Official Employee Announcements

November 2, 2009

To: University of Illinois Community
From: President B. Joseph White and Interim President-designate Stanley O. Ikenberry
Re: University Budget Outlook and Actions

The University of Illinois has been dealing with budget reductions and uncertainties for some time. We can’t wave these away. Like many other public and private research universities around the country, we continue to confront them. A deep national recession, a weak Illinois economy and serious state financial problems create the challenge.
 
During the past decade, the University has been subject to multiple rescissions and cuts in our appropriation from the state. In fiscal year 2002, the University’s state general fund appropriation was $804 million. By fiscal 2009, that amount was down to $700 million after accounting for a $19 million rescission and a redirection of $24 million annually to cover part of our health care costs previously paid by the state. This is a reduction of 13%, excluding inflation, or 30% in real terms.

The University’s net general fund appropriation from the state for the current fiscal year is $719 million, including $45 million of federal stimulus funds. As of November 2, 2009, the University has billed the State for $317 million of the current fiscal year 2010 appropriation. We have received very little of that amount. The result is significant cash flow problems that we continue to manage.

Whether the Governor and General Assembly will make downward adjustments to our current budget is unknown and may not be known for several months. Given this possibility, however, we must take steps now to manage as prudently as possible. At the beginning of the year the University put funds in reserve centrally in anticipation of difficult budget challenges ahead. We must now make further contingency plans to sequester an additional 6%, or $45 million, of the fiscal 2010 general fund appropriation.
 
We have asked Campus and University Administration leaders to develop the plans guided by these principles:

• Safeguard academic and patient-care quality, serve students and maintain externally funded research programs.
• Identify organizational changes and consolidations that will yield longer-term savings.
 
We do not plan furlough days before the end of the calendar year and we hope they can be avoided completely. It will be necessary, however, for departments, colleges and administrative units to manage any  hiring on a critical needs, by exception basis for the remainder of the 2010 fiscal year that ends next June 30. Campus and UA leaders will determine the methods for managing personnel costs while reducing overall expenditures.

Virtually every public university in America faces similar challenges. For Illinois, the state economy is expected to remain weak and state revenues may decline further. Federal stimulus funds that are an important part of the fiscal 2010 budget are not expected to recur in 2011. 

We face difficult choices to position the University for a genuine recovery down the road. We intend, for example, to implement a plan to reduce administrative costs at the campus and UA levels by a total of $15 million over the next three years. Other organizational and program changes across the University will be analyzed and considered.

We know that living with uncertainty is not easy. Yet it is far from clear when state policymakers will craft a plan to address the state’s fiscal crisis and what the implications of the plan will be for state programs and services, including higher education. Securing a stable and high quality future for the University of Illinois is our top priority and a challenge we all share. We appreciate your understanding, cooperation and support during these difficult times.

To: The Campus Community
From: Campus Health Service
Date: Monday, November 2, 2009
Subject: H1N1 Vaccine Update

Information concerning the H1N1 Vaccine and the Campus Protocol for administration of the vaccine

In most states, the Health Department is responsible for t he distribution of th3e H1N1 vaccine, in Illinois, some doses are being shipped directly and some are coming via the local IDPH vaccine warehouse.  As of today, we do not have a date on which to expect our vaccine, it is anticipated to be the middle of November.  The vaccine will be free for all students, faculty and staff.  I will send an e-mail notice to the campus when the vaccine arrives and when and where the first flu vaccine clinic will be held.

We will dispense the vaccine according to the guidelines from the national Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for the recommended target groups:

1. Professional health care providers (nurses, nurses aides, MD's, Emergency medical services personnel, etc) who are currently practicing.

2. Pregnant women

3. Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age.

4. All people from 17 years through 24 years of age and persons aged 25 - 64 who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.

Students, faculty and staff within groups 1, 2, and 3 will be the first target group to receive the vaccine.  As vaccine is available, notification will be sent out.

We announced in early September that we would not be administering the Inflenza A test (as recommended by the CDC) and we now treat everyone with an influenza like  illnes (ILI) as if they had H1N1.  Those with flulike symptoms are being asked to isolate themselves from the community until they are fever-free without medication for 24 hours.  If those with ILI need to be in common rooms with their roommates, they should wear surgical masks to help reduce the spread of the virus.

Inflenza symptoms I nclude:

Fever of 100 degrees or greater
Headache
Body aches
General fatigue
Cough
Sore throat

Any students experiencing these symptoms should call Health Services at 206-6676 and should not come to the Health Service without calling first.

If you have questions or concerns contact Health Service at 206-6676.  You can also visit the UIS flu information website at: http://www.uis.edu/h1n1/

To: The Campus Community
From: Chancellor Richard D. Ringeisen
Date: Monday, November 2, 2009
Subject: Holiday Stars Project - Food Drive

We had a fantastic kick-off over the weekend for this year’s Holiday Stars Project.   Nearly 150 UIS students participated in the “Trick or Eat” campaign and canvassed area neighborhoods and collected 4,500 pounds of food.

Now that the students have started us off with a bang, it’s our turn.  The campus-wide food drive starts today and runs through December 2nd and we are hoping to collect an additional 3,000 pounds of food to meet our goal of 7,500.  Please refer to the website http://www.uis.edu/volunteer/holidayproject/index.html  for more information.  We welcome everyone’s participation.

While the committee selected the Central Illinois Foodbank as our focus this year, this does not preclude groups or departments or individuals from donating to the cause of their choice.  Your thoughtfulness will be appreciated and shared by many during this holiday season.

To: The Campus Community
From: Office of the Registrar
Date: Monday, October 19, 2009
Subject: "Special Approval" vs. "WPI"

Everyone,

I write to you in an attempt to clear up some confusion regarding course approvals on our campus.  Many of us refer to a course approval as a WPI.  The term WPI (With Permission of Instructor) dates back to terminology that was used in our legacy student system and is no longer used anywhere in our current student system.  When students view the online schedule, some courses have the notation Instructor Approval Required or Departmental Approval Required.  Once approvals are entered by the appropriate individuals for students, the description Special Approval Override is what students see when they register using the Student Self-Service system.

I would ask that you no longer refer to approvals as WPIs and instead refer to them as Special Approvals.  Although this may seem like a small change, it will hopefully reduce the amount of confusion on the part of students, faculty, and staff.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the Office of Records and Registration.  We can be reached by calling 6-6174 or by emailing registrar@uis.edu.

Brian L. Clevenger
Director of Records & Registration/Registrar

To: The Campus Community
From: Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Date: Monday, October 19, 2009
Subject: Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs announces selection of Director of the Center for First Year Students

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

I am pleased to announce that Mr. Edward Bempong has been selected as our new Director of the Center for First Year Students.  His appointment is effective November 16.  The search committee is to be commended for its excellent work and time devoted during the search process.

Mr. Bempong currently serves as the Student Affairs Advisor II  in the Office of New Student Programs and Parent Relations at Georgia State University.  Edward, while in his position, developed a new student orientation program to meet the needs of freshmen and transfer students as well as their families. He is also the primary advisor for the Tau Sigma Transfer Student Honor Society.

Before joining the team at GSU,  Mr. Bempong was the Residence Coordinator/First Year Experience Coordinator at Purchase College in Purchase, New York.  There he coordinated the formulation of goals and initiatives designed to promote community development within the First Year Experience program.

He earned his M.A. in Education Policy and Leadership from University of Maryland and his B.A. in History from University of Maryland.

Please join me in welcoming Edward on November 16 when he joins the UIS team.

Tim Barnett
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
University of Illinois Springfield
University Hall Building,  Room 1071
1 University Plaza
Springfield, IL  62703
(217)206-6581