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Committee rosters available online

The annual summary of committee members on the Urbana-Champaign campus can be viewed online. In an effort to provide the most accurate information, Inside Illinois has compiled a list of URLs for units that appoint the committees.

RESEARCH
corn

Replacing corn with perennial grasses improves carbon footprint of biofuels

Converting forests or fields to biofuel crops can increase or decrease greenhouse gas emissions, depending on where – and which – biofuel crops are used, UI researchers report this month. Full story

Scott Althaus and Kalev Leetaru

Changes in White House documents raise concern about rewriting history

The recorded number of nations in the “Coalition of the Willing” when the U.S. invaded Iraq depends on which version of key White House news releases you read. Different versions of three releases all appear to be the originals. Full story

Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld

Expert says economy will worsen if layoffs used to curb company losses

Widespread layoffs that stem corporate financial losses but leave workers out in the cold would deepen the looming recession that sparked them, a University of Illinois labor expert warns. Full story

Caroline Haythornthwaite

E-Learning can have positive effect on classroom learning, scholar says

Traditional classroom teaching in higher education could learn a thing or two from online teaching, otherwise known as e-learning, according to a UI professor who studies computer-mediated communication, information exchange and the Internet. Full story

Jeffrey Brown

Former Bush adviser lauds Obama's economic team

former economic adviser for President Bush and John McCain threw bipartisan support to the economic team assembled by President-elect Barack Obama to help lead the U.S. out of its deepest financial crisis since the Great Depression. Full story

 

UI Flash Index for November drops to 100

The Illinois economy continues to slide along with the national economy, according to the UI Flash Index. The first monthly barometer of the state’s economy dropped to a reading of 100.0 for November, continuing a decline that began in July 2007. The index was at 100.6 in October. Full story

CAMPUS
 

Q&A with Provost Linda Katehi

Provost Linda Katehi discusses the economic forecast for higher education in Illinois and the UI's strategy for weathering adverse conditions. Full story

Campus announces official belt-tightening

With the nation officially in a recession, restrictions on hiring and other expenses have been announced by all three campuses as the UI anticipates a rescission in state funding for this year’s budget. Full story

Beckman toy drive

Vet Med donation

UI employees’ efforts brighten the holidays for others

The approaching holiday season will fall far short as “the most wonderful time of the year” for the many people who are struggling just to feed, house and clothe their families, let alone buy toys for the children and trinkets for the adults. And even though the UI’s faculty and staff members aren’t immune from the repercussions of the economic recession, they’re still opening their hearts and wallets to help make the season a little brighter for others. Full story

 

Program helps ease financial burden during illness

Thousands of Civil Service and academic professional employees of the university have donated at least one day of sick or vacation leave to a campuswide pool called the Shared Benefits program. The program allows employees who have contributed to the pool to receive up to 45 days of pay a year when they face a health issue that requires a long absence from work. Full story

Robert Fossum

Stephanie Alexander

Nancy Kobel

Faculty members, academic professionals retire

Between Sept. 1, 2007, and Aug. 31, 2008, 115 faculty members and academic professionals retired from the UI, according to the Office of Academic Human Resources. The retirees, their positions, units and approximate years of service appear online. The retirees, their positions, units and years of service are online.

44 + 41 + (40 x 3) = five mathematicians’ retirements

The department of mathematics is minus more than 200 years’ experience following the retirements of five faculty members this year. Robert Fossum, Paul Schupp and Jerry Uhl retired in May, with nearly 44, 41 and 40 years’ service, respectively. Stephanie Alexander capped an almost-40-year career with her retirement in June, and Peter Loeb retired in August with 40 years’ service.
In this issue, Fossum, Uhl and Alexander discuss their careers and their activities since they retired. Loeb and Schupp will be featured in the next edition of Inside Illinois on Jan. 15.  Full story

Kobel’s retirement plans include to ‘teach from the beach’

During her 31-year career at the UI, Nancy Kobel worked her way up through the Civil Service ranks from a position as a clerk-typist to an academic professional position as assistant director of administration in International Programs and Studies. Now Kobel is using the insights and experiences she gained during her career to enrich learning for students in the business communications class that she teaches for Parkland College. Full story

Teresa Barnes

Ronald Lee Jackson

RIta Mumm

New Faces 2008

Among the newcomers to the Urbana campus are tenure/tenure track faculty members whose appointments began this summer or fall. Inside Illinois continues its tradition of introducing some of the new faculty members on campus and will feature at least two new colleagues in each fall issue. (All New Faces this semester)

  • Teresa A. Barnes, associate professor of history, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

  • Ronald Lee Jackson, associate dean for research and faculty development and professor of communications and of African American Studies, College of Media

  • Rita Mumm, associate professor of maize breeding and genetics and director of the Plant Breeding Center, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Kathy Young and Stephenie Graham

Software aids researchers in finding federal funding

A software program that is now being implemented at the three UI campuses is helping automate and expedite the processes of finding and applying for research funding from federal agencies. Full story

   
DEPARTMENTS
achievements A report on honors, awards, appointments and other outstanding achievements of faculty and staff members.  More

A Minute With … ™

  • Former Gov. Jim Edgar, now a distinguished fellow at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs, talks about President-elect Barack Obama.

  • Donna Buchanan, UI professor who specializes in Russian and Balkan music, talks about a seasonal classic, "The Nutcracker."

A Minute With … ™  archives

Book Cover

Book Corner

A look at Shaw Brothers’ cinema

In the new book “China Forever: The Shaw Brothers and Diasporic Cinema” (University of Illinois Press), Poshek Fu, professor of history, of cinema studies and of East Asian languages and cultures at the UI, draws together scholars from diverse disciplines such as history, cultural geography and film studies to address the history and cultural politics of the Shaw Brothers’ movie empire. Full story

brief notes

'IT@Illinois Symposium" is Dec. 10 … CDSA nominations due Jan. 20 … Holiday show reveals magic of chemistry … Sign up for video visit with your soldier … Exhibition explores dual identities … Scholarship apps due Jan. 31 … Children's book guide available … Dissertation award apps due Dec. 15 …More

Joyce Roberts On the Job: Joyce Roberts
Joyce Roberts is the business manager for the 17 departments, programs and centers in the School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics.. More
calendar
of events
job market

Careers and Employment at the UI

Academic Human Resources
Suite 420, 807 S. Wright St., MC-310 • 333-6747
Listings of academic professional and faculty member positions can be reviewed during regular business hours or online.

Staff Human Resources
52 E. Gregory Drive, MC-562 • 333-3101
Information about staff employment is online.

deaths

Edward W. Ernst, 84, died Nov. 14. Ernst was a professor emeritus of engineering. He joined the department of electrical and computer engineering in 1958 and retired in 1989. Memorials: St. Paul United Church of Christ, 115 W. B St., Belleville, IL 62220 and UI Foundation, Harker Hall, 1305 W. Green St., MC-386.

John D. Haltiwanger, 83, died Nov. 27 at Meadowbrook Health Center, Urbana. Haltiwanger was a professor of civil engineering and retired in 1990 with 39 years of service. From 1967 until 1983, Haltiwanger served as associate head for undergraduate affairs of the department. Memorials: Civil Engineering Trust Fund through the UI Foundation,  Harker Hall, 1305 W. Green St., MC-386 or First United Methodist Church, 210 W. Church St., Champaign, IL 61820.

Robert C. Hiltibran, 88, died Nov. 13 at his Urbana home. Hiltibran retired in 1992 as a biochemist with the Illinois State Natural History Survey. Memorials: American Alzheimer’s Association; Carle Cancer Center, Urbana; or American Heart Association.

Howard W. Knoebel, 85, died Nov. 19. Knoebal came to the UI in 1950 as a research associate and later became a professor of general engineering. He spent his entire career at the UI, retiring in 1982. He developed equipment that led to the discovery of the nuclear magnetic resonance spin echo that contributed to Magnetic Resonance Imaging and also worked on the development of Doppler radar systems. He also taught courses in aeronautical and astronautical engineering. Memorials: Beagle Rescue Education Welfare Mid-West (BREW Mid-West) P.O. Box 522, Fox Lake, IL 60020-0522.

death archives

 

 



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