PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 20, No. 13, Feb. 1, 2001

brief notes

Alternatives to Social Security system
Poterba to give David Kinley lecture
James Poterba, a professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will deliver the David Kinley Lecture in Economics at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 8 at 141 Wohlers Hall. His lecture is titled "Annuity Markets and Retirement Security." Poterba will describe the current workings of self-directed retirement plans, such as 401(k) and 403(b) plans, and address more generally the role of private annuity markets as alternatives to the Social Security system. The Kinley Lecture is sponsored by the UI department of economics and the College of Commerce and Business Administration.

CCSO and OIR
GradeBook workshops announced
Free hands-on workshops are being offered during the month of February for faculty members and teaching assistants interested in using GradeBook.

CCSO Campus GradeBook is a secure computerized program that instructors can use to compute, maintain and, if they wish, publish their grades online. Campus GradeBook was developed and is maintained by Computing and Communications Services Office, and is supported by CCSO and the Office of Instructional Resources (OIR).

The schedule for workshops is:
Feb. 9: 10 to 11:30 a.m. in 146 Everitt Lab
Feb. 13: 1:30 to 3 p.m., Undergraduate Library
Feb. 22: 1:30 to 3 p.m., Undergraduate Library

To reserve a space in one of the workshops, contact OIR’s Division of Measurement and Evaluation at 333-3490 or e-mail t-keith1@illinois.edu. For more information about Campus GradeBook, visit www.uiuc.edu/ccso/gradebook/.

Grand opening celebration
Coffee, tea or power juice?
A grand opening celebration will be hosted the week of Feb. 5-9 for three new Espresso Royale campus locations, and the Illini Union Bookstore’s gift shop in the Krannert Art Museum.

All three Espresso Royale sites are in partnership with the Illini Union and the campus unit in which they reside.

Teaccino’s by Espresso Royale is located in the Illini Union Bookstore and features 39 different teas in addition to specialty coffees.

The newly reopened Palette Cafe & Gift Shop at the Krannert Art Museum offers a full-service coffee bar, grilled paninis, soups and malted waffles. The Illini Union Bookstore’s new shop features art books and supplies as well as gift items.

The Rush Juice & Smoothie Bar in partnership with the Division of Campus Recreation, can be found on the lower level of the IMPE Building. The Rush Bar specializes in power juice drinks and frozen yogurt.

As part of the grand opening festivities, Espresso Royale will offer 40 percent off all beverages, plus free samples at these three new locations. Everything in the Palette Gift Shop will be 10 percent off all week. Visit www.union.uiuc.edu for more information.

Student Affairs to recognize student leaders
Nominations due Feb. 14
Since 1987, Student Affairs has presented annual awards to students who demonstrate exemplary leadership. The recipients are honored at a luncheon, scheduled this year for April 28.

To honor the most deserving candidates for the awards, Student Affairs depends on faculty members to nominate students and student organizations for consideration. This year the nomination material will be distributed electronically. Award information, descriptions and nomination forms can be found at www.odos.uiuc.edu/awards. The required nomination forms and material may be submitted electronically or by mail, according to the nominator’s preference, with the exception of the Consent to Release Records form. This form, which is required for some of the student awards indicated, must be mailed.

Nomination forms must be received by 5 p.m. Feb. 14. For more information, contact Willard Broom, at 333-0055.

Annual Office Professional of the Year award
Secretariat seeking nominations
The Secretariat is seeking nominations for its annual Office Professional of the Year award. Secretariat members, except those in elected offices and Office Professional of the Year committee members, may be nominated by their boss and/or supervisor by submitting a nomination form.

Nominees should exhibit outstanding professionalism, perform his/her duties well, routinely show consideration and support of other staff members, colleagues, students and visitors to their office and the campus, and be an enthusiastic supporter of the UI and its programs.

Nomination forms will be sent to supervisors of Secretariat members. Completed forms should be sent to Judy Corray, 807 S. Wright St., Suite 300, MC-308, and must be received by March 16. The winner will be announced at the April 18 Secretariat Awards Luncheon.

Survey Research Laboratory
Survey research seminars offered
The Survey Research Laboratory is offering a series of introductory seminars on survey research methodology. The series is free to university faculty and staff members and students but attendance for each seminar is limited and advance registration is required. You may register for the whole series or one or more individual seminars. The seven seminars will be from noon to 1:20 p.m.

To register, e-mail krish@srl.uic.edu or call 333-4273. When registering, include your full name, e-mail address, department, and whether or not you are a faculty or staff member, or student. Participants will be notified of the room assignment when registering. No knowledge of survey research is assumed or required.

Dates and topics:
Feb. 7: Introduction to Survey Design
Feb. 14: Questionnaire Design
Feb. 22: Survey Sampling
Feb. 28: Mail Surveys
March 7: Web Surveys
March 28: Telephone Surveys
April 4: Survey Data Analysis

Purchase available through payroll deduction
New savings bonds now available
Benefits-eligible employees now have another option for saving for the future. The U.S. Treasury’s new Series I Savings Bonds are now available through university payroll deductions. Both I Bonds and Series EE Bonds may be purchased. Payroll deduction cards can be obtained from the Benefits Center.

Series EE Bonds are available in denominations of $100, $200, $500 and $1,000, and are sold at one-half the denomination value. For example, you would pay $50 for a $100 denomination bond. EE Bonds earn rates based on the market returns of five-year Treasury securities and are guaranteed to reach face value in 17 years.

Series I Bonds are sold at full denomination value and may be purchased in denominations of $50 and $75. I Bonds increase in value with inflation-indexed earnings for up to 30 years.

The university will automatically deduct the cost of both types of savings bonds from your paycheck in as little as $5 per paycheck deductions. The bonds will be purchased for you, and sent to your home address when your payroll deductions equal the purchase price of the bonds you choose.

Complete information on the differences between Series EE and Series I Bonds can be found at www.savingsbonds.gov/sav/sbieevsi.htm. If you have questions about eligibility, or would like a payroll deduction card, contact the Benefit Center.

Bureau of Economic and Business Research
Illinois Statistical Abstract available
The 2000 Illinois Statistical Abstract has been completed by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the UI.

With 830 pages of charts, tables and graphs, the book is a comprehensive compilation of economic and demographic information on Illinois. Data in 28 categories – ranging from crimes rates and agricultural receipts to health statistics and retail store sales – are arranged by county and metropolitan area.

The book contains data available through October 2000. It is part of the continuing service mission of the College of Commerce and Business Administration to provide "historical and current socio-economic data to businesses, governments, educators, students and the general public," Hartter wrote.

A softbound copy of the Abstract is available for $60 from the Office of Research, College of Commerce and Business Administration. The material also is available on disk and CD-ROM.

University YMCA
‘Friday Forum’ begins Feb. 9
The 2001 Spring Friday Forum lecture series will begin at noon, Feb. 9, with a lecture, "Barriers to a Culture of Peace." Steve Shoemaker, executive director of the University YMCA will speak. The topic of the spring series is "Creating a Culture of Peace." Lectures run from 12:15 to 12:55 p.m. each Friday during the semester, with a question and answer period from 1 to 1:30 p.m.

The remaining February lectures are "Creating a Culture of Peace in Our Schools: Teaching Peace Making to Young People," with Dick Bodine on Feb. 16; and "Sister City Exchanges Encourage Peace," with William and Ann White on Feb. 23.

University YMCA
‘Know Your University’ lectures begin
The 2001 Spring Know Your University (KYU) lecture series will begin at noon Feb. 6 with the lecture, "The Chief Illiniwek Dialog: Understanding and Resolution." Roger Huddleston and Carol Spindel will present the lecture. At 7 p.m. that evening, two movies on the Chief issue will be shown – "Chief, an Historical Documentary" and "In Whose Honor."

The following KYU lectures also will be presented in February:

Feb. 13: "UI Legislation Goals in Springfield and Washington," Richard Schoell, executive director for government relations and director for federal relations.
Feb. 20: "Asian American Studies: Forward and Backward?," George T. Yu, professor of political science.
Feb. 27: "Globalization from Above, Globalization from Below," Michael Goldman, professor of sociology.

Midwest BLGT and Ally College Conference
Registration deadline is Feb. 9
The Ninth Annual Midwest Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Ally College Conference (MBLGTACC) will be at the UI from Feb. 16th through 18th.

The title of the conference this year is "Out and About: Breaking the Silence, Breaking the Boundaries, Breaking the Labels." The conference is planned and implemented by UI students; however, interested UI staff and faculty members may attend for a nominal registration fee. The registration deadline is Feb. 9. More information is available at www.uiuc.edu/ro/mblgtcc2001/.

First organized at Emporia State University in Kansas in 1992, MBLGTACC is the largest regional LGBT/Queer conference in the country, encompassing colleges and universities from more than 20 states.