University of Illinois says dining and custodial workers may strike as soon as Sunday
The university said they have scheduled six more bargaining sessions.
University of Illinois building and food service workers vote to strike
Updated 6 p.m. Sept. 13, 2023 URBANA — As a building service worker at the University of Illinois, Melody Decker has cleaned up feces in shower stalls and vomit that just missed trash cans. Despite her own visceral reactions to bodily fluids, she loves her job. She said she has made lasting friendships with students…
Percentage of underrepresented freshmen slightly up at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign despite end of affirmative action
URBANA — The University of Illinois published its 10-day enrollment numbers Wednesday. It’s a first look at how much of an impact the end of affirmative action has on diversity at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. “We tried to do a number of things in the wake of the Supreme Court decision to improve…
Principal of Urbana’s new multilingual school: ‘It’s really refreshing’
URBANA – About 16 % of the 300,000 English learners in Illinois are taking public school classes to become bilingual in both their first language and English. Few of those schools are fully multilingual. One is in Champaign and after years of debate, Yankee Ridge Multilingual Elementary School opened in Urbana earlier this month. IPM…
Families have mixed feelings as Urbana opens its first fully multilingual school
URBANA — Felix Ayanbode has statistics at his fingertips for why his daughter should learn multiple languages. His first grader, Faith, is learning to be bilingual in French and English at Urbana District 116’s first multilingual school, Yankee Ridge Elementary. “When you know another language, you are able to have a peek into another culture….
With more incoming students than expected, University of Illinois offers returning students $2,000 to move off campus
The University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign has more incoming students this year than can fit in its dorms. So, U of I is offering $2,000 – plus 100 meal tickets – to returning students to move off campus.
Rural student “didn’t see any changes” after Illinois LGBTQ+ history law passed
Common textbooks from companies like McGraw Hill have long included information on Asian American, African American and Native American history — but not LGBTQ+ history. That can make it challenging for teachers to comply with Illinois inclusive history requirements.
High schoolers in rural, western Illinois learn the history of why their town is white
“My students want to ask about lynchings in the area,” said Cuba High School history teacher Joe Brewer. “It’s difficult for folks to talk about still, but those are the exact questions my students want to address.”
Heat wave over central Illinois to peak this weekend
Heat waves are defined by humidity and unseasonably warm temperatures, according to IPM Meteorologist Andrew Pritchard. He said summer temperatures five to 10 degrees above the monthly average feel like heat waves.
New opponent emerges for Nikki Budzinski, with support from Green Party presidential hopeful Jill Stein
On Thursday, 27-year-old Chibuihe “Chibu” Asonye stumped with Green Party presidential hopeful Jill Stein in Champaign-Urbana.
Sam Banks and Mark Holm selected to join Champaign Unit 4 school board after months of turmoil
The Champaign-Ford Regional Office of Education announced the selection Friday, after months of turbulence on the Champaign Unit 4 Board of Education.
State Jewish Caucus members visit University of Illinois during pro-Palestine encampment
Three lawmakers in Illinois’ Jewish Caucus visited the University of Illinois Monday to support Jewish students.
Illinois schools have to offer a vegan lunch if a student request it in advance. Urbana schools go one step further.
Since the fall of 2023 a state law requires all Illinois school districts to provide vegan lunches if requested by a student in advance. Urbana School District 116 goes one step further and offers vegan lunches every day.
Yankee Ridge Elementary School to become Urbana’s first fully multilingual school
The Urbana District 116 Board of Education voted 4-3 on Tuesday to convert Yankee Ridge Elementary School into a fully multilingual school.
Champaign Unit 4 school board unable to vote in new members because of protests by current members
Eight candidates showed up to the Champaign Unit 4 school board meeting Tuesday to interview for two empty seats. Because board members Amy Armstrong and Betsy Holder were absent in protest, there weren’t enough members to hold the meeting.