeachment today probably sounds terrible to the rest of the country. But if you live in Springfield, there is a strange feeling of great relief that it's finally happened. At UIS, we have a keen eye on state government. Professsor Kent Redfield and others have been interviewed dozens if not hundreds of times around the country in recent weeks. Illinois Issues has an award-winning blog with a unique up-to-date perspective, and WUIS public radio covers everything in-depth. Being in the state capital, for UIS, is another way of saying "location, location, location" makes all the difference to people seeking accurate information.

UIS students into social networking

Facebook is really popular with our students. It's social networking. I've been told some of our students spend up to two hours a day interacting on Facebook. Some probably do more. Most of them probably don't want administrators like me prying into their conversations; so I don't. It's public conversation yet somewhat private -- for them -- at the same time. UIS has a Facebook site. Click here to find it. I'm still on the periphery on social networking, with a professional profile at LinkedIn and an account at MyRagan, a service of Ragan Communications, one of my favorite companies.

Everybody says the big deal about social networking is that the content is user-generated. I still think people want information from those sites, too. I have much to learn. I wish there were shortcuts, but I think I just have to stay with it.

The only big green roof in Springfield?

Green is popular now. At UIS, it's reality. When we opened Founders Hall, a residence hall, we installed a green roof that generated some good discussion in the local community. Jeremy Wilburn took some great pictures. We hope the roof becomes a positive example in the region -- "Hey, they've got a green roof on the new residence hall at UIS!" Also, the three acres of prairie that we're maintaining are a living laboratory for faculty members like Tih-Fen Teng. I'd like to think that people expect this kind of innovation at a university.

3 stories I really like

Our students at UIS are making a big difference in the world.

It's starting to look like this next generation is going to reach out farther and more passionately than boomers like me ever did. For example, UIS students set out to collect 2008 pounds of food for the needy this fall; our campus doubled that goal. Remarkable. And somebody else in the world identified one of our student's Jump for Joel project as THE ONE CHARITABLE PROJECT to support if you have to choose something. Yep, our students are making a difference. Very nice.

Also, UIS was named "fourth best in Midwest" in our category by U.S. News and World Report in its 2009 college rankings. It's the first year UIS was eligible for these rankings. Nice.

One other thing: we need to keep letting people know that for the first time, more than 1,000 students live on campus in our residence halls and apartments. That's more than some small private colleges. The atmosphere keeps getting more lively, but pictures tell this story much better than these words do.