E-Update

The F&S E-Update is a weekly email announcement sent to all F&S team members. It typically hits inboxes at 2:30 p.m. and includes information regarding the past and coming weeks, including winners of that week’s Pats on the Back. This page shows the Email+ (WebTools) hyperlink to view the message in its native format. Find each E-Update from this calendar year below.

For E-Updates older than this calendar year, view the E-Update Archive page.

March 21, 2025

Click here to see this online   Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)        New INSIDER Stories The INSIDER website has two new Shop Spotlight stories: One features Temperature Control and explains how they work to keep building temperatures comfortable for the occupants. It even features a tip for your home HVAC system. The second story highlights the F&S Garage. You might be surprised to learn that the mechanics there not only keep a fleet of work tracks and cars running, but they also maintain standby generators for campus buildings and service fire trucks for the Illinois Fire Service Institute and vehicles for the University of Illinois Police Department.In addition to the Shop Spotlights, you can also read about the parking structure at Parking Structure, Lot E15 (at the corner of E. Pennsylvania Ave. and S. Fourth St., Champaign). All these stories and more are available at https://fs.web.illinois.edu/Insider/.        Rainwater Management Virtual Event Learn more about the Rainwater Management Program (RMP) on campus at a virtual forum on Wednesday, April 2, from 3 to 4 p.m. The RMP is working to convert stormwater runoff into an asset that can be used in ways that reduce flooding and ponding on campus and help with green campus goals, including protecting water quality. To hear how they plan to do this, sign up for the event at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/RainwaterManagementProgramVirtualEvent. Login credentials for the event will be sent to registrants.       Help protect the Boneyard Creek watershed on campus by volunteering for the Boneyard Creek Community Day. Boneyard Creek Community Day Volunteers Needed!  In 2024, more than 300 volunteers cleared approximately 40 cubic yards (about 8 dumpsters’ worth) of litter from more than 740 acres, including 5.77 miles of shoreline! This year, volunteers plan to clean it all again, but they need your help! Join the 20th Boneyard Creek Community Day effort on Saturday, April 12 (rain date: May 3). There are two ways to register as part of the F&S team: (1) You can use the signup sheet in Mary Jane Gilly’s office (145-1 in the Safety & Compliance area). (2) You can register yourself at http://www.boneyardcreek.org/ and then email Betsy Richardson bliggett@illinois.edu, so she can add you to the F&S tally. Either way, please sign up by Saturday, April 5.What should you bring on April 12?Wear your orange Boneyard shirt from a previous event if you have one; new shirts will be provided to those who need one. Wear closed-toe shoes or boots that can get dirty and/or wet. Bring a refillable water bottle. What does the schedule look like? Once you check in at Scott Park (207 E. Springfield Ave., Champaign), organizers will provide gloves and tools for you to use. Cleanup activities begin at 9 a.m. at the park, but volunteers may actually work at other sites across the area. After the cleanup, return to Scott Park for a free lunch, music, and educational displays. Visit the Boneyard Creek link (above) for more information.       Campus Parking Reminder for Sidewalks Unless you have a current Sidewalk Utilization Permit to drive or park on university sidewalks, please do not do so. F&S team members are reminded that driving or parking on a sidewalk, even for a short time, blocks a route that is meant to be accessible. Those in wheelchairs or who use other mobility aids cannot easily navigate around a parked truck or car. Please be courteous and help keep campus sidewalks clear.          Two-Day Training Nominate yourself or a team member to participate in the two-day training event,Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue, on Tuesday and Thursday, April 15 and 17, in Stores & Receiving conference room 1A, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day.The training will feature instructor-led sessions with real-time practice and coaching scenarios to help you be better prepared to share your concerns, speak up about workplace issues, and find mutual ground and understanding in any conversation. Participants willDevelop skills to communicate effectively during high-stakes situations.Listen actively and speak persuasively.Build stronger relationships and foster a collaborative environment.This on-site, comprehensive training program, including access to the associated learning materials, costs $350 per person. Existing departmental/shop training budgets will be charged for this purpose. Supervisor approval should be obtained and noted in the registration form.Space is limited to the first 25 participants, so please sign up or nominate someone by Monday, April 7. To do so, use the form at https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/122171811. For more information or questions, please contact Joseph Meeker, F&S training and development specialist, jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.       Discover places on campus to meditate, reflect, or pray at https://go.illinois.edu/prayerspaces.        WASP Elizabeth L. Gardner of Rockford, Illinois, gets ready to fly a B-26 Marauder Noontime Knowledge for Women’s History Month Did you know that more than 1,000 women served as pilots in World War II as Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs)? They tested aircraft and trained other pilots, freeing up men for combat roles. Learn more about these amazing women at noon, Wednesday, March 26,when the Diversity & Inclusion Committee will present the fascinating video “Flying Dreams: Women Airforce Pilots of WWII.”To participate, use this link: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/85351888300?pwd=h8UqcVDeWgMFdy7s8JpwQG13UJp1uM.1 Alternately, open Zoom, click “Join a Meeting,” and enter the following meeting ID and password where prompted:Meeting ID: 853 5188 8300; Password: 891987You can also join by phone at 312-626-6799 or 470-250-9358, using the same meeting number, followed by the pound sign (#), when prompted. If you have questions, please contact Julie O’Mahoney jao22@illinois.edu, 217-244-0905.        Campus Transportation Survey Share your thoughts on the many ways to get around campus—from bikes to cars and buses to walking—at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/TransportationSurvey. Your response will help Transportation Demand Management understand commute times and locations, preferred travel methods, parking needs, safety perceptions, accessibility issues, and more. Survey results will be shared later this year. The survey is open to everyone until Sunday, April 6. Your participation in the 10-minute survey will be anonymous, and no personal information will be collected. For more information, contact Sarthak Prasad sprasad9@illinois.edu, 217-300-9575.        Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:Athletico Schedule Athletico Industrial Wellness Specialists (IWSs) can assess and address minor issues with aches, pains, stiffness, and the like, in this free program. Next week, they will be in PPSB conference room 127 on Tuesday, March 25, between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. On Thursday, March 27, they will be in room 127b from 7 to 10 a.m. In April, Athletico IWSs will be in Garage & Car Pool conference room B3 on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 5:30 and 8:30 a.m. If you have a major injury, please seek prompt medical care. Questions may be addressed to Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator Ben Kuhlman kuhlmanb@illinois.edu. F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the F&S Training Calendar. Information about these sessions is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. The calendar also has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Joseph Meeker jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.Text 9-1-1 Available in Champaign County To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html.Call Before You Dig!  Avoid hitting utility lines when you dig, whether at home or at work! Call JULIE at 8-1-1 first. This nationwide number is used to make a locate request for underground utilities before you excavate. This free service is available 24/7, but it may take a few days for the request to be fulfilled. For upcoming digging to be done on university property, JULIE will coordinate with the Service Office to begin the locate process. F&S shops do the actual locates for U. of I. utilities on campus and may take up to two business days to do so for nonemergency locates. For more information, visit https://fs.illinois.edu/utility-locating/.        Early Voting Is Now Open Early voting for Champaign County’s Consolidated General Election is now available at the Brookens Center (1776 E. Washington St., Urbana). You can vote there today (March 21), from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Next week, Monday to Friday (March 24 to 28), you can vote there from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Beginning Monday (March 24), you can also vote at early voting sites around the county, including at the Illini Union (1401 W. Green St., Urbana). Additional locations will also open in Champaign, Mahomet, Rantoul, Savoy, St. Joseph, and Tolono. All of the mentioned locations will also be open Saturday, March 29; Sunday, March 30; and Monday, March 31. If you prefer, you may request a mail-in ballot. These must be postmarked or placed in a drop box by election day, which is Tuesday, April 1. Polls will be open on this day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.To learn more about the many ways to vote, including locations and times; access the voter portal, where you can also see your sample ballot; find answers to other election-related questions; and more, visit https://champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/many-ways-vote.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the CommunityThe Lightning Thief—Champaign Park District Youth Theatre is presenting the musical based on the Percy Jackson book by Rick Riordan this weekend. You can enjoy the show tonight (Friday, March 21) at 7 p.m., or tomorrow (Saturday, March 22) at 2 or 7 p.m. All shows will be held at Centennial High School (913 Crescent Drive, Champaign). For more information, visit https://champaignparks.org/event/cpd-youth-theatre-presents-the-lightning-thief-the-percy-jackson-musical/2025-03-21/. Moderated Discussion—Native American House and the Women’s Resources Center are cosponsoring a moderated discussion with Dr. Urla Marcus (Northern Cheyenne/Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) and Native women at Illinois. “Women’s History Month: Native Perspectives”  takes place at noon on Tuesday, March 25, at the Women’s Resource Center (616 E. Green St., suite 213, Champaign). Go to https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/7466/33508371 for more details.  Public Open House—The Village of Savoy is hosting an open-house meeting to provide the public with information regarding the proposed Curtis Road Grade Separation & Complete Streets Project. Drop by the Savoy Municipal Center (611 N. Dunlap Ave., Savoy) on Tuesday, March 25, between 6 and 8 p.m. to learn more about the proposed project to reconstruct Curtis Road between Wesley Avenue and First Street, including an elevated railway bridge over Curtis Road. More details on the plan are available at https://savoy.illinois.gov/news_detail_T4_R2.php. Edible Book Festival—Fans of books and baking will appreciate the annual Champaign-Urbana Edible Book Festival, which will be held on Saturday, March 29, at Common Ground Co-op (300 S. Broadway Ave., Suite #166, Urbana). It’s not too late to register to enter, and participants can begin dropping off their entries at 10 a.m. The public is invited to come out for the judging, which begins at 11:30 a.m., and cookies will be provided to all at 12:15 p.m. The University Library sponsors this fun event. Learn more and view a gallery of past entries at https://www.library.illinois.edu/geninfo/edible-book-festival/. Financial Webinar—Do you ever wonder, “Is Your Financial House in Order?” Faculty/Staff Assistance Services is partnering with Prudential Pathways to help you figure that out. The webinar will help you assess your financial situation, discuss how to protect your assets, and more. The free, online seminar will be held on Thursday, March 27, at 1 p.m. Register at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/FinancialWebinarMarch2025. Marjorie Beasley Scholarship—The Civil Service Employees and Dependents Scholarship Program Fund in Honor of Marjorie Beasley (Marjorie Beasley Scholarship) is a unique opportunity designed by employees for employees. This scholarship is for Civil Service employees or the dependents of Civil Service employees at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Applications due April 16. Visit https://humanresources.illinois.edu/employee-experience/current-employee/recognition/marjorie-beasley-scholarship/.       Save the DateMarch 26—Noontime KnowledgeApril 1—Consolidated ElectionApril 2—Rainwater Management Program forumApril 12—Boneyard Creek Community Day (raindate: May 3)April 15—Tax DayApril 22—Earth DayApril 25—Arbor Day        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs.         Facilities & Services 1501 S. Oak St. | M/C 800 Champaign, IL 61820 Service Office: 217-333-0340 fsserviceoffice@illinois.edu

March 14, 2025

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Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)        New Dispatch Available The current edition of the Dispatch is available for your reading pleasure. This issue looks at the recent Revitalization Celebration for the parking structures C7 and C10, with remarks from Director of Capital Programs Mohamed Sultan, Transportation Systems Manager Stacey DeLorenzo, Chancellor Jones, and others. Another article looks at safety on campus and the focus of a new communication campaign that aims to center safety culture as a university priority. There are also recaps of the recent Noontime Knowledge and the Big Breakfast, as well as a look at preparing for severe spring storms.To read these and other stories, view the newest edition at https://erin.fs.illinois.edu/quick-links/news/dispatch or look for copies around F&S. A digital version is also available on the large West Hallway screen. We’d love to feature your work! Tell us about your latest project or achievement. Photos are also gladly accepted. Customer Relations & Communications will include as many stories and images as possible (suggestions needed by April 1 for the next edition). Email suggestions to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu.        Pothole Reporting Pothole season is underway and seems to be particularly bad this year. F&S and other jurisdictions need your help to know where to prioritize, so if you come across a large and/or dangerous pothole, please report it. Notifications should be made based on street jurisdiction. A road through campus may seem like the university’s responsibility, but it could be a city street or even a state-owned one. Parts of Springfield Avenue, for example, are actually serviced by the State of Illinois. For more on street jurisdiction how potholes form, visit https://fs.illinois.edu/News/pavement-conditions-and-repairs-following-freezing-thawing/.Once you know who is responsible for the street/pothole, you can report it through one of these methods:F&S maintains university-owned streets. Contact the F&S Service Office fsserviceoffice@illinois.edu, 217-333-0340, or Transportation Demand Management fandscampusdm@illinois.edu.The City of Champaign asks people to report potholes between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Call the Operations Division at 217-403-4700.City of Urbana potholes can be reported to the Public Works Department at 217-384-2342.Surrounding towns have their own Public Works Departments, including Mahomet, 217-586-2013; Rantoul Street Division, 217-892-6526; Savoy, 217-359-5894; and St. Joseph, which uses a form: https://stjosephillinois.org/index.asp?SEC=37FE945A-927F-40D4-9E19-9DE001325994.For Champaign County Highways, please contact the County Highway Department at 217-384-3800.To report a pothole on a state highway or interstate, call 1-800-452-IDOT(4368).Please remember to be patient with these entities. Even well-filled potholes can reoccur until they can be permanently repaired.       Help protect the Boneyard Creek watershed on campus by volunteering for the Boneyard Creek Community Day. Boneyard Creek Community Day Volunteers Needed!  In 2024, more than 300 volunteers cleared approximately 40 cubic yards (about 8 dumpsters’ worth) of litter from more than 740 acres, including 5.77 miles of shoreline! This year, volunteers plan to clean it all again, but they need your help! Join the 20th Boneyard Creek Community Day effort on Saturday, April 12 (rain date: May 3). There are two ways to register as part of the F&S team: (1) You can use the signup sheet in Mary Jane Gilly’s office (145-1 in the Safety & Compliance area). (2) You can register yourself at http://www.boneyardcreek.org/ and then email Betsy Richardson bliggett@illinois.edu, so she can add you to the F&S tally. Either way, please sign up by Saturday, April 5.What should you bring on April 12?Wear your orange Boneyard shirt from a previous event if you have one; new shirts will be provided to those who need one. Wear closed-toe shoes or boots that can get dirty and/or wet. Bring a refillable water bottle. What does the schedule look like? Once you check in at Scott Park (207 E. Springfield Ave., Champaign), organizers will provide gloves and tools for you to use. Cleanup activities begin at 9 a.m. at the park, but volunteers may actually work at other sites across the area. After the cleanup, return to Scott Park for a free lunch, music, and educational displays. Visit the Boneyard Creek link (above) for more information.       Firmware Update On Saturday, March 15, network engineers with F&S Information Technology Services (ITS) will upgrade firmware on the PPSB DC routers (bd-ppsbdc1 and bd-ppsbdc2) between 5 and 6 a.m. Because of the redundant nature of the PPSB DC and the UIUCnet Core, no negative impact is expected during this upgrade. For questions, contact the ITS Support Desk fandssupportdesk@illinois.edu, 217-244-6350, or at https://supportdesk.fs.illinois.edu.          Two-Day Training Nominate yourself or a team member to participate in the two-day training event,Crucial Conservations for Mastering Dialogue, on Tuesday and Thursday, April 15 and 17, in Stores & Receiving conference room 1A, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day.The training will feature instructor-led sessions with real-time practice and coaching scenarios to help you be better prepared to share your concerns, speak up about workplace issues, and find mutual ground and understanding in any conversation. Participants willDevelop skills to communicate effectively during high-stakes situations.Listen actively and speak persuasively.Build stronger relationships and foster a collaborative environment.This on-site, comprehensive training program, including access to the associated learning materials, costs $350 per person. Existing departmental/shop training budgets will be charged for this purpose. Supervisor approval should be obtained and noted in the registration form.Space is limited to the first 25 participants, so please sign up or nominate someone by Monday, April 7. To do so, use the form at https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/122171811. For more information or questions, please contact Joseph Meeker, F&S training and development specialist, jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.       Campus Parking Reminder Regarding Dumpsters F&S team members who park on campus in front of dumpsters in the course of their work are asked to be respectful of building needs. There have been several reports that F&S vehicles have prevented trash pickup, which sometimes causes overflow issues. This is especially problematic in the mornings when the dumpsters are typically emptied by Waste Management & Recycling operators. You can help by following this protocol:Refrain from blocking dumpsters prior to noon.Check the dumpster to see if it has already been emptied.If it has not, please place a visible contact phone number on your dash, so someone can contact you to move the parked vehicle if necessary.If the vehicle will be parked for a while, you can call the Waste Transfer Station for more scheduling information at 217-333-4336.You should also continue to communicate with your F&S forepersons about specific facility parking availability, including around dumpsters.       WASP Elizabeth L. Gardner of Rockford, Illinois, gets ready to fly a B-26 Marauder Noontime Knowledge for Women’s History Month Did you know that more than 1,000 women served as pilots in World War II as Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs)? They tested aircraft and trained other pilots, freeing up men for combat roles. Learn more about these amazing women at noon, Wednesday, March 26,when the Diversity & Inclusion Committee will present the fascinating video “Flying Dreams: Women Airforce Pilots of WWII.”To participate, use this link: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/85351888300?pwd=h8UqcVDeWgMFdy7s8JpwQG13UJp1uM.1 Alternately, open Zoom, click “Join a Meeting,” and enter the following meeting ID and password where prompted:Meeting ID: 853 5188 8300; Password: 891987You can also join by phone at 312-626-6799 or 470-250-9358, using the same meeting number, followed by the pound sign (#), when prompted. If you have questions, please contact Julie O’Mahoney jao22@illinois.edu, 217-244-0905.        Campus Transportation Survey Share your thoughts on the many ways to get around campus—from bikes to cars and buses to walking—at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/TransportationSurvey. Your response will help Transportation Demand Management understand commute times and locations, preferred travel methods, parking needs, safety perceptions, accessibility issues, and more. Survey results will be shared later this year. The survey is open to everyone until Sunday, April 6. Your participation in the 10-minute survey will be anonymous, and no personal information will be collected. For more information, contact Sarthak Prasad sprasad9@illinois.edu, 217-300-9575.        Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:Athletico Schedule Athletico Industrial Wellness Specialists can assess and address minor issues with aches, pains, stiffness, and the like, in this free program. They will be in PPSB conference rooms on the following dates:TuesdaysThursdaysMarch 18, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., room 127bMarch 20, 7 to 10 a.m., room 127bMarch 25, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., room 127March 27, 7 to 10 a.m., room 127b If you have a major injury, please seek prompt medical care. Questions may be addressed to Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator Ben Kuhlman kuhlmanb@illinois.edu. F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the F&S Training Calendar. Information about these sessions is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. The calendar also has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Joseph Meeker jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.Text 9-1-1 Available in Champaign County To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html.Call Before You Dig!  Avoid hitting utility lines when you dig, whether at home or at work! Call JULIE at 8-1-1 first. This nationwide number is used to make a locate request for underground utilities before you excavate. This free service is available 24/7, but it may take a few days for the request to be fulfilled. For upcoming digging to be done on university property, JULIE will coordinate with the Service Office to begin the locate process. F&S shops do the actual locates for U. of I. utilities on campus and may take up to two business days to do so for nonemergency locates. For more information, visit https://fs.illinois.edu/utility-locating/.        Early Voting Is Now Open Early voting for Champaign County’s Consolidated General Election is now available at the Brookens Center (1776 E. Washington St., Urbana). You can vote there today and Monday through Friday next week (March 17 to 21), from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The following week (March 24 to 28), you can vote from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Beginning Monday, March 24, other early voting sites open around the county, including at the Illini Union (1401 W. Green St., Urbana). Additional locations will also open in Champaign, Mahomet, Rantoul, Savoy, St. Joseph, and Tolono. All of the mentioned locations will also be open Saturday, March 29; Sunday, March 30; and Monday, March 31. If you prefer, you may request a mail-in ballot. These must be postmarked or placed in a drop box by election day, which is Tuesday, April 1. Polls will be open on this day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.To learn more about the many ways to vote, including locations and times; access the voter portal, where you can also see your sample ballot; find answers to other election-related questions; and more, visit https://champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/many-ways-vote.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the CommunityRegular Parking Hours Resume—Courtesy winter parking enforcement hours ended last weekend with the return of Daylight Saving Time. Parking permits or payment are needed at rental lots and meters on campus until 5 p.m. unless otherwise posted. Questions may be addressed to the Parking Department parkingcomments@illinois.edu, 217-333-3530. IDEA2025 Annual Conference—Registration is now open for the International District Energy Association conference, which will be held June 2 through 5 in Minneapolis. Sign up by April 2 to get the early bird rate. Learn more at https://www.districtenergy.org/idea2025/registration. Krannert Art Museum (KAM) Architecture Exhibit—KAM (500 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign) has architectural sketches, plans, photographs, and video tours of four midcentury homes designed by and for people associated with the university. The exhibit, Making Place for the Arts at Home, is open during normal museum operating hours, including during spring break. For more details, visit https://kam.illinois.edu/exhibition/making-place-arts-home-performance-and-midcentury-modern-architecture. Illini Baseball and Softball—Each team has three games scheduled (weather permitting) this weekend (March 14–16). Illini Softball takes on the University of Wisconsin at Eichelberger Field (1202 W. Florida Ave., Urbana) on Friday at 5 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m., and Sunday at noon. Illini Baseball faces Valparaiso at Illinois Field (601 E. Kirby Ave., Champaign) on Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m.See the full schedules at https://fightingillini.com.       Team members should note that the National Weather Service is predicting strong storms this evening and into the early morning hours of Saturday. Please keep an eye on the weather and familiarize yourself with tornado safety protocols. Go to https://www.weather.gov/ilx for the latest information.        Save the DateMarch 15 to 23—Spring BreakMarch 26—Noontime KnowledgeApril 1—Consolidated ElectionApril 12—Boneyard Creek Community Day (raindate: May 3)April 15—Tax DayApril 22—Earth DayApril 25—Arbor Day        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs. Dave Drish, Building Services Jessica Huddle, Building Services Joe Perkins, Building Services Sangeetha Satyam, Information Technology Services

March 7, 2025

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Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)          Two-Day Training Nominate yourself or a team member to participate in the two-day training event,Crucial Conservations for Mastering Dialogue, on Tuesday and Thursday, April 15 and 17, in Stores & Receiving conference room 1A, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day.The training will feature instructor-led sessions with real-time practice and coaching scenarios to help you be better prepared to share your concerns, speak up about workplace issues, and find mutual ground and understanding in any conversation. Participants willDevelop skills to communicate effectively during high-stakes situations.Listen actively and speak persuasively.Build stronger relationships and foster a collaborative environment.This on-site, comprehensive training program, including access to the associated learning materials, costs $350 per person. Existing departmental/shop training budgets will be charged for this purpose. Supervisor approval should be obtained and noted in the registration form.Space is limited to the first 25 participants, so please sign up or nominate someone by Monday, April 7. To do so, use the form at https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/122171811. For more information or questions, please contact Joseph Meeker, F&S training and development specialist, jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.       WASP Elizabeth L. Gardner of Rockford, Illinois, gets ready to fly a B-26 Marauder Noontime Knowledge for Women’s History Month Did you know that more than 1,000 women served as pilots in World War II as Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs)? They tested aircraft and trained other pilots, freeing up men for combat roles. Learn more about these amazing women at noon, Wednesday, February 26, when the Diversity & Inclusion Committee will present the fascinating video “Flying Dreams: Women Airforce Pilots of WWII.”To participate, use this link: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/85351888300?pwd=h8UqcVDeWgMFdy7s8JpwQG13UJp1uM.1 Alternately, open Zoom, click “Join a Meeting,” and enter the following meeting ID and password where prompted:Meeting ID: 853 5188 8300; Password: 891987You can also join by phone at 312-626-6799 or 470-250-9358, using the same meeting number, followed by the pound sign (#), when prompted. If you have questions, please contact Julie O’Mahoney jao22@illinois.edu, 217-244-0905.       Branding Guidelines: Video Production If you create videos for internal or external audiences as part of your work for F&S, these videos must follow the new video production elements, assets, resources, and related guidelines for appropriate use. One area that often comes up is the use of previous branding elements. The best practice is to avoid this use—only using retired branding when dictated by historical context. To learn more about this and other guidelines, visit https://brand.illinois.edu/visual-identity/videography.Video projects must be coordinated with the Customer Relations & Communications division (CRC) to utilize existing unit video website hosting options and delivery methods unless other options are deemed viable (e.g., training modules). This review process will also ensure video content is in compliance with the updated standards before release.For video production support, to request assistance, or for questions about Illinois branding guidelines, please contact CRC at fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu.        Campus Transportation Survey Share your thoughts on the many ways to get around campus—from bikes to cars and buses to walking—at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/TransportationSurvey. Your response will help Transportation Demand Management understand commute times and locations, preferred travel methods, parking needs, safety perceptions, accessibility issues, and more. Survey results will be posted on the F&S website later this year. The survey is open to everyone until Sunday, April 6. Your participation in the 10-minute survey will be anonymous, and no personal information will be collected. For more information, contact Sarthak Prasad, 217-300-9575.        Athletico at F&S March Schedule Now with afternoon availability! Athletico’s Industrial Wellness Specialist (IWS) can help assess your aches, pains, stiffness, and the like that are associated with sprains, strains, and other minor ergonomic injuries. IWSs can then address these with heat, ice, massage, taping, stretching or light exercise, and similar remedies that will help promote blood flow and healing.Tuesdays Thursdays March 11, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., room 127 March 13, 7 to 10 a.m., room 127b March 18, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., room 127b March 20, 7 to 10 a.m., room 127b March 25, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., room 127 March 27, 7 to 10 a.m., room 127b The program is free, so drop by PPSB to feel and move better after communicating with your supervisor. Remember: these services are only meant to help with minor problems. If you have a major injury, please seek prompt medical care. Questions may be addressed to Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator Ben Kuhlman kuhlmanb@illinois.edu.        Orange and Blue Week There’s still time to participate in Orange and Blue week, which ends Sunday, March 9. The U. of I. is highlighting several crowdfunding projects across campus, including the Bike at Illinois (https://go.fs.illinois.edu/BikeCrowdfunding) initiative that F&S sponsors. The goal of Bike at Illinois is “to promote bicycling on campus and throughout the community as a safe, sustainable, inexpensive, and healthy mode of transport.” Your donation will help support the implementation of the 2024 Campus Bicycle Master Plan. To learn more about Orange and Blue Week, see all the crowdsourced causes that can be supported, or to make a donation, visit https://payment.giving.illinois.edu/orange-and-blue-week-2025.        Interstate 74 Ramp Closure The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) closed the ramp connecting westbound I-74 to southbound I-57 in Champaign this past weekend. The closure is for ongoing work on an I-74 bridge over I-57 that is expected to continue until late summer or early fall. Drivers who would normally access I-57 there will need to plan an alternate route. IDOT recommends the following marked detour:Take the new I-74 ramp to northbound I-57.Exit at Market Street.Follow signs (and temporary signals) to join southbound I-57 at Market Street.If you miss this exit, the next one off I-74 is in Mahomet.Motorists should expect delays and are asked to exercise caution in construction zones and on detours, as traffic may be heavy and/or slower than usual. Particularly watch for workers. Read the full press release at https://illinois-department-of-transportation.prezly.com/i-5774-update-westbound-to-southbound-ramp-to-close-march-2.         Daylight Saving Time Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9. Set your clocks forward one hour. This is also an excellent time to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Change out the batteries if it has been a while. Replace broken or expired alarms. The life expectancy of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is ten years. Look for the manufacturing date on the unit to make sure yours are still viable. Remember, working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors reduce the risk of dying in a home fire or by carbon monoxide poisoning by at least 50 percent.       Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the F&S Training Calendar. Information about these sessions is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. The calendar also has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Joseph Meeker jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.Text 9-1-1 is now available in Champaign County. To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html. Call Before You Dig! Avoid hitting utility lines when you dig, whether at home or at work! Call JULIE at 8-1-1 first. This nationwide number is used to make a locate request for underground utilities before you excavate. This free service is available 24/7, but it may take a few days for the request to be fulfilled. For upcoming digging to be done on university property, JULIE will coordinate with the Service Office to begin the locate process. F&S shops do the actual locates for U of I utilities on campus and may take up to two business days to do so for nonemergency locates. For more information, visit https://fs.illinois.edu/utility-locating/.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the CommunityWomen’s History Month Events—There are many events across campus this month to celebrate women and their achievements, including lunches, book clubs, lectures, trivia, and more. View all the events at https://calendars.illinois.edu/list/7466. Read Across America—Saturday, March 8, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Lincoln Square Mall, 201 Lincoln Square, Urbana—The Urbana Park District and other sponsors are hosting this free, family event that features storytellers, book readings, hands-on activities, and other ways to celebrate literacy. The first 1,000 children will receive a free bag and the book of their choice. Go to https://www.urbanaparks.org/calendar/events/free-read-across-america-at-lincoln-square for more information. Orchid Show and Sale—Saturday, March 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Hessel Park Church, 700 W. Kirby Ave., Champaign—The Central Illinois Orchid Society (CIOS) presents this free event that includes displays of CIOS members’ orchids, repotting demonstrations at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., informational materials, orchids for sale, and more. Chambanamoms has additional details at https://www.chambanamoms.com/events/cios-orchid-show-and-sale/. Saturday Engineering for Everyone—Electrical and Computer Engineering Building (room 1013), 306 N. Wright St., Urbana—This fun and insightful monthly lecture series is for people of all backgrounds, with no technical knowledge required. This Saturday, March 8, from 11 a.m. to noon, you can learn about electromechanical energy conversion and how it helps a wind turbine generate electricity, an electric car move, and a speaker produce music. For more details about this and other upcoming events, visit https://ece.illinois.edu/about/calendar/saturday.Unit 4 School Board Candidates Meet and Greet—Sunday, March 9, 2 to 4 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 313 S. Prospect Ave., Champaign—Champaign School District residents eligible to vote for school board members in the upcoming April 1 election are invited to a meet and greet with the candidates. The League of Women Voters of Champaign County and other groups are sponsoring this opportunity to “meet the candidates and ask questions in an informal setting.” Learn more at https://www.lwvchampaigncounty.org/lwvcc-events-details/voters-unit-4-school-board-meet-and-greet-march-9.       Save the DateMarch 15 to 23—Spring BreakMarch 26—Noontime KnowledgeApril 1—Consolidated ElectionApril 12—Boneyard Creek Community Day (raindate: May 3)April 15—Tax DayApril 22—Earth Day        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs. Dusty Hasty, Information Technology Services

February 28, 2025

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Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)        University Branding: Brand Platform Launch Campus has rolled out its new brand platform and is calling for faculty and staff to adopt and follow brand standards. Chancellor Robert J. Jones explained why this is important: “It is critical that we speak with a unified and consistent voice in all of our messaging and communications. A unified brand elevates us all, showcases our unique university personality, and responsibly stewards our resources.” At F&S, there are many things team members can do to help with this effort. Among these are Updating your email signature if you have not already done so (https://brand.illinois.edu/applying-the-brand/email-signature)Referencing the university correctly (https://brand.illinois.edu/messaging/name-and-boilerplate)Using the university’s colors (https://brand.illinois.edu/visual-identity/color)The full brand platform is available at https://brand.illinois.edu/. Questions may be addressed to Associate Director of Customer Relations & Communications (CRC) Malikah Gordon magordon@illinois.edu, 217-333-9218.       University Branding: Illinois-Branded Apparel or Merchandise Illinois-branded apparel and merchandise designed by an F&S unit must now receive written approval from CRC prior to proceeding with any purchase. This includes anything designed at the F&S division level that features our unit’s name, college name, or wordmark. This applies to items for both internal and external use, such as conference swag, office materials, and any other branded materials.Members of the CRC team are the subject matter experts in this area and can assist with ensuring all designs are in compliance. Please send all pre-approval requests and related inquiries to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. A pdf of the approval must accompany all procurement requests entered in my.FS Portal and be attached to any PCard transactions. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for ensuring we stay aligned with campus branding standards.        Windows 11 Upgrade Windows 10 will reach its end of life on October 1, 2025. In preparation for this, F&S Information Technology Services (ITS) has been working on a project to update all computers to Windows 11. Over the past year, 20 percent of our computers have been replaced as part of the normal refresh process and are already running Windows 11. In April, ITS will start the next phase of the project. Team members will be contacted individually before their PC is updated to Windows 11. In some cases, it may be necessary to replace PCs instead of updating them. ITS will be updating 400 computers over the next seven months. User support may be unable to accommodate some refresh requests during this time. This update is essential to ensure our systems remain secure, efficient, and up to date with the latest technology. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the ITS Support Desk fandssupportdesk@illinois.edu, 217-244-6350, or at https://supportdesk.fs.illinois.edu.        Update to Duo Look and Feel Beginning Monday, March 10, team members who are asked to authenticate themselves on university websites via Duo will notice an additional screen when logging into campus resources. The new screen will note that verification is required and that you will be redirected to Duo (see image at right). You’ll need to click the Continue button to proceed. Once you do that, you’ll sign in via Duo in the usual way. Learn more about this multifactor verification update at https://cybersecurity.illinois.edu/.       Athletico at F&S March Schedule Now with afternoon availability! Athletico’s Industrial Wellness Specialist (IWS) can help assess your aches, pains, stiffness, and the like that are associated with sprains, strains, and other minor ergonomic injuries. IWSs can then address these with heat, ice, massage, taping, stretching or light exercise, and similar remedies that will help promote blood flow and healing.Tuesdays Thursdays March 4, 7 to 10 a.m., room 127b March 6, 7 to 10 a.m., room 127b March 11, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., room 127 March 13, 7 to 10 a.m., room 127b March 18, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., room 127b March 20, 7 to 10 a.m., room 127b March 25, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., room 127 March 27, 7 to 10 a.m., room 127b The program is free, so drop by PPSB to feel and move better after communicating with your supervisor. Remember: these services are only meant to help with minor problems. If you have a major injury, please seek prompt medical care. Questions may be addressed to Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator Ben Kuhlman kuhlmanb@illinois.edu.        Orange and Blue Week Between Monday, March 3, and Sunday, March 9, the U. of I. is highlighting several crowdfunding projects across campus, including the Bike at Illinois (https://go.fs.illinois.edu/BikeCrowdfunding) initiative that F&S sponsors. The goal of Bike at Illinois is “to promote bicycling on campus and throughout the community as a safe, sustainable, inexpensive, and healthy mode of transport.” Your donation will help support the implementation of the 2024 Campus Bicycle Master Plan. To learn more about Orange and Blue Week, see all the crowdsourced causes that can be supported, or to make a donation, visit https://payment.giving.illinois.edu/orange-and-blue-week-2025.       Spring Conference OpportunitiesIllinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers:This conference will take place at the I Hotel and Conference Center (1900 S. First St., Champaign) on Thursday, March 6, and Friday, March 7. Learn about efficient and sustainable operations of buildings, including the latest technologies and applications; hear from keynote speakers; and join roundtable discussions. A variety of topics will be covered, including energy conservation, solar, sustainability, monitoring and data analytics, construction design and delivery, and more. See the schedule and register at https://publish.illinois.edu/chiefengineers/registration/. ILAPPA: This conference is Wednesday, March 12, and Thursday, March 13, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The conference is preceded by a Toolkit, March 9 through 11. Registration is now open for “2025: Down the Rabbit Hole” at https://ilappa.appa.org/2025-conference-supervisor-toolkit-2/. APPA Spring Conference: Early-bird pricing is available through March 7. This conference is April 9 through 11 in New Orleans. It has four tracks: Reimagining Campus Space, Capital Planning, Talent Recruiting and Retention, and Technology as a Catalyst, with many workshops and presentations offered in each category. Learn more at https://www.appa.org/professional-development/2025-appa-spring-conference/. Iowa-Illinois Safety Council (IISC): The 72nd Annual Professional Development Conference & Expo is Tuesday, April 22, through Thursday, April 24, in Coralville, Iowa. Two- and three-day registration options are available. Two-day registration offers various environmental health and safety topic breakout sessions on April 23 and 24. Three-day registration includes a morning technical session on behavior design and an afternoon technical session on active threat preparedness on April 22. IISC is part of our campus National Safety Council membership. Learn more at https://www.iisc.org/training/pdc. University of Illinois Web Conference: This 25th edition of the conference is Thursday, April 3, and Friday, April 4. Held virtually, it “brings together web professionals from all corners of the online space.” Learn more at https://webcon.illinois.edu/.        Spring Leaf Collection Several area towns have announced their spring yard waste collection dates:Champaign—Champaign residents will have two opportunities to put out yard waste this spring: Orange Zone pickups are April 7 and May 12; Blue Zone pickups are April 14 and May 19. All four dates are Mondays, and yard waste should be out by 6 a.m. Learn more at https://champaignil.gov/public-works/find-a-service/yard-waste/.Mahomet—Leaf and limb collection begins the week of April 7; it is followed by a week of leaf-only collection (no pickup on the 18th, as that is a village holiday). Click on the Landscape Waste link at https://www.mahomet-il.gov/ to download the pdf with all the details. Rantoul—Rantoul’s spring leaf collection period is March 17 to 21). They also offer monthly brush pickup. For more information, visit https://www.village.rantoul.il.us/349/Leaf-Brush-Removal.Urbana—Urbana residents should put out their yard waste on their U-Cycle collection day during the week of April 7 to 11. Note this is the only collection week in Urbana. See https://www.urbanail.gov/public-works/page/spring-leaf-collection for the particulars.The Landscape Recycling Center also remains an option for Champaign County residents: https://www.landscaperecyclingcenter.org/disposal.       Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the F&S Training Calendar. Information about these sessions is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. FMLA and PPP training opportunities are available on new dates, as well. Upcoming training opportunities for supervisory staff: Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – Tuesday, March 4, 9 to 11 a.m. in Central Receiving Building conference room 1APerformance Partnership Program (PPP) – Thursday, March 6, 1 to 3 p.m. in Central Receiving Building conference room 1AThe calendar has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Training and Development Specialist Joseph Meeker jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.Text 9-1-1 is now available in Champaign County. To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html. 988 is the number to call for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Help is available in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day. Please go to https://988lifeline.org/ for other ways to connect (text, chat, for the Deaf/HoH, etc.). If you prefer to connect with a crisis counselor who focuses solely on supporting the LGBTQ+ community, The Trevor Project also offers 24/7 crisis counselors. Help is available through call (1-866-488-7386), chat (https://chat.trvr.org), or text (SMS:678678). Learn more at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/. The Trans Hotline (1-877-565-8860; oprime el #2 para conectarte con operadorxs que hablan español) is also available Monday through Friday. Learn more at https://translifeline.org/hotline/.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the CommunityClassics Summer Camps—If you have a kid (age 8 to 11) who is obsessed with Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Jason Grace, or other Rick Riordan characters, or one who just loves Greek and Roman myths, the university’s Department of Classics has the perfect summer camp opportunity. Registration is now open for multiple sessions of Meet the Greeks and Meet the Romans. Kids will learn about the ancient gods, heroes, and monsters, as well as how ordinary kids lived in those eras. Older kids (14 to 16) can apply for the counselor in training program. Learn more at https://classics.illinois.edu/academics/summer-camps. Downtown Champaign Survey—The City of Champaign would like to know your ideas for downtown. Do you have thoughts on public spaces, parking, or more? City and county residents, students, business owners, and downtown visitors are invited to participate at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/downtownchampaignplan. The nine-question survey is available in both English and Spanish. Monarch & Pollinator Fair—Saturday, March 1, 1 to 4 p.m., McKinley Foundation (main lobby), 410 E. Daniel St., Champaign—Butterfly enthusiasts will enjoy this free family-friendly event with face painting, crafts, story times, science activities, games, seed bombs, and more. For more details, visit https://mckinleycu.org/green-team-events/. CU Day of Fitness—Saturday, March 1, 1 to 5 p.m., Martens Center, 1515 N. Market St., Champaign—The Champaign Park District is sponsoring this fun opportunity to take free classes, such as table tennis, a family fitness class, line dancing, and more. See times at https://www.chambanamoms.com/events/champaign-urbana-day-of-fitness-at-the-martens-center/. Nick Offerman Japan House Fundraiser—Nick Offerman, fan favorite and university alum, is once again supporting Japan House. Join him for a Japanese bento lunch and his humorous reflections, as well as a chance to have a book signed. The event is Saturday, March 8, from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Tickets must be purchased by March 5. More information is available at https://web.cvent.com/event/b0a5f397-4487-4a4b-96af-27a795fe48b1/summary.       Save the DateMarch 6 and 7—Illinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers ConferenceMarch 15 to 23—Spring BreakMarch 26—Noontime KnowledgeApril 1—Consolidated Election        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs. Tom Pagel, Building Services

February 21, 2025

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Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)         New INSIDER Stories The INSIDER website has been updated with new stories. One takes a look at F&S locksmiths in “Shop Spotlight: The ‘Key’ Players Behind Campus Security.” You may be surprised to learn that locksmiths do more than make keys and replace locks. Learn how they’re also responsible for repairs—to locks of course, but also to door hardware and door closers—and how else they help keep campus doorways operating smoothly. Another feature story, “Snowy Daze: Parkland Students Tour F&S Facilities,” discusses a recent visit from students in Parkland’s Highway Construction Careers Training Program, a 12- to 18-week program that teaches skills useful to pursuing a highway construction career, such as crane safety, use of aerial and scissor lifts, OSHA 30 certification, and more. The tour of Abbott Power Plant, PPSB, and other areas offered students more insight into potential career paths. Read both stories at https://fs.web.illinois.edu/Insider/.        Big Breakfast Is Back! Enjoy a traditional homestyle breakfast in the PPSB West Hallway:Big Breakfast, Wednesday, February 26, 7 to 8:30 a.m.Big Breakfast for Dinner, Thursday, February 27, 7 to 8:30 p.m.The menu includes pancakes, biscuits and gravy, three varieties of sausage patties (pork, turkey, or vegan), scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, a yogurt bar, fruit, and more. Team members can “grab and go,” or a limited number of tables and chairs will be available. Today (February 21) is the final day to RSVP! To do so, visit https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1777156965. If you have questions or you would like to volunteer to help set up/clean up, cook, or serve at either session, please contact Doni Walker dewalke@illinois.edu, 217-333-0101. The Big Breakfast is an approved F&S event. With prior supervisory approval, up to 0.3 hours can be charged. Please use work order {XX-9999} phase 065 to report the time.       Photo Credit: Seed Lynn Upcoming Noontime Knowledge Join us next Tuesday! Daniel Gray-Kontar, the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center’s new Associate Director of Arts & Cultural Programming, will be the guest speaker at the next Noontime Knowledge hosted by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee in honor of Black History Month. He will speak on “Imagination for an Imagined Nation: Centering young artists as catalysts for liberatory democracy,” at noon, Tuesday, February 25. Please note the day change from our normal Wednesday meeting time.To participate, use this link: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/89647291791?pwd=cHSQQAUbYanmkKD6IWbPHuNKo0NR8t.1Alternately, open Zoom, click “Join a Meeting,” and enter the following meeting ID and password where prompted:Meeting ID: 896 4729 1791; Password: 306577 You can also join by phone at 312-626-6799 or 470-250-9358, using the same meeting number, followed by the pound sign (#), when prompted. If you have questions, please contact Julie O’Mahoney jao22@illinois.edu, 217-244-0905.       my.FS Portal and Mobile Timekeeping Outage This weekend, F&S Information Technology Services (ITS) will be making upgrades to iBuy; the work will necessitate a my.FS Portal outage, which will also affect mobile timekeeping. AiM will remain available. The outage is expected to begin at 5:30 p.m. today, and conclude at approximately 1 a.m. on Monday, February 24. Thank you for your patience during this period. For questions, please contact the ITS Support Desk fandssupportdesk@illinois.edu, 217-244-6350, or at https://supportdesk.fs.illinois.edu.       Athletico at F&S Additional morning sessions with Athletico at PPSB have been added through February 27. Athletico’s Industrial Wellness Specialist (IWS) can help assess your aches, pains, stiffness, and the like that are associated with sprains, strains, and other minor ergonomic injuries. IWSs can then address these with heat, ice, massage, taping, stretching or light exercise, and similar remedies that will help promote blood flow and healing.Athletico will be in PPSB on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7 and 10 a.m. IWSs will be in 145J each time they are at F&S for the remainder of this period. The program is free, so drop by to feel and move better after communicating with your supervisor. Remember: these services are only meant to help with minor problems. If you have a major injury, please seek prompt medical care. Questions may be addressed to Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator Ben Kuhlman kuhlmanb@illinois.edu.       Support for Navigating Federal Updates With the passing of another week, more federal policy changes that may affect campus have been announced. The university’s Federal Updates Steering Group continues to stay on top of it all. They are particularly looking at four areas: impact on the university’s workforce, immigration, research funding, and expanding access.The web page that addresses this has also been updated this week, including new answers to frequently asked questions. It also archives the university’s Massmails on the topic of federal policy and collates additional resources. To view this, please visit https://federalupdates.illinois.edu/.       Spring Conference OpportunitiesIllinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers:This conference will take place at the I Hotel and Conference Center (1900 S. First St., Champaign) on Thursday, March 6, and Friday, March 7. Learn about efficient and sustainable operations of buildings, including the latest technologies and applications; hear from keynote speakers; and join roundtable discussions. A variety of topics will be covered, including energy conservation, solar, sustainability, monitoring and data analytics, construction design and delivery, and more. See the schedule and register at https://publish.illinois.edu/chiefengineers/registration/. ILAPPA: This conference is Wednesday, March 12, and Thursday, March 13, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The conference is preceded by a Toolkit, March 9 through 11. Registration is now open for “2025: Down the Rabbit Hole” at https://ilappa.appa.org/2025-conference-supervisor-toolkit-2/. APPA Spring Conference: Early-bird pricing is available through March 7. This conference is April 9 through 11 in New Orleans. It has four tracks: Reimagining Campus Space, Capital Planning, Talent Recruiting and Retention, and Technology as a Catalyst, with many workshops and presentations offered in each category. Learn more at https://www.appa.org/professional-development/2025-appa-spring-conference/. Iowa-Illinois Safety Council (IISC): The 72nd Annual Professional Development Conference & Expo is Tuesday, April 22, through Thursday, April 24, in Coralville, Iowa. Two- and three-day registration options are available. Two-day registration offers various environmental health and safety topic breakout sessions on April 23 and 24. Three-day registration includes a morning technical session on behavior design and an afternoon technical session on active threat preparedness on April 22. IISC is part of our campus National Safety Council membership. Learn more at https://www.iisc.org/training/pdc. University of Illinois Web Conference: This 25th edition of the conference is Thursday, April 3, and Friday, April 4. Held virtually, it “brings together web professionals from all corners of the online space.” Learn more at https://webcon.illinois.edu/.        Consolidated Primary Election Early voting is open for the primary election for Democratic races for the Cunningham districts of the City of Urbana. The Consolidated Primary Election is Tuesday, February 25. This is the ONLY primary election in Champaign County. If you are eligible to vote in this primary, you can do so today (February 21) or Monday (February 24) at the Brookens Center (1776 E. Green St., Urbana), 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can also vote today or Monday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Illini Union (1401 W. Green St., Urbana). Both early voting centers will also be open tomorrow, February 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, February 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. Additional polling places will be open in Urbana, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Tuesday, the 25th. Go to https://champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/many-ways-vote/early-voting-information for more information about voting in the primary.The Consolidated Election is on Tuesday, April 1. There are races and/or referendum questions for this election in Champaign (city and township), Ludlow, Mahomet, Rantoul (village and township), St. Joseph Township, Savoy, Thomasboro, Urbana, and several other villages and townships. There are school-board-related elections for Parkland College, as well as Champaign CUSD 4, Fisher CUSD 1, Gifford 188, Heritage CUSD 8, Mahomet CUSD 3, Prairieview-Ogden 197, Rantoul City 137, Rantoul Township 193, St. Joseph CCSD 169, St. Joseph-Ogden CHSD 305, Thomasboro CCSD 130, Tolono CUSD 7, and Urbana District 116. Visit https://votechampaign.org/guide.php to see all the races for April 1.       Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the F&S Training Calendar. Information about these sessions is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. FMLA and PPP training opportunities are available on new dates, as well. Upcoming training opportunities for supervisory staff: Building Organizational Trust – Wednesday, February 26, 10 to 11:30 a.m. (online)Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – Tuesday, March 4, 9 to 11 a.m. in Central Receiving Building conference room 1APerformance Partnership Program (PPP) – Thursday, March 6, 1 to 3 p.m. in Central Receiving Building conference room 1AThe calendar has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Training and Development Specialist Joseph Meeker jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.Text 9-1-1 is now available in Champaign County. To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html. 988 is the number to call for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Help is available in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day. Please go to https://988lifeline.org/ for other ways to connect (text, chat, for the Deaf/HoH, etc.). If you prefer to connect with a crisis counselor who focuses solely on supporting the LGBTQ+ community, The Trevor Project also offers 24/7 crisis counselors. Help is available through call (1-866-488-7386), chat (https://chat.trvr.org), or text (SMS:678678). Learn more at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/. The Trans Hotline (1-877-565-8860; oprime el #2 para conectarte con operadorxs que hablan español) is also available Monday through Friday. Learn more at https://translifeline.org/hotline/.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the CommunityUniversity of Illinois Symphony Orchestra—Exceptionally talented music and non-music majors bring an evening of Johannes Brahms (Symphony No. 2), Zhou Long (The Rhyme of Taigu), and more. The concert is TONIGHT in Foellinger Great Hall at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana). For more details, go to https://krannertcenter.com/events/university-illinois-symphony-orchestra-6. Insect Fear Film Festival—”Tarantulas: Hairy, Scary Spiders” is the theme of the 42nd Annual Insect Fear Film Festival, hosted by the Entomology Graduate Students Association, featuring live spiders in the petting zoo and spider-related movies. Join the fun on Saturday, February 22, at Foellinger Auditorium (709 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana). Activities begin at 5 p.m.; films start at 7 p.m. The event is free. Visit https://publish.illinois.edu/uiuc-egsa/ifff/#41st%20IFFF for more information. Hero: The Boy from Troy—Families will enjoy this new musical about the civil rights leader John Lewis when he was a boy trying to find his voice. The show is approximately an hour long, and it plays at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 1, in the Tryon Festival at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana). A longer description of this new work and tickets are available here: https://krannertcenter.com/events/hero-boy-troy%E2%80%94-new-musical-about-young-john-lewis. Silent Book Club—If you want to read quietly in the company of other readers, Allerton Park has just the thing for bibliophiles. Come out to the Allerton Mansion (515 Old Timber Rd., Monticello) on Monday, March 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. The evening starts with a brief group discussion to swap book recommendations, and then everyone is invited to find a comfy chair and read. Silent Book Club is free, but a cash bar will be available. The program will also run on additional Mondays (March 17, April 7, and April 21). Read more at https://allerton.illinois.edu/events/silent-book-club/. Brown v. Board of Education—The College of Education is hosting a Fireside Chat to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Brown (1954). Guest speakers include Angela Rivers and Barbara Suggs-Mason, cochairs of the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail. The event will take place in the Heritage Room of the College of ACES Library, Information, and Alumni Center (1101 S. Goodwin, Urbana), on Thursday, March 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. Registration will close when the event reaches capacity. Learn more or register at https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/23/548845923.html.       Save the DateFebruary 18–February 27—Athletico Pilot ProgramFebruary 25—Noontime KnowledgeFebruary 25—Consolidated Primary Election (Urbana)February 26—Big BreakfastFebruary 27—Big Breakfast for DinnerMarch 6 and 7—Illinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers ConferenceMarch 15 to 23—Spring BreakApril 1—Consolidated Election        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs. Matt Emmert, Building Maintenance

February 14, 2025

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Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)        New Bike Plan Released The 2024 Campus Bicycle Master Plan was released this month. It explains the planning process, existing conditions, goals and objectives, and implementation of the university’s vision for bicycles on campus. F&S’ Transportation Demand Management department in Capital Programs developed the plan, which is a follow-up to the 2014 edition. The new version recaps previous accomplishments and outlines future plans, including new proposed bicycle lanes or shared-use paths. It also calls for the completion of seasonal storage for students living in housing facilities, additional covered bike parking/shelters, and maintenance of existing bicycle infrastructure on campus. The 2024 plan also includes communication goals, ways to increase equality and inclusion, and more.Learn more or download the plan at https://fs.illinois.edu/News/new-campus-bicycle-plan-approved-and-published/. For questions about plan items, contact Sustainable Transportation Assistant Sarthak Prasad sprasad9@illinois.edu, 217-300-9575.       Photo Credit: Seed Lynn Upcoming Noontime Knowledge Daniel Gray-Kontar, the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center’s new Associate Director of Arts & Cultural Programming, will be the guest speaker at the next Noontime Knowledge hosted by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee in honor of Black History Month. He will speak on “Imagination for an Imagined Nation: Centering young artists as catalysts for liberatory democracy,” at noon, Tuesday, February 25. Please note the day change from our normal Wednesday meeting time.To participate, use this link: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/89647291791?pwd=cHSQQAUbYanmkKD6IWbPHuNKo0NR8t.1Alternately, open Zoom, click “Join a Meeting,” and enter the following meeting ID and password where prompted:Meeting ID: 896 4729 1791; Password: 306577 You can also join by phone at 312-626-6799 or 470-250-9358, using the same meeting number, followed by the pound sign (#), when prompted. If you have questions, please contact Julie O’Mahoney jao22@illinois.edu, 217-244-0905.        Big Breakfast Is Back! Enjoy a traditional homestyle breakfast in the PPSB West Hallway:Big Breakfast, Wednesday, February 26, 7 to 8:30 a.m.Big Breakfast for Dinner, Thursday, February 27, 7 to 8:30 p.m.The menu includes pancakes, biscuits and gravy, three varieties of sausage patties (pork, turkey, or vegan), scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, a yogurt bar, fruit, and more. Team members can “grab and go,” or a limited number of tables and chairs will be available. Please RSVP by February 21 at https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1777156965. If you have questions or you would like to volunteer to help set up/clean up, cook, or serve at either session, please contact Doni Walker dewalke@illinois.edu, 217-333-0101. The Big Breakfast is an approved F&S event. With prior supervisory approval, up to 0.3 hours can be charged. Please use work order {XX-9999} phase 065 to report the time.       Support for Navigating Federal Updates With federal policy updates coming at a quick pace, it can be hard to keep up with items that may affect campus. The university now has a Federal Updates Steering Group to stay on top of it all. They are particularly looking at four areas: impact on the university’s workforce, immigration, research funding, and expanding access.A web page is now live that archives the university’s Massmails on the topic of federal policy, collates resources, and includes an FAQ. The latter answers questions like these:A new executive order affects my work or studies. What should I do? When will I receive more details? Do I need to make any changes to the language on my website?             How will the university respond to directives? Will the university change its values around inclusion and community building?To view the FAQ and other available information, please visit https://federalupdates.illinois.edu/.       Athletico at F&S Additional morning sessions with Athletico at PPSB have been added through February 27. Athletico’s Industrial Wellness Specialist (IWS) can help assess your aches, pains, stiffness, and the like that are associated with sprains, strains, and other minor ergonomic injuries. IWSs can then address these with heat, ice, massage, taping, stretching or light exercise, and similar remedies that will help promote blood flow and healing.Athletico will be in PPSB on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7 and 10 a.m. IWSs will be in 145J each time they are at F&S during this period, except on February 20, when they will be in conference room 127B. The program is free, so drop by to feel and move better after communicating with your supervisor. Remember: these services are only meant to help with minor problems. If you have a major injury, please seek prompt medical care. Questions may be addressed to Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator Ben Kuhlman kuhlmanb@illinois.edu.         Campuswide Safety Campaign The Division of Research Safety and F&S’ Safety & Compliance division have created a new safety-focused website for a broad campus audience. The site includes basic safety principles, links to the hosting entities, and opportunities to share your safety stories, ask questions, or take the safety pledge.The website also has photos of people doing safe work across campus, including SPRAT training photos, which several F&S team members have completed. (SPRAT [Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians] teaches individuals how to safely perform work at height.) You can also view images of people working with animals, chemicals, specialty equipment, and fire extinguishers. Visit besafe.illinois.edu for all this and more!       Conference OpportunitiesAPPA Spring Conference: (Note: Today [at midnight] is the last day for early-bird registration.) This conference is April 9 through 11 in New Orleans. It has four tracks: Reimagining Campus Space, Capital Planning, Talent Recruiting and Retention, and Technology as a Catalyst, with many workshops and presentations offered in each category. Learn more at https://www.appa.org/professional-development/2025-appa-spring-conference/. Illinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers:This conference will take place at the I Hotel and Conference Center (1900 S. First St., Champaign) on Thursday, March 6, and Friday, March 7. Learn about efficient and sustainable operations of buildings, including the latest technologies and applications; hear from keynote speakers; and join roundtable discussions. A variety of topics will be covered, including energy conservation, solar, sustainability, monitoring and data analytics, construction design and delivery, and more. See the schedule and register at https://publish.illinois.edu/chiefengineers/registration/. ILAPPA: This conference is Wednesday, March 12, and Thursday, March 13, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The conference is preceded by a Toolkit, March 9 through 11. Registration is now open for “2025: Down the Rabbit Hole” at https://ilappa.appa.org/2025-conference-supervisor-toolkit-2/. University of Illinois Web Conference: This 25th edition of the conference is Thursday, April 3, and Friday, April 4. Held virtually, it “brings together web professionals from all corners of the online space.” Learn more at https://webcon.illinois.edu/. Iowa-Illinois Safety Council (IISC): The 72nd Annual Professional Development Conference & Expo is Tuesday, April 22 through Thursday, April 24 in Coralville, Iowa. Two- and three-day registration options are available. Two-day registration offers various environmental health and safety topic breakout sessions on April 23 and 24. Three-day registration includes a morning technical session on behavior design and an afternoon technical session on active threat preparedness on April 22. IISC is part of our campus National Safety Council membership. Learn more at https://www.iisc.org/training/pdc.        Consolidated Primary Election Early voting is open for the primary election for Democratic races for the Cunningham districts of the City of Urbana. The Consolidated Primary Election is Tuesday, February 25. This is the ONLY primary election in Champaign County. If you are eligible to vote in this primary, you can do so now through the 24th at the Brookens Center (1776 E. Green St., Urbana), Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Beginning Monday, February 17, voting will also be available Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Illini Union (1401 W. Green St., Urbana). Both early voting centers will also be open Saturday, February 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, February 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. Additional polling places will be open in Urbana, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., on the 25th. Go to https://champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/many-ways-vote/early-voting-information for more information about voting in the primary.The Consolidated Election is on Tuesday, April 1. There are races and/or referendum questions for this election in Champaign (city and township), Ludlow, Mahomet, Rantoul (village and township), St. Joseph Township, Savoy, Thomasboro, Urbana, and several other villages and townships. There are school-board-related elections for Parkland College, as well as Champaign CUSD 4, Fisher CUSD 1, Gifford 188, Heritage CUSD 8, Mahomet CUSD 3, Prairieview-Ogden 197, Rantoul City 137, Rantoul Township 193, St. Joseph CCSD 169, St. Joseph-Ogden CHSD 305, Thomasboro CCSD 130, Tolono CUSD 7, and Urbana District 116. Visit https://votechampaign.org/guide.php to see all the races for April 1.       Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the F&S Training Calendar. Information about these sessions is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. FMLA and PPP training opportunities are available on new dates, as well. Upcoming training opportunities for supervisory staff: Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – Tuesday, March 4, 9 to 11 a.m. in Central Receiving Building conference room 1APerformance Partnership Program (PPP) – Thursday, March 6, 1 to 3 p.m. in Central Receiving Building conference room 1AFrom Boomers to Zoomers: Bridging Generational Gaps in the Office Workshop – Tuesday, February 18, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. (online)Understanding Implicit Bias – Wednesday, February 19, 1 to 2 p.m. (online)Building Confidence and Assertiveness – Friday, February 21, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (online)Building Organizational Trust – Wednesday, February 26, 10 to 11:30 a.m. (online)The calendar has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Training and Development Specialist Joseph Meeker jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.Text 9-1-1 is now available in Champaign County. To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html. 988 is the number to call for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Help is available in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day. Please go to https://988lifeline.org/ to see other ways to connect (text, chat, for the Deaf/HoH, etc.). If you prefer to connect with a crisis counselor who focuses solely on supporting the LGBTQ+ community, The Trevor Project also offers 24/7 crisis counselors. Help is available through call (1-866-488-7386), chat (https://chat.trvr.org), or text (SMS:678678). Learn more at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/. The Trans Hotline (1-877-565-8860; oprime el #2 para conectarte con operadorxs que hablan español) is also available Monday through Friday. Learn more at https://translifeline.org/hotline/.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the CommunityBlood Donors Needed—Several local blood drives have recently been canceled because of inclement weather, but the demand for blood remains constant. In this area, there is a critical need for O- blood at this time, but all types are welcome. Please consider donating at an upcoming campus drive like the one at the College of Law (504 E. Pennsylvania, Champaign) on Tuesday, February 18, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or the ones on Monday, February 24: 9 a.m. to noon at SURS (1901 Fox Dr., Champaign) or 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Illini Union (1104 W. Green, Urbana, in the Illini Room). Sign up for one of these or search by zip code for the many other opportunities at https://login.bloodcenter.org/donor/schedules/zip.  Rosetta Stone—Are you interested in learning another language? Team members can take advantage of the university’s Rosetta Stone subscription to learn more than two dozen languages, including Spanish, French, Japanese, Irish, Chinese, and even English (British or American!). To get started, go to https://www.library.illinois.edu/litlang/ and click Rosetta Stone in the Quick Links menu on the left. Wheelchair Basketball—Both the men’s and women’s Fighting Illini Wheelchair Basketball teams are participating in the Illinois College Tournament today and tomorrow (February 14 and 15). All games are free and held at the Activities & Recreation Center (201 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign). Cheer on the men at 7 p.m. today (court 4) or 11:30 a.m. (court 4) or 3 p.m. (court 5) tomorrow. Root for the women at 5 p.m. (court 4) today or 1:15 (court 4) or 4:45 p.m. (court 5) tomorrow. See the full schedule, including non-Illini games, at https://dres.illinois.edu/athletics/. IHSA Wrestling—The Individual State Finals are back at the State Farm Center (1800 S. First St., Champaign) next weekend (February 20 to 22). The tournament begins at noon on Thursday and continues through Saturday evening. Wrestlers from high schools across Illinois will compete in 14 weight classes across three divisions. Tickets are on sale at https://www.statefarmcenter.com/events/detail/ihsawrestling2025.       Save the DateFebruary 18–February 27—Athletico Pilot ProgramFebruary 25—Noontime KnowledgeFebruary 25—Consolidated Primary Election (Urbana)February 26—Big BreakfastFebruary 27—Big Breakfast for DinnerMarch 6 and 7—Illinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers ConferenceMarch 15 to 23—Spring BreakApril 1—Consolidated Election        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs. Fran Bell, Human Resources, Diversity & Strategy Shawn Patterson, Transportation James Scherer, Service Office

February 7, 2025

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Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)        New Dispatch The new issue of the Dispatch is available now. This edition features the Altgeld Chimes removal, as well as the following:A recap of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee’s Shared Experience honoring Dr. Martin Luther KingA look back at a snowy JanuarySafety tips on wet weather walkingAn update from the recent F&S Blood DriveA way to still sign up to mentorAnd much more!To read these and other stories, view the newest edition at https://erin.fs.illinois.edu/quick-links/news/dispatch or look for copies around F&S. A digital version is also available on the large West Hallway screen. We’d love to feature your work! Tell us about your latest project or achievement. Photos are also gladly accepted. Customer Relations & Communications will include as many stories and images as possible (suggestions needed by February 24 for the next edition). Email suggestions to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu.       Photo Credit: Seed Lynn Upcoming Noontime Knowledge Daniel Gray-Kontar, the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center’s new Associate Director of Arts & Cultural Programming, will be the guest speaker at the next Noontime Knowledge hosted by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee in honor of Black History Month. Join us at noon, Tuesday, February 25. Please note the day change from our normal Wednesday meeting time.To participate, use this link: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/89647291791?pwd=cHSQQAUbYanmkKD6IWbPHuNKo0NR8t.1Alternately, open Zoom, click “Join a Meeting,” and enter the following meeting ID and password where prompted:Meeting ID: 896 4729 1791 Password: 306577 You can also join by phone at 312-626-6799 or 470-250-9358, using the same meeting number, followed by the pound sign (#), when prompted. If you have questions, please contact Julie O’Mahoney jao22@illinois.edu, 217-244-0905.        Big Breakfast Is Back! Enjoy a traditional homestyle breakfast in the PPSB West Hallway:Big Breakfast, Wednesday, February 26, 7 to 8:30 a.m.Big Breakfast for Dinner, Thursday, February 27, 7 to 8:30 p.m.The menu includes pancakes, biscuits and gravy, three varieties of sausage patties (pork, turkey, or vegan), scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, a yogurt bar, fruit, and more. Team members can “grab and go,” or a limited number of tables and chairs will be available. Please RSVP by February 21 at https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1777156965. If you have questions or you would like to volunteer to help set up/clean up, cook, or serve at either session, please contact Doni Walker dewalke@illinois.edu, 217-333-0101. The Big Breakfast is an approved F&S event. With prior supervisory approval, up to 0.3 hours can be charged. Please use work order {XX-9999} phase 065 to report the time.        Battery Recycling at F&S There are three programs for recycling batteries at F&S.Rechargeable batteries for tools: The Tool Room provides new rechargeable batteries for F&S tools. When a tool’s rechargeable battery gets too old to hold a charge, return it to the Tool Room for a replacement. The Tool Room will recycle them.Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) batteries: The electricians purchase UPS batteries from Interstate Batteries and return them to the same vendor for recycling.  Hazardous waste pickup, including batteries: The Division of Research Safety provides a free waste pick-up service that accepts batteries. To request a pick-up, use the Illinois Sign On form at https://unillinois.chemicalsafety.com/unillinois/.Some departments at F&S may arrange for battery recycling of their own batteries, but there is no F&S-wide program other than the three mentioned above.As a reminder, personal-use batteries cannot be recycled through campus programs. Champaign and Urbana both provide this service. Please visit the appropriate website to learn more:Champaign: https://champaignil.gov/public-works/recycling/where-do-i-recycle-it/Urbana: https://www.urbanail.gov/public-works/page/battery-recycling-drop       Conference OpportunitiesIllinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers:This conference will take place at the I Hotel and Conference Center (1900 S. First St., Champaign) on Thursday, March 6, and Friday, March 7. Learn about efficient and sustainable operations of buildings, including the latest technologies and applications; hear from keynote speakers; and join roundtable discussions. A variety of topics will be covered, including energy conservation, solar, sustainability, monitoring and data analytics, construction design and delivery, and more. See the schedule and register at: https://publish.illinois.edu/chiefengineers/registration/. ILAPPA: This conference is Wednesday, March 12, and Thursday, March 13, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The conference is preceded by a Toolkit, March 9 through 11. Registration is now open for “2025: Down the Rabbit Hole” at https://ilappa.appa.org/2025-conference-supervisor-toolkit-2/. University of Illinois Web Conference: This 25th edition of the conference is Thursday, April 3, and Friday, April 4. Held virtually, it “brings together web professionals from all corners of the online space.” Learn more at https://webcon.illinois.edu/.        Avian Flu The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) has issued guidance on H5N1, aka bird flu, which has been affecting bird populations (both domestic and wild) in the United States and globally, as well as dairy cows in the United States. Human infections are rare, but bird flu can be transmitted through inhalation and/or by germs entering through the eyes, nose, or mouth via touch.If you own a backyard bird flock (e.g., chickens), watch for the signs of disease: Fatigue or lethargyAn abnormal drop in egg productionSwelling or discoloration of the eyelids, comb, wattles, or shanksStumbling, falling, or other coordination issuesDiarrheaUnexplained deathIf these occur, avoid exposure by using proper personal protective equipment (PPE, such as gloves, masks that minimize breathing in airborne particles [like an N95], etc.) to protect yourself when caring for the birds and any items they use.If you have bird feeders, know that songbirds and other types of birds that gather at these feeders do not usually carry H5N1. However, if you also care for poultry, you should remove any food, bird feeders, water, and shelter that may attract wild birds. Hunters should wear gloves and other PPE when handling wild birds. Avoid eating, drinking, smoking, and the like when handling animals. Thoroughly disinfect equipment, surfaces, and your hands when you are done. Cook game meat to 165 degrees.If you notice dead birds on your property, do not touch the animals with your bare hands. Use gloves, safety goggles, and an N95 mask to protect your eyes, nose, and mouth. Double bag the birds and used disposable PPE in a plastic bag when you are done. Place this in a trash container that cannot be accessed by children or animals. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Also wash your clothes in hot water, and disinfect any other equipment used. If you have pets,keep them on a leash outside and do not allow them to come into contact with dead animals. If you drink milk, CUPHD suggests sticking to pasteurized milk products.If you see five or more sick or dead birds on your property or in a public place (such as a park), report these to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources District Wildlife Biologist. In Champaign and Vermillion Counties, this is Kaleb Wood kaleb.wood@illinois.gov, 217-480-6340. See the biologists for other Illinois counties at https://wildlifeillinois.org/idnr-district-wildlife-biologist/.If you notice dead birds on campus grounds or in buildings, those should be reported to the Service Office. Different F&S shops perform removals of pests, birds and animals, as explained here: https://fs.illinois.edu/Services/animal-and-pest-control/.Resources CUPHD’s brief Facebook announcement: https://www.facebook.com/CUPHD/photos/avian-influenza-can-spread-to-humans-so-its-important-to-take-precautions-follow/1034443962042922/ CUPHD’s fact sheet (scroll the images at the top until you come to the bird flu one): https://www.c-uphd.org/ Illinois Extension’s web page on this topic: https://extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/what-know-about-avian-flu-wild-birds-poultry-and-pets-illinois        Consolidated Primary Election Early voting is open for the primary election for Democratic races for the Cunningham districts of the City of Urbana. The Consolidated Primary Election is Tuesday, February 25. This is the ONLY primary election in Champaign County. If you are eligible to vote in this primary, you can do so now through the 24th at the Brookens Center (1776 E. Green St., Urbana), Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Beginning Monday, February 17, voting will also be available Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Illini Union (1401 W. Green St., Urbana). Both early voting centers will also be open Saturday, February 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, February 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. Additional polling places will be open in Urbana, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., on the 25th. Go to https://champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/many-ways-vote/early-voting-information for more information about voting in the primary.The Consolidated Election is on Tuesday, April 1. There are races and/or referendum questions for this election in Champaign (city and township), Ludlow, Mahomet, Rantoul (village and township), St. Joseph Township, Savoy, Thomasboro, Urbana, and several other villages and townships. There are school-board-related elections for Parkland College, as well as Champaign CUSD 4, Fisher CUSD 1, Gifford 188, Heritage CUSD 8, Mahomet CUSD 3, Prairieview-Ogden 197, Rantoul City 137, Rantoul Township 193, St. Joseph CCSD 169, St. Joseph-Ogden CHSD 305, Thomasboro CCSD 130, Tolono CUSD 7, and Urbana District 116. Visit https://votechampaign.org/guide.php to see all the races for April 1.       Athletico at F&S F&S has a new pilot program with Athletico that can help with injury recovery. Athletico’s Industrial Wellness Specialist (IWS) can assess your aches, pains, stiffness, and the like that are associated with sprains, strains, and other minor ergonomic injuries. IWSs can then address these with heat, ice, massage, taping, stretching or light exercise, and similar remedies that will help promote blood flow and healing.Through February 13, you can visit an IWS in PPSB conference room 127B on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7 and 10 a.m. The program is free, so drop by to feel and move better after communicating with your supervisor. Remember: these services are only meant to help with minor problems. If you have a major injury, please seek prompt medical care. Questions may be addressed to Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator Ben Kuhlman kuhlmanb@illinois.edu.       Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the F&S Training Calendar. Information about these sessions is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. The next date is Monday, February 17, each at 8 a.m. Upcoming Training Opportunities for Supervisory Staff: Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – Tuesday, February 18, 1 to 3 p.m. in Central Receiving Building conference room 1APerformance Partnership Program (PPP) – Wednesday, February 26, 9 to 11 a.m. in Central Receiving Building conference room 1AFrom Boomers to Zoomers: Bridging Generational Gaps in the Office Workshop – Tuesday, February 18, 10:30-11:30 a.m. (online)Understanding Implicit Bias – Wednesday, February 19, 1-2 p.m. (online)Building Confidence and Assertiveness – Friday, February 21, 10-12 p.m. (online)Building Organizational Trust – Wednesday, February 26, 10-11:30 a.m. (online)The calendar has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Training and Development Specialist Joseph Meeker jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.Text 9-1-1 is now available in Champaign County. To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html. 988 is the number to call for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Help is available in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day. Please go to https://988lifeline.org/ to see other ways to connect (text, chat, for the Deaf/HoH, etc.). If you prefer to connect with a crisis counselor who focuses solely on supporting the LGBTQ+ community, The Trevor Project also offers 24/7 crisis counselors. Help is available through call (1-866-488-7386), chat (https://chat.trvr.org), or text (SMS:678678). Learn more at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/. The Trans Hotline (1-877-565-8860; oprime el #2 para conectarte con operadorxs que hablan español) is also available Monday through Friday. Learn more at https://translifeline.org/hotline/.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the Community36th Annual FFA Farm Toy Show—Paxton Buckley Loda’s chapter of Future Farmers of America is hosting this annual event in the high school gym (704 W. Orleans St., Paxton), on Saturday, February 8, beginning at 9 a.m. People of all ages are invited. There will be toy dealers, door prizes, a silent auction, a pedal pull for kids at noon, concessions, and more. For more information, go to https://www.facebook.com/events/484591304659310. Harlem Renaissance Exhibit—The north-south corridor of the first floor of the Main Library (1408 W. Gregory Dr., Urbana) is displaying materials highlighting the Harlem Renaissance (a period in the 1920s and 30s where African American arts and culture flourished; the works produced during this era still influence musicians, writers, artists, thinkers, and others today). The exhibit continues through February 28; see more at https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/7?eventId=33512242. Valentine’s Day Activities—Looking for something fun to do with your sweetheart or your family for Valentine’s Day? Check out the lists maintained by ChambanaMoms: (family events) https://www.chambanamoms.com/2025/01/21/valentines-day-events-families/; (grown-up events) https://www.chambanamoms.com/2025/01/18/valentines-day-dates-grownups-champaign-urbana/. Smile Politely lists Valentine’s Day dining suggestions at https://www.smilepolitely.com/splog/champaign-urbana-spots-for-valentines-day-dinner/. Finally, Experience Champaign Urbana has a list of Valentine’s ideas throughout Champaign County at https://experiencecu.org/brilliant-stories?rec_id=265. Supporting Our Students If ICE Comes to Campus—The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies is hosting a webinar on this topic for campus staff and faculty. Staff from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and the University of Illinois Police Department will present this Q&A on interacting with federal immigration enforcement on campus, including your rights and responsibilities and how to provide support and resources. The webinar is Tuesday, February 18, from 1 to 2 p.m. Learn more or register to attend at https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/852?eventId=33513306. Heritage Trail Bus Tour and Webinar—The Champaign County African American Heritage Trail (CCAAHT) is offering its first-ever bus tour of the various historic sites on Monday, February 17, from 10 a.m. to noon (please arrive at the Douglass Center, 504 E. Grove St., Champaign, by 9:45 a.m.). Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for those under 18 (with the tour recommended for those seven and up). To sign up, visit https://form.jotform.com/250265257697164. CCAAHT is also presenting a hybrid webinar with trail co-founders Angela Rivers and Dr. Barbara Suggs-Mason, along with Jessica Ballard-Lawrence, the University Library’s archivist for Multicultural Collections and Services. “Paths of Progress: Uncovering the CCAAHT” will discuss the many contributions of African Americans in Champaign County. You can attend in person or online on Thursday, February 20, from noon to 1 p.m., in the Media Commons (220 Main Library, 1408 W. Gregory Dr., Urbana). Go to https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/26/1059192126.html for more details or to register for in-person (by February 14) or online attendance.       Save the DateJanuary 21–February 13—Athletico Pilot ProgramFebruary 25—Noontime KnowledgeFebruary 25—Consolidated Primary Election (Urbana)February 26—Big BreakfastFebruary 27—Big Breakfast for DinnerMarch 6 and 7—Illinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers ConferenceMarch 15 to 23—Spring BreakApril 1—Consolidated Election        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs. Rube King, Construction Laborer Joe Daly, Construction Laborer  Tim Abrahamson, Electrician Chad Dunn, Electrician John Mingee, Electrician Jerry Dinnin, Service Office

January 31, 2025

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Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)        Big Breakfast Is Back! Enjoy a traditional homestyle breakfast in the PPSB West Hallway:Big Breakfast, Wednesday, February 26, 7 to 8:30 a.m.Big Breakfast for Dinner, Thursday, February 27, 7 to 8:30 p.m.The menu includes pancakes, biscuits and gravy, three varieties of sausage patties (pork, turkey, or vegan), scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, a yogurt bar, fruit, and more. Team members can “grab and go,” or a limited number of tables and chairs will be available.If you have questions or you would like to volunteer to help set up/clean up, cook, or serve at either session, please contact Doni Walker dewalke@illinois.edu, 217-333-0101. The Big Breakfast is an approved F&S event. With prior supervisory approval, up to 0.3 hours can be claimed. Please use work order {XX-9999} phase 065 to report the time.       Safety Alert The Champaign-Urbana Public Health Department (CUPHD) is warning Champaign County residents that a man is going door-to-door while falsely claiming to be a public health official. Neither CUPHD nor the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are conducting door-to-door visits at this time. If someone comes to your door claiming to be from a public health department (CUPHD, IDPH, or any other),Do not let them in. Call 911 immediately to report the incident. You can also call CUPHD, which is also an IDPH regional office, at 217-352-7961.CUPHD says, “official health representatives will always provide proper identification and will not conduct unannounced home visits.”This has now been reported on several newscasts. It is possible the person will change their story. Please maintain a healthy dose of skepticism if people ask for access to your home without proper identification and verification that they have an official reason to be there.        Updates to WordPress Environments on Publish Technology Services is synchronizing the production WordPress environment to the test environment on Tuesday, February 4, starting around 1:30 p.m. This process will overwrite the test environment in P.I.E. with data from production, effectively resetting it.If you’re actively testing or have any work in progress in the test environment, please ensure you export or note anything important before this time. Please contact Technology Services consult@illinois.edu, 217-244-7000, if you have questions or need assistance.       Chancellor Search The search for the university’s next chancellor is underway, and your input is welcome. Learn more about the search or use the form to offer your thoughts at https://www.uillinois.edu/urbana_champaign_chancellor_search. You may also provide comments by emailing UIchancellorvpsrch@uillinois.edu. The portal for comments will be open through Tuesday, February 4.        Taxes This year the tax-filing deadline is Tuesday, April 15, and both the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) began accepting and processing 2024 tax returns this week. Illinois is participating in the free IRS Direct File program, which can help eligible Illinois taxpayers file their 2024 federal returns. To confirm your eligibility, visit https://directfile.irs.gov. Illinois returns can also be completed for free at https://mytax.illinois.gov. The two sites are compatible, and users will be able to transfer the information they enter from the IRS site to IDOR’s. IDOR has taxpayer assistance numbers for related inquiries at 1-800-732-8866 or 217-782-3336. Free language assistance for individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) individuals is also available. Additional information, forms, instructions, and the like may be found at https://tax.illinois.gov.Electronic Access to W-2s and Other FormsIf you have given the U. of I. permission to provide electronic tax forms, you can now access your W-2, 1042-S, and/or 1095-C forms. To do this, go to https://www.hr.uillinois.edu. Click the W-2 Tax Forms link in the Top Links menu or choose the Pay tab and then W-2/1042-S/1095-C Tax Statement from the pull-down menu. From there, you can click the green Access Tax Forms button. You’ll need 2FA to continue. Once you’re logged in, you can view or print the various forms.If you have not given consent to receive electronic copies, your forms will be mailed soon to your on-file mailing address.        Electric Vehicle Campus Survey There’s still time to complete the Electric Vehicle Campus Survey at https://go.cee.illinois.edu/EV-campus-survey. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes, and those who participate will have a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.The three-part survey will ask for some sociodemographic information, explore your current and future plans for EV use, and for those who own an EV, inquire about charging habits and your experience with and suggestions for campus charging stations. The responses to the survey will help improve and expand campus charging infrastructure and management practices. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on electric vehicle (EV) ownership and charging station use on campus.       Dr. Tai R. Shin and Mrs. You H. Shin Humanitarian Award  If you know someone on campus whose actions promote the betterment of humanity, you could nominate them for the Shin Humanitarian Award. Full details of the award and the nomination process are available at https://scholarships.uaps.uillinois.edu/Shin/application. Among other criteria, nominees’ work should be outstanding in one or more of the following areas:Promoting the betterment of humanity.Improving outcomes for communities experiencing hunger, illness, poverty, or persecution.Improving environmental sustainability and/or environmental justice.Improving racial, gender, or ethnic equity.Improving the lives of others through the protection and promotion of human rights.The honoree will receive a $50,000 award to present to a department or program in the U. of I. System, along with a $5,000 honorarium. To nominate someone, fill out the form at the link mentioned above. Applications are due by April 11.       Athletico at F&S F&S has a new pilot program with Athletico that can help with injury recovery. Athletico’s Industrial Wellness Specialist (IWS) can assess your aches, pains, stiffness, and the like that are associated with sprains, strains, and other minor ergonomic injuries. IWSs can then address these with heat, ice, massage, taping, stretching or light exercise, and similar remedies that will help promote blood flow and healing.Through February 13, you can visit an IWS in PPSB conference room 127B on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7 and 10 a.m. The program is free, so drop by to feel and move better after communicating with your supervisor. Remember: these services are only meant to help with minor problems. If you have a major injury, please seek prompt medical care. Questions may be addressed to Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator Ben Kuhlman kuhlmanb@illinois.edu.       Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the F&S Training Calendar. Information about these sessions is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. The next dates are Mondays, February 3 or February 17, each at 8 a.m. Upcoming Training Opportunities for Supervisory Staff: Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – Tuesday, February 18, 1 to 3 p.m. in Central Receiving Building conference room 1APerformance Partnership Program (PPP) – Wednesday, February 26, 9 to 11 a.m. in Central Receiving Building conference room 1AThe calendar has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Training and Development Specialist Joseph Meeker jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.Text 9-1-1 is now available in Champaign County. To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html. 988 is the number to call for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Help is available in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day. Please go to https://988lifeline.org/ to see other ways to connect (text, chat, for the Deaf/HoH, etc.). If you prefer to connect with a crisis counselor who focuses solely on supporting the LGBTQ+ community, The Trevor Project also offers 24/7 crisis counselors. Help is available through call (1-866-488-7386), chat (https://chat.trvr.org), or text (SMS:678678). Learn more at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/. The Trans Hotline (1-877-565-8860; oprime el #2 para conectarte con operadorxs que hablan español) is also available Monday through Friday. Learn more at https://translifeline.org/hotline/.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the CommunityRestaurant Week—Want to try something new to eat in the CU area? Restaurant Week continues through Saturday, February 1. Participating local restaurants have set special menus for the event. See a full list or search for a new favorite at https://experiencecu.org/events/restaurant-week. Illini Hockey vs. NIU—The U. of I. Ice Arena (406 E. Armory Ave., Champaign) is the scene of the action on Friday, January 31, at 7 p.m. and again on Saturday, February 1, at the same time. For more information, including ticketing, visit https://www.illinihockey.com/schedule/upcoming. Mudpuppy Festival 2025—The whole family will enjoy this fun event that offers games, crafts, and live animal exhibits. To learn about the unique mudpuppy salamander and other local wildlife, come out to the Monarch Events Center (212 S. Independence St., Monticello) on Saturday, February 1, between 1 and 4 p.m. Learn more at https://www.landconservationfoundation.org/events-1/mudpuppy-festival-2025. Ukrainian Film Screening—The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures is showing the award-winning documentary “The Hamlet Syndrome: To Be or Not to Be in Ukraine” on Thursday, February 6, at 7 p.m., in the Main Library (1408 W. Gregory Dr., Champaign), room 66. The film, which explores young Ukrainians mounting the play “Hamlet,” while simultaneously grappling with violence in their own lives, will be followed by a discussion led by Valleri Robinson, an associate professor in the Department of Theatre. The event is free and does not require registration. See https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/2057/33498549 for more.       Save the DateJanuary 21–February 13—Athletico Pilot ProgramFebruary 25—Noontime KnowledgeFebruary 26—Big BreakfastFebruary 27—Big Breakfast for DinnerMarch 6 and 7—Illinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers ConferenceMarch 15 to 23—Spring Break        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs. Chris Schaede, Driver Locksmith Shop *Brodny Uebele, Shared Administrative Services *Denotes Merit Mug Recipient – If you would like to recognize someone in your shop or department get the form at https://erin.fs.illinois.edu/administration/employeerecognition/awards

January 24, 2025

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Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)        F&S Blood Drive Thank you to those who have already signed up, but more help is needed. There are still 14 slots available for the next F&S Blood Drive on Thursday, January 30, including one slot for double red cell donation. Please sign up for a time between 8 a.m. and noon. O- blood is particularly needed, but all types are welcome. Each blood donation can help save the lives of three local people!Donating blood is an F&S-approved event, but you must receive prior supervisory approval to participate. F&S team members may charge up to one hour to work order {XX-9999} phase 42 Blood Donations.Reserve a time to donate whole blood or double red cell at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/BloodDriveor by contacting Steve Breitwieser sbreit@illinois.edu, 217-300-2155.        Pothole Reporting After the extended cold spell, it seems hard to believe we’re expecting above-freezing temperatures next week, but it’s true! Of course, the downside of a thawing freezing pattern is potholes.Where should you report problematic potholes? The answer depends on street jurisdiction. A road through campus may seem like the university’s responsibility, but it could be a city street or even a state-owned one. Parts of Springfield Avenue, for example, are actually serviced by the State of Illinois. For more on street jurisdiction, visit https://fs.illinois.edu/street-jurisdiction/.Once you know who is responsible for the street/pothole, you can report it through one of these methods:F&S maintains university-owned streets. Contact the F&S Service Office fsserviceoffice@illinois.edu, 217-333-0340, or Transportation Demand Management fandscampusdm@illinois.edu.The City of Champaign asks people to report potholes between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Call the Operations Division at 217-403-4700.City of Urbana potholes can be reported to the Public Works Department at 217-384-2342.Surrounding towns have their own Public Works Departments, including Mahomet, 217-586-2013; Rantoul Street Division, 217-892-6526; Savoy, 217-359-5894; and St. Joseph, which uses a form: https://stjosephillinois.org/index.asp?SEC=37FE945A-927F-40D4-9E19-9DE001325994.For Champaign County Highways, please contact the County Highway Department at 217-384-3800.To report a pothole on a state highway or interstate, call 1-800-452-IDOT(4368).Please remember to be patient with these entities. Even well-filled potholes can reoccur until they can be permanently repaired.        Electronic Access to W-2s and Other FormsIf you have given permission to receive electronic tax forms, you can now access your W-2, 1042-S, and/or 1095-C forms. To do this, go to https://www.hr.uillinois.edu. Click the W-2 Tax Forms link in the Top Links menu or choose the Pay tab and then W-2/1042-S/1095-C Tax Statement from the pull-down menu. From there, you can click the green Access Tax Forms button. You’ll need 2FA to continue. Once you’re logged in, you can view or print the various forms.If you have not given consent to receive electronic copies, your forms will be mailed to your on-file mailing address at the end of January.        Electric Vehicle Campus Survey Do you have thoughts on electric vehicle (EV) ownership and charging station use on campus? If so, please complete the Electric Vehicle Campus Survey available at https://go.cee.illinois.edu/EV-campus-survey. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Those who participate will have a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.The three-part survey will ask for some sociodemographic information, explore your current and future plans for EV use, and for those who own an EV, inquire about charging habits and your experience with and suggestions for campus charging stations. The responses to the survey will help improve and expand campus charging infrastructure and management practices.        Fire Extinguisher Training It’s good to refresh your knowledge of fire extinguishers periodically. Learn which type to use for what types of fire, the basics of how to use one, and get to practice extinguishing a digitally simulated fire at one of several opportunities this spring in February, March, or April. Choose the day of the week and time that best fits your schedule. Use work order {XX-9999} phase 04 Approved Events-Campus to record time.Each session led by F&S and Champaign and Urbana Fire Departments is 50 minutes long and can accommodate up to 35 people. Fire Extinguisher Training is a university-approved event. See dates, times, and locations and register at https://fs.illinois.edu/News/campus-fire-extinguisher-training/.       Illinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers Conference The 2025 Illinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers Conference will take place at the I Hotel & Conference Center (1900 S. First St., Champaign) on Thursday, March 6, and Friday, March 7. Learn about efficient and sustainable operations of buildings, including the latest technologies and applications; hear from keynote speakers; and join roundtable discussions. A variety of topics will be covered, including energy conservation, solar, sustainability, monitoring and data analytics, construction design and delivery, and more. See the schedule at https://publish.illinois.edu/chiefengineers/program/. Register at https://publish.illinois.edu/chiefengineers/registration/.       Athletico at F&S F&S has a new pilot program with Athletico that can help with injury recovery. Athletico’s Industrial Wellness Specialist (IWS) can assess your aches, pains, stiffness, and the like that are associated with sprains, strains, and other minor ergonomic injuries. IWSs can then address these with heat, ice, massage, taping, stretching or light exercise, and similar remedies that will help promote blood flow and healing.Through February 13, you can visit an IWS in PPSB 127B on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7 and 10 a.m. The program is free, so drop by to feel and move better after communicating with your supervisor. Remember: these services are only meant to help with minor problems. If you have a major injury, please seek prompt medical care. Questions may be addressed to Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator Ben Kuhlman kuhlmanb@illinois.edu.       Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the F&S Training Calendar. Information about these sessions is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. The next date is Monday, February 3, at 8 a.m. Upcoming Training Opportunities for Supervisory Staff: Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – Tuesday, February 18, 1 to3 p.m. in Central Stores and Receiving Conference Room 1APerformance Partnership Program (PPP) – Wednesday, February 26, 9 to 11 a.m. in Central Stores and Receiving Conference Room 1AThe calendar has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Training and Development Specialist Joseph Meeker jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568.Text 9-1-1 is now available in Champaign County. To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the CommunityFlatlands Dance Film Festival—The annual film shorts competition is tonight, Friday, January 24, at 7 p.m. at the Spurlock Museum (600 S. Gregory St., Urbana). Tickets are available at the door ($10 for adults and $5 for students or seniors). The films explore movement and storytelling. The festival winners (including the Audience Award) will be announced after the screening. Visit https://dance.illinois.edu/about-us/events/flatlands-dance-film-festival-film-shorts-2/ for more details. Friday Funnies—Need a laugh at the end of your week? Come out to the Illini Union Courtyard Café (1401 W. Green St., Urbana) on Fridays at 7 p.m. for a weekly event that features “campus comedy/improv groups, local funny people, or national comedians and improv groups.” See the full schedule at https://union.illinois.edu/friday-funnies. Women’s Tennis—Cheer on the Fighting Illini women as they take on Northwestern on Saturday, January 25, at noon, in the Atkins Tennis Center (1751 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana). Go to https://fightingillini.com/sports/womens-tennis/schedule/2024-25 for more details. Winter Farmers Market—You can still find fresh, local produce inside the Lincoln Square Mall (300 South Broadway Ave., Urbana) on Saturdays, between 8 a.m. and noon. Vendors also have locally raised meats and eggs, spices, sauces, baked goods, arts and crafts, and other favorites. Learn more at https://www.thelandconnection.org/champaign-urbana-winter-farmers-market/. Rectifying “et al.” History—You have probably heard of Oliver Brown of Brown, et al. v. the Board of Education of Topeka, but Donna Rae Pearson will discuss the often overlooked women who made up the “et. al” portion of the famous Supreme Court case that integrated US Schools. The event takes place in the South Lounge of the Illini Union (1401 W. Green St., Urbana) on Wednesday, January 29. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., the program begins at noon, and it is followed by a reception and exhibit at 1 p.m. Visit https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/3079?eventId=33511600 for more details. Community Yoga—Allerton Park and Yoga Off the Square invite you to their monthly Community Yoga in the Allerton Mansion Library (515 Old Timber Rd., Monticello) on Wednesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. (Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Mar. 5, and Apr. 9). The events are free, but advance registration is required. For more information or to register, go to https://allerton.illinois.edu/events/communityyoga/.       Save the DateJanuary 21–February 13—Athletico Pilot ProgramJanuary 30—F&S Blood DriveMarch 6 and 7—Illinois Chief Engineers & Facility Managers ConferenceMarch 15 to 23—Spring Break        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs. Tim Clifton, Building Maintenance Will Corum, Building Maintenance Travis Huls, Utilities & Energy Services Eli Remington, Utilities & Energy Services Doug Winkler, Building Maintenance

January 17, 2025

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Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)        F&S Blood Drive There are still 12 slots available for the next F&S Blood Drive on Thursday, January 30. You can sign up for a time between 8 a.m. and noon for either whole blood or double red cell donation. O- blood is particularly needed, but all types are welcome! Donating blood is an F&S-approved event, but you must receive prior supervisory approval to participate. F&S team members may charge up to one hour to work order {XX-9999} phase 42 Blood Donations.Reserve a time to donate whole blood or double red cell at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/BloodDriveor by contacting Steve Breitwieser sbreit@illinois.edu, 217-300-2155.        Spring Mentoring Recruitment Did you know you could change a local child’s life in an hour a week during the school year? CU One-to-One Mentoring needs mentors, and you can learn more about it at one of two upcoming chances to meet with Lauren Smith, the Champaign coordinator for CU One-to-One, and others who participate. Pizza will be served at both! Come on Friday, January 24, at noon or 12:30 p.m., PPSB conference room 128. Asked what they loved about mentoring, current mentors and mentees responded enthusiastically:”I got a new friend!” ~ mentor of nine years”He always listens to me.” ~ mentee of two years”I love meeting with my mentee and enjoying her energy and passion about things. I am honored she trusts me.” ~ mentor of six years”I love being able to have someone who always believes in me and supports me in all my endeavors.” ~ mentee of eight years”I love watching my mentee grow. She was so shy when I met her. Our relationship continues to strengthen. We have become fast friends.” ~ mentor of five years.The CU One-to-One website (https://www.cu1to1.org/) can also answer many questions. Mentoring is an approved event at F&S, and up to an hour a week can be charged. For more information, contact Cynthia Cope cfcope2@illinois.edu, 217-333-6065, or Jim Sims jimsims@illinois.edu, 217-244-6425.        iRead Program Needs Volunteers Champaign and Urbana students face deficits in reading. In fact, in 2023, test scores showed that only 22.9 percent of Champaign third graders and 7.9 percent of Urbana third graders met or exceeded expectations in reading. These are devastating numbers because until third grade, students are learning to read. After third grade, students need to read to learn. This means kids who are behind in reading in third grade may also struggle in other subjects in subsequent years. You can make a difference! The iRead ● iCount Program puts volunteers into primary classrooms to help students an hour a week for eight weeks. You’ll work directly with these young students to assist them with their basic reading skills. Volunteers can choose the school, day, and time to work with students, and you’ll be supported with training and materials to use.The spring 2025 iRead program will run from March 4 to May 9. Volunteering for iRead is an F&S approved event. Please apply by next Friday, January 24. Visit the The iRead ● iCount website for more information or to sign up: https://www.champaigncounty.org/iread-icount/. Questions? Please contact Cheryl Barringer ireadicount@champaigncounty.org, 217-359-1791.        D&I Shared Experience Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his own words. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee invites you to a shared experience where we’ll watch King’s 1967 NBC interview (in full color), “New Phase of the Struggle for Genuine Equality.” To join this shared experience and see how King’s words still resonate in 2025, click the link at noon on Wednesday, January 22: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/87638074462?pwd=hKT9ol79a1203mq8wR3kBED4ZwGzIC.1. Alternately, open Zoom, click “Join a Meeting,” and enter the following meeting ID and password where prompted: Meeting ID: 876 3807 4462 Password: 682496You can also join by phone at 312-626-6799 or 470-250-9358, using the same meeting number, followed by the pound sign (#), when prompted. If you have questions, please contact Julie O’Mahoney jao22@illinois.edu, 217-244-0905.       Vehicle Safety This week, in the overnight hours, an F&S team member witnessed a car break-in. The police were called, and two suspects were taken into custody.In these “crimes of opportunity,” most would-be thieves are looking for a vehicle that is easy to get into. Securing your vehicle is the best prevention. Follow these best practices to limit the chances of crime occurring at PPSB, in other F&S locations, and across campus:Lock all doors and ensure all windows are closed.Park in open and well-lit areas.If available, activate the vehicle’s security system.Take valuables with you or hide items out of sight, if possible.If you witness a theft or suspicious incident in progress, take the following steps:Remain calm.Do not approach the individuals involved. Dial 911 immediately if it is safe to do so, and give the best possible description of what you observe. If possible, take a cell phone picture of the activity. If you notice you are the victim of vehicle theft or vandalism after the fact, please report it to the UIPD’s non-emergency number at 217-333-1216.In either case, please also inform your supervisor.       Pockets Facts Available The 2025 edition of Pocket Facts is now available, containing information about the campus and the University of Illinois System. Did you know, for example, that 1 in every 46 jobs in Illinois are connected to the U. of I. System? That the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has more than half a million living alumni? That the academic units on campus with the biggest enrollments in fall 2024 were Grainger College of Engineering (15,713 students) and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (15,467 students)? Fans of facts and figures will enjoy digging into all the data and information. Check out the online interactive version at https://uillinois.foleon.com/pocket-facts/2025/.       Athletico at F&S F&S has a new pilot program with Athletico that can help with injury recovery. Athletico’s Industrial Wellness Specialist (IWS) can assess your aches, pains, stiffness, and the like that are associated with sprains, strains, and other minor ergonomic injuries. IWSs can then address these with heat, ice, massage, taping, stretching or light exercise, and similar remedies that will help promote blood flow and healing.Eight dates are currently scheduled, with more to be announced. You can visit an IWS on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7 and 10 a.m., beginning January 21 and continuing through February 13. On the first day, stop by PPSB 145J. On all subsequent days, Athletico IWSs will be in PPSB 127B. The program is free, so drop by to feel and move better after communicating with your supervisor. Remember: These services are only meant to help with minor problems. If you have a major injury, please seek prompt medical care. Questions may be addressed to Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator Ben Kuhlman kuhlmanb@illinois.edu.       Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the F&S Training Calendar. Information about these sessions is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. The next date is Tuesday, January 21, at 8 a.m. Upcoming Training Opportunities for Supervisory Staff: Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – Tuesday, February 18, 1-3 p.m. in Central Stores and Receiving Conference Room 1APerformance Partnership Program (PPP) – Wednesday, February 26, 9-11 a.m. in Central Stores and Receiving Conference Room 1A The calendar has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Training and Development Specialist Joseph Meeker jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568. Text 9-1-1 is now available in Champaign County. To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text to 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the CommunityMahomet Aquifer Public Meeting—The League of Women Voters is hosting a free, virtual meeting to discuss a proposal that would allow carbon dioxide to be injected through the aquifer for underground storage and the possible environmental impact of that on the sole-source aquifer. The Zoom meeting is Wednesday, January 22, from 7 to 8 p.m. Go to https://www.lwvchampaigncounty.org/lwvcc-events-details/protect-the-mahomet-aquifer-january-22 for the Zoom link. If you can’t make it, the meeting recording will be posted on the League’s website after the meeting. MLK Celebrations—Several events reflect on the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) over the next two weeks. On Sunday, January 19, for example, there is an award ceremony that features keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Claude Shelby. On Monday, January 20, there is a Unity Breakfast. There’s also a halftime presentation at the men’s basketball game on Thursday, January 23, and the list denotes other speakers and events as well. See a complete list at https://go.illinois.edu/MLK2025. Chambanamoms has additional MLK Day events here: https://www.chambanamoms.com/2025/01/06/martin-luther-king-champaign-urbana/. Free Couples/Family Counseling—Students in the university’s School of Social Work, supervised by course instructor and licensed clinical social worker Andrea Herzog, are offering free 45- to 50-minute counseling sessions on eight Thursdays beginning February 27. Sessions are confidential. If interested in participating, learn more about the process or sign up at https://illinois.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7WYjFlJryRK1XpA. IU Board Free Weekend Movies—The Illini Union Board has released the movie list for the upcoming semester. Films show Friday and Saturday nights at 7 p.m. in the Pine Lounge. The movies are free and open to the public. With picks across many genres, there’s sure to be something to appeal to everyone, including some that are geared toward families. See the full list at https://union.illinois.edu/weekend-films.       Save the DateJanuary 20—Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (designated holiday)January 21–February 13—Athletico Pilot ProgramJanuary 22—D&I Shared ExperienceJanuary 24—Mentoring Recruitment LunchJanuary 30—F&S Blood Drive        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs. Gareth Boyd, Building Maintenance Kelly Jo Hoffmann, Engineering Services

January 10, 2025

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Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)        Athletico at F&S Did you roll your ankle stepping off a ladder? Is your neck stiff from staring at your computer? F&S has a new pilot program with Athletico that can help! Athletico’s Industrial Wellness Specialist (IWS) can assess your aches, pains, stiffness, and the like that are associated with sprains, strains, and other minor ergonomic injuries. IWSs can then address these with heat, ice, massage, taping, stretching or light exercise, and similar remedies that will help promote blood flow and healing.Eight dates are currently scheduled, with more to be announced. You can visit an IWS on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7 and 10 a.m., beginning January 21 and continuing through February 13. On the first day, stop by PPSB 145J. On all subsequent days, Athletico IWSs will be in PPSB 127B. The program is free, so drop by to feel and move better. Remember: These services are only meant to help with minor problems. If you have a major injury, please seek prompt medical care. Questions may be addressed to Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator Ben Kuhlman kuhlmanb@illinois.edu.        Spring Mentoring Recruitment CU One-to-One Mentoring turned 30 years old last year, and the need for mentors continues. Won’t you consider spending an hour a week with a local student? If you’re interested in learning more, there are two upcoming chances to meet with Lauren Smith, the Champaign coordinator for CU One-to-One, and others to learn what mentoring is like. Pizza will be served at both! Come on Friday, January 24, at noon or 12:30 p.m., PPSB conference room 128. Asked what they loved about mentoring, current mentors and mentees responded enthusiastically:”I got a new friend!” ~ mentor of nine years”He always listens to me.” ~ mentee of two years”I love meeting with my mentee and enjoying her energy and passion about things. I am honored she trusts me.” ~ mentor of six years”I love being able to have someone who always believes in me and supports me in all my endeavors.” ~ mentee of eight years”I love watching my mentee grow. She was so shy when I met her. Our relationship continues to strengthen. We have become fast friends.” ~ mentor of five years.The CU One-to-One website (https://www.cu1to1.org/) can also answer many questions. Mentoring is an approved event at F&S, and up to an hour a week can be charged. For more information, contact Cynthia Cope cfcope2@illinois.edu, 217-333-6065, or Jim Sims jimsims@illinois.edu, 217-244-6425.        iRead Program Needs Volunteers Champaign and Urbana students face deficits in reading. In fact, in 2023, test scores showed that only 22.9 percent of Champaign third graders and 7.9 percent of Urbana third graders met or exceeded expectations in reading. These are devastating numbers because until third grade, students are learning to read. After third grade, students need to read to learn. This means kids who are behind in reading in third grade may also struggle in other subjects in subsequent years. You can make a difference! The iRead ● iCount Program puts volunteers into primary classrooms to help students an hour a week for eight weeks. You’ll work directly with these young students to assist them with their basic reading skills. Volunteers can choose the school, day, and time to work with students, and you’ll be supported with training and materials to use.The spring 2025 iRead program will run from March 4 to May 9. Volunteering for iRead is an F&S approved event. Please apply by Friday, January 24. Visit the The iRead ● iCount website for more information or to sign up: https://www.champaigncounty.org/iread-icount/. Questions? Please contact Cheryl Barringer ireadicount@champaigncounty.org, 217-359-1791.        D&I Shared Experience Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his own words. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee invites you to a shared experience where we’ll watch King’s 1967 NBC interview (in full color), “New Phase of the Struggle for Genuine Equality.” To join this shared experience and see how King’s words still resonate in 2025, click the link on Wednesday, January 22, at noon: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/87638074462?pwd=hKT9ol79a1203mq8wR3kBED4ZwGzIC.1. Alternately, open Zoom, click “Join a Meeting,” and enter the following meeting ID and password where prompted: Meeting ID: 876 3807 4462 Password: 682496You can also join by phone at 312-626-6799 or 470-250-9358, using the same meeting number, followed by the pound sign (#), when prompted. If you have questions, please contact Julie O’Mahoney jao22@illinois.edu, 217-244-0905.        F&S Blood Drive The next F&S Blood Drive is Thursday, January 30, between 8 a.m. and noon. Slots are available for both whole blood and double red cell donation. Donating blood is an F&S-approved event, but you must receive prior supervisory approval to participate. F&S team members may charge up to one hour to work order {XX-9999} phase 42 Blood Donations.Reserve a time to donate whole blood or double red cell at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/BloodDriveor by contacting Steve Breitwieser sbreit@illinois.edu, 217-300-2155.       ANCRA Mandated Reporting Training There is one week left to complete the mandated training that is required once every three years for all University of Illinois System employees, including those with a 0% (unpaid) appointment. You are a mandated reporter under the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (ANCRA), and the training is intended to help you recognize suspected cases of child abuse and walk you through the reporting requirements. If you have already completed the training, thank you! If you still need to do so, this training is available at https://go.uillinois.edu/mandated-reporter. You will need your NetID and password to log in. This training is expected to take 45 minutes to an hour to complete. The last day to do this task is Friday, January 17. Questions about your NetID and password may be resolved through the NetID Center: https://identity.uillinois.edu/iamFrontEnd/iam/start. For additional help, contact Technology Services consult@illinois.edu, 217-244-7000.All other questions should be addressed to Illinois Human Resources’ Service Center Manager David Grider at dgrider2@illinois.edu.       Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the F&S Training Calendar. Information about these sessions is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. The next date is Tuesday, January 21 at 8 a.m. The calendar has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Training and Development Specialist Joseph Meeker jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, 217-300-6568. Text 9-1-1 is now available in Champaign County. To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text to 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the CommunityFree Chicago Museum Days—Illinois residents can receive free museum admission on certain daysthis spring. Participating museums include the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, and more. See a list at https://www.choosechicago.com/articles/museums-art/free-museum-days-in-chicago/. Model Rocket Launch—Watch model rockets fly on Saturday, January 11, between noon and 6 p.m., weather permitting. The action takes place at Dodds Park, 1501 N. Mattis Ave., Champaign. The Central Illinois Aerospace Club is licensed and insured and has a waiver for flying larger rockets. You’re invited to bring your own rockets to fly as well. For more information, visit https://www.chambanamoms.com/events/central-illinois-aerospace-rocket-launch/. Fighting Illini Track and Field—Cheer on the men’s and women’s teams at the Fighting Illini Open, on Saturday, January 11, in the U. of I. Armory (505 E. Armory Ave., Champaign). The doors open at 11 a.m. for this free event that also features a live DJ. See https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/schedule for more information. Swim and Dive Team Big Ten Opener—The Illini women’s team host Purdue at the Activities & Recreation Center (ARC) Pool on Saturday, January 11, at 3 p.m. (201 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign). For more details, see https://fightingillini.com/news/2025/1/6/swimming-diving-illinois-swim-and-dive-returns-to-action-in-2025.aspx. S’mores Social and Stroll—Enjoy a walk and S’mores on Sunday, January 12, at the Lake House, Crystal Lake Park (206 W. Park St., Urbana). This free event is sponsored by the Urbana Park District. Learn more at https://www.urbanaparks.org/calendar/events/free-smores-social-and-stroll.       Save the DateJanuary 20—Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (designated holiday)January 21–February 13—Athletico Pilot ProgramJanuary 22—D&I Shared ExperienceJanuary 24—Mentoring Recruitment LunchJanuary 30—F&S Blood Drive        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs. Steam Distribution Snow removal team members in Grounds, Transportation, Building Services, and Construction Services

January 3, 2025

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Click here to view a printable .pdf of the E-Update   F&S TEAM MEMBERS (supervisors, please post in your areas)       ANCRA Mandated Reporting Training Once every three years, all University of Illinois System employees, including those with a 0% (unpaid) appointment, are required to update their Mandated Reporting Training. University employees are mandated reporters under the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (ANCRA). The training will help you recognize suspected cases of child abuse and walk you through the reporting requirements.You should have received an email about the training on Monday, November 11. If you did not, please report this to your supervisor. The email was sent by System Human Resource Services and contained instructions for logging in with your NetID and password. This training is expected to take 45 minutes to an hour to complete. The last day to do this task is Friday, January 17, 2025. Questions about NetID and password may be resolved through the NetID Center: https://identity.uillinois.edu/iamFrontEnd/iam/start. For additional help, contact Technology Services consult@illinois.edu, 217-244-7000.All other questions should be addressed to Illinois Human Resources’ Service Center Manager David Grider at dgrider2@illinois.edu.       Chancellor’s Staff Excellence Award Program It’s the last chance to nominate this cycle! If you know a fellow team member who demonstrates excellence in overall work performance;puts forth an effort to improve self, as well as to develop and recognize others;exhibits initiative and creativity, resulting in improved operating efficiency of the department and/or university; andenhances the reputation of the department and/or universitythen please consider nominating them for the Chancellor’s Staff Excellence Award (CSEA) Program. Civil service employees and academic professionals who have been with the university for at least three years of cumulative service, have a positive work record, and will be an active employee when the award recipients are chosen (March 2025) are eligible. More details on the nomination process and materials are available at https://humanresources.illinois.edu/employee-experience/current-employee/recognition/chancellors-staff-excellence-award/. Nominations are due by Wednesday, January 8, 2025.        D&I Shared Experience Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. in his own words. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee invites you to a shared experience where we’ll watch Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1967 NBC interview (in full color), “New Phase of the Struggle for Genuine Equality.” To join this shared experience and see how King’s words still resonate in 2025, click the link on Wednesday, January 22, at noon: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/87638074462?pwd=hKT9ol79a1203mq8wR3kBED4ZwGzIC.1. Alternately, open Zoom, click “Join a Meeting,” and enter the following meeting ID and password where prompted: Meeting ID: 876 3807 4462 Password: 682496You can also join by phone at 312-626-6799 or 470-250-9358, using the same meeting number, followed by the pound sign (#), when prompted. If you have questions, please contact Julie O’Mahoney jao22@illinois.edu, 217-244-0905.        F&S Blood Drive The next F&S Blood Drive is Thursday, January 30, between 8 a.m. and noon. Slots are available for both whole blood and double red cell donation. Donating blood is an F&S-approved event, but you must receive prior supervisory approval to participate. F&S team members may charge up to one hour to work order {XX-9999} phase 42 Blood Donations.Reserve a time to donate whole blood or double red cell at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/BloodDriveor by contacting Steve Breitwieser sbreit@illinois.edu, 217-300-2155.       New Illinois Laws for 2025 Almost 300 new rules and laws for Illinois went into effect on January 1, 2025. Among these were the following:A lead exposure testing requirement (at 12, 24, and 36 months) for children residing in high-risk ZIP codes. In Champaign County, this includes Champaign’s 61820 and 61821 ZIP codes, Urbana’s 61801 and 61802 ZIP codes, Bondville, Fisher, Foosland, Homer, Longview, Ogden, Penfield, Pesotum, Rantoul, Royal, Sadorus, Seymour, Sidney, and Thomasboro. See a complete list of affected ZIP codes in the state at https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/lead-poisoning-prevention/families-of-lead-exposed-children/pediatric-highrisk-zip-codes.html.Wage increases for those earning the state’s minimum. The new state minimum wage is $15 per hour for workers 18 and older. Tipped workers must now be paid at least $9 an hour. Workers under 18 who work less than 650 hours per year must now be paid at least $13 per hour.Pay and benefit transparency for job listings. Employers with 15 or more employees must include a pay scale and benefits information for all job postings.Illinois employers must provide pay stubs each pay period, with hours worked, pay rates, overtime pay, and deductions clearly delineated. Additionally, employers must retain this information for three years, regardless of whether the employee remains with the business.Extended protection for workers who provide personal care to family members (such as taking a family member to a doctor’s appointment or attending to their medical, nutritional, hygienic, or safety needs). The law is aimed at protecting them from employment discrimination based on their family responsibilities. Public Act 103-0797 prohibits Illinois employers from making “recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, training, discharge, discipline, or other decisions regarding the privileges or conditions of employment based on an employee or prospective employee’s actual or perceived provision of personal care for a family member.” Learn more at https://gov.illinois.gov/news/press-release.30774.html.More deterrents for catalytic converter theft. Those dealing in recyclable/scrap metal now have to keep identifying records when buying catalytic converters; these include the vehicle identification number of the car or truck the catalytic converter came from, along with a copy of the seller’s proof of ownership, as well as bar codes, stickers, and other identifiers for the catalytic converters themselves.New protections for whistleblower renters. The Landlord Retaliation Act protects tenants who report code violations for their apartments or by their landlords. Landlords may not knowingly terminate a lease, increase rent, or threaten legal action if a tenant makes such a complaint. For a complete list of all the new laws and links to each, visit https://go.fs.illinois.edu/NewIllinoisLaws2025.        Christmas Tree Recycling Wondering what to do with your natural Christmas tree as the holiday period comes to a close? Cut, untreated trees that have had all their decorations (including stands, lights, etc.) removed can usually be recycled. Here are some local options; check the links for more details:The City of Champaign (https://champaignil.gov/public-works/find-a-service/yard-waste/) will collect trees that are placed curbside for pickup by 6 a.m. on Monday, January 13. These trees are chipped and made into garden mulch.The City of Urbana (http://urbanaillinois.us/residents/recycling-program-u-cycle/holiday-tree-collection-schedule) will pick up trees along the curbside the week of January 6 to 10. Put your tree out the night before your normal U-Cycle day.The Champaign County Forest Preserve (https://www.facebook.com/CCFPD) will accept tree drop-offs at three locations: Lake of the Woods, west maintenance entrance off IL-47 (650 N. Lombard St., Mahomet), through January 20; Homer Lake Forest Preserve, across from the Maple Sugar Grove, Homer (through mid-January); and at the maintenance building at the Middle Fork River Forest Preserve (also through mid-January). Some of these trees are chipped for mulch, but others are placed in the waterways as habitats for fish and other aquatic animals.Trees can also be recycled at the Landscape Recycling Center (1210 E. University Ave., Urbana; https://www.landscaperecyclingcenter.org) through February. Trees must be undecorated and not in a bag.       Ongoing Events The following activities are recurring:F&S Training Calendar The New Team Member Orientation dates have been added to the training calendar. Information about these sessions can be found on the F&S training calendar at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/Training. The calendar has links to other training resources that you can explore at any time, such as the LinkedIn Learning Library and Fast-3 Training. Remember to check it regularly for updates! Questions may be addressed to Joseph Meeker, jlmeeke2@uillinois.edu, F&S training and development specialist, 217-300-6568. Text 9-1-1 is now available in Champaign County. To report an emergency via text, make 9-1-1 the receiver in the To section of the text message. Then include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed in the text message. Use clear, concise language without abbreviations, emoticons, or emojis. Be prepared to answer questions or follow instructions. Remember to silence your phone if a message alert could jeopardize your safety. To learn more about Text to 9-1-1, visit https://www.metcad911.org/text/default.html.       Snippets from F&S, Campus, and the CommunityWinter Nights at Prairie Farm—It’s the final weekend for the light display at Prairie Farm (2202 W. Kirby Avenue, Champaign). Come out Friday through Sunday, January 3 to 5, 5 to 9 p.m., to catch this fun, free event from the Champaign Park District.Learn more at https://champaignparks.org/winter-nights-at-prairie-farm/. Illini Basketball—There are still tickets available for both men’s and women’s games during the break. Cheer on the men against Penn State at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8, or root for the women against Iowa at 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 9. Both games are at the State Farm Center (1800 S. First Street, Champaign). Visit https://fightingillini.com for tickets. Native Landscape Design Workshop—If spiffing up your garden is on your 2025 to-do list, the Illinois Extension has the workshop for you! A virtual session on Thursday, January 9, at 6:30 p.m., will discuss the roles of pollinators and native plants, and participants will learn how to choose and measure their garden plots. Then, at one of four options for an in-person session, the Extension experts will offer guidance and advice on creating a personalized garden layout. In-person options are January 16 or February 13 in Vermilion County or January 30 or February 6 in Champaign County. To learn more or to register, visit https://extension.illinois.edu/events/2025-01-09-native-landscape-design-workshop-virtual-session.       Save the DateJanuary 20—Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (designated holiday)January 22—Noontime KnowledgeJanuary 30—F&S Blood Drive        Pats on the Back Remember to give colleagues a Pat on the Back by sending an email to fscustomerrelations@illinois.edu. Compliment a deserving co-worker and have your words posted at https://go.illinois.edu/POBs. Jerry Dinnin Molly Mitsdarfer Melissa Price James Scherer Susan Zich