CHAMPAIGN – The University of Illinois called police on a small graduate student worker protest on Wednesday and is threatening to suspend one or more participants. The Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) held the protest, in opposition to administration plans to relax campus-wide mask requirements. The university alleges one or more protesters kicked and shoved someone
URBANA — For more than 5-years, Dr. Robert Jones has served as Chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is a native of Georgia, a parent, and a grandparent. He has earned multiple advanced degrees in crop physiology. And he was a member of a Grammy award-winning vocal ensemble. On Jan. 31, Illinois Newsroom’s
CHAMPAIGN — Three faculty members at the University of Illinois have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering. They are among 111 new members and 22 international members elected this year. They will be formally inducted in October in Washington, D.C. The new members from Illinois are William Hammack, Youssef Hashash and Klara Nahrstedt.
CHAMPAIGN – Cooks and custodians at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana say the univeristy rejected their proposal this week for stricter safety measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Dena Gary is a head cook at the University of Illinois and the president of the Champaign-Urbana chapter of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73. She and other
URBANA — The University of Illinois is expecting a surge of COVID-19 cases as students return to Champaign-Urbana for the spring semester. The goal now is to prevent those who have caught COVID from spreading the virus further, according to epidemiology assistant professor Rebecca Smith. “We really encourage people to be cautious over the next
Despite a growing need for mental health services in the community, the director of the Counseling Center at the University of Illinois says the resources remain underfunded and understaffed. “I think mental health services everywhere are underfunded,” said Center director Carla McCowan. “How many staff members do you need before you meet demands? What’s that
URBANA — In order to make water safe to drink, it has to go through a process called chemical disinfection. This process, however necessary, creates byproducts. University of Illinois researcher Lois Raetzman says it is possible that one chemical byproduct could have serious health effects. “So we’re absolutely not saying you should not disinfect water.
URBANA – U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm stopped in Urbana on Thursday as part of her two-day tour of Illinois energy facilities. She listened carefully as researchers at the university’s Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory described how they turn sugar cane into fuel. “What today is about is seeing what the opportunities are and building
URBANA – Coronavirus transmission remains high. Gun violence is up. Despite these worrying indicators, University of Illinois Urbana Chancellor Robert Jones said on Thursday he sees causes for optimism. “I know there are a few of you asking, ‘Jones, did you once again accidentally put your rose-colored glasses this morning?’” Jones joked. Thursday marked the
CHAMPAIGN — University of Illinois service workers want a raise of $5 per hour. They say wages haven’t kept up with inflation and contribute to staffing shortages. Members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 protested working conditions on Wednesday at the corner of Oak Street and Kirby Avenue in Champaign. “We have
URBANA — Faculty and students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign get an annual chance to air grievances and clear up rumors with the president of the university system. One rumor at the latest U of I Senate’s Annual Meeting of the Faculty was whether the university system is planning to expand to the Quad
URBANA – With a total of 8,303 students enrolled this fall, the freshmen class of 2025 is the largest ever at the University of Illinois Urbana campus. Yet, a recent university report shows a decrease in minority students enrollment. Director of Undergraduate Admissions Andy Borst said there was an increase this fall of students coming
An estimated 40,000 football fans, most unmasked, packed Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois Saturday for the first full-capacity game since the start of the pandemic. Spectators didn’t need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to watch the Illini go head-to-head with the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, said Kent Brown, Illinois’ associate director of athletics.
URBANA – On Friday, the University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics announced that all venues will open up to 100% capacity for the 2021-22 season. The decision came in conjunction with the state moving into Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois plan. When Illinois women’s golf tees off its season on Aug. 23, the
CHAMPAIGN – A new study of 182 students in a biology course at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign last spring shows that marginalized students don’t necessarily become demotivated under pandemic-related stress. This is in contrast to concerns that arose suggesting underrepresented students would crack under pressure and drop out of college. Illinois Newsroom student journalist Carolina