November 2025
From Provost Schwab
Greetings,
As we barrel toward the later part of the semester and the wonderful change of fall foliage, I鈥檝e been reminded of the importance of self-care during this busy time of the year. I was recently waylaid by a nasty bug that set me back for several days. I am fortunate that such an occurrence is rare for me, and I hope that remains the case. Nevertheless, it was not good. I hope you and your loved ones stay healthy and safe in this 鈥済ermy鈥� time of the year.
I appreciate the work that continues across the university on the Academic Portfolio Review and Program Prioritization. Response plans from programs are due Dec. 5. As always, the latest information and updates are available on the .
The university-wide UIS Experience Survey is live through Friday, November 21. I encourage every member of the UIS community to complete the survey by the deadline, and I look forward to what recommendations emerge from the Survey Action Group next semester.
I want to thank Professor Lan Dong for her willingness to serve as Chair of the HLC Steering Committee for our upcoming 10-year reaffirmation with the Higher Learning Commission. Dr. Dong brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, and I look forward to working with her in this important institutional effort. Anyone interested in learning more about ways to assist is encouraged to contact Michele Gribbins.
Finally, a reminder about the need to continue our progress to ensure that our digital spaces and resources are accessible by the compliance deadline of April 2026. Reach out to the for support.
Thanks for all you do for UIS.
Take care,
Brandon
Connect with the Provost
Provost's Open Hours
Faculty and staff are invited to reserve time on their calendar for听Provost's Open Hours - Friday, December 5, 2-4 pm,听UHB 2001.
You are welcome to stop by and sign in for an opportunity to chat with Provost Brandon Schwab on a first come, first served basis.
Invite the Provost
If you would like to invite Provost Schwab to attend or participate in your event, use the听听to provide all necessary details in one place. This helps us let you know about his availability and ensures he has everything he needs to prepare for your event.
Important Initiatives
UIS University Experience Survey
Every member of the UIS community has been invited to participate in the听UIS Experience Survey. As of October 30, 2025, 7.7% of the UIS Community has responded, with staff leading the way at an impressive 27.2% response rate. Encourage your colleagues and students to complete the survey by November 21st. The UIS Experience Survey Action Group will use the results to shape meaningful improvements. For more information about the action group or how to access the survey, please visit the听UIS Experience Survey webpage.听
If you have additional comments to share with the action group after completing the survey, you may submit them using the .
HLC Reaffirmation
Committees and subcommittees are now forming for UIS' 2027-28 Reaffirmation of Accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission. We are pleased to announce that Dr. Lan Dong will serve as the Chair of the HLC Reaffirmation Steering Committee. If you are interested in contributing to this important institutional effort, please reach out to Dr. Dong or Dr. Michele Gribbins, UIS' HLC Accreditation Liaison Officer. Progress updates will be posted regularly on the OIRE Projects & Initiatives webpage.
Provost's Certificate for Excellence in Professional Development
罢丑别听Provost鈥檚 Office听and the听Center for Faculty Excellence听are pleased to announce the launch of the听Provost鈥檚 Certificate for Excellence in Professional Development, an initiative designed to celebrate and incentivize meaningful engagement in professional growth among full-time and part-time instructors. Participants who, over a two year period, attend six approved professional development events鈥攊ncluding workshops, seminars, conferences, and Rise events鈥攁nd/or engage in active mentoring relationships are eligible to earn the certificate and, by writing a reflection on the impact of their experiences, a听UIS Excellence in Professional Development Badge听as well as be recognized at the Spring听Faculty Honors Reception.听Read more about the certificate and badge.
NACADA/QI Task Groups Seek Input
The four task groups following up on recent NACADA advising-related recommendations have begun meeting and will be seeking conversations and input broadly from the UIS community. If you are interested in contributing, please reach out to听Michael Roth,听Shipra Gupta听辞谤听Nicole Hager, the Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee. As a reminder, the four groups are: Advising Structure, Course Scheduling, Relationships, and Assessment.
SIP Grant Update
The non-continuation of our SIP Grant听supporting SSL (Student Success through LEADERSHIP, formerly Title III) activities comprises a nearly $1.3 M loss over the remaining life of the original grant. Our Team is currently working on required sunsetting activities, assessing High Impact Practices we want to sustain at UIS, and fortifying external partnerships and collaboration. A UIS group听will also听be participating in听听funded by the grant.
CAP Honors Program Review
罢丑别听Capital Scholars Honors Program听is preparing for an external program review. The self-study is on track and due to the evaluator by December 1. We are currently planning a February 9-10, 2026 site visit by the evaluator.
Opportunities to Make a Difference
Eapen, Huang Selected for Grant Writing Program
Congratulations to听Bell Eapen听(Management Information Systems) and听Xiang Huang听(Computer Science) for being selected by the Research Board as the inaugural participants in the Non-Instructional Assignment (NIA) Program for Grant Writing in Spring 2026. Professor Eapen will pursue funding for "Computational Triangulation for sensemaking: Integrating qualitative storytelling with quantitative data," and Xiang Huang's proposal will focus on "A Bounded Analog Model of Computation for a Physically Grounded Time Complexity Theory."听
Faculty will receive one course release, grant development support, expedited internal review prior to external submission and, if applicable, assistance with responding to reviewer comments and resubmission strategies. Grants Writer听Sam Coad听will provide guidance and support.
We are excited about this opportunity to support faculty as they advance their research goals and contribute to the university's mission of excellence in research and scholarship.
Good Ideas Funded
The Provost's Leadership Team is excited to announce that 16 of 25听Good Idea Fund听proposals have been fully or partially funded this year. The Good Idea Fund offers one-time (non-recurring) funds up to $5,000 each to support innovative ideas from UIS staff and faculty. We received a variety of creative proposals requesting more than $100,000, and $46,033 has been awarded for use through June 30.
We appreciated the wide range of ideas anticipated to听create broad impact, from new programs, research projects, and student conference participation, to initiatives to expand outreach or enhance campus life.
To our Good Idea Fund applicants: Thank you for your willingness to bring great ideas to life and make a difference at UIS!
Brasillinois Initiative 鈥� Learn More on November 14
Brasillinois is an initiative led by the University of 缅北禁地 System and Brazil to promote research collaborations and student mobility. Brasillinois includes a "sandwich鈥� program, where Ph.D. students begin their studies at a Brazilian institution, conduct research at any University of 缅北禁地 location, and then return to Brazil to finish their degrees. A positive aspect of this program is that the Brazilian government covers most of the related costs for participating students.
The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs will hold an informational meeting on听November 14th at 10:00 am.听Megan Styles, UIS faculty representative for Brasillinois, will lead the session. The on-campus meeting location will be announced soon, and participants are also welcome to听.
Boosting Course Survey Response Rates
Practical Strategies for Faculty
Use multiple strategies to yield the highest response rates and most meaningful feedback (Chapman & Joines, 2017; Young et al., 2018).
Time Your Communication
- Share the survey early and often (McNulty et al., 2010
- Post in the syllabus, announcements, modules, and emails
- Survey feedback is anonymous
- Results are shared with faculty after final grades are submitted.
Gamify and Incentivize
- Share the completion percentage with the class regularly
- Set a class course survey completion goal and offer an incentive [e.g., If 80% of the class completes the survey, everyone earns 2 extra credit points"] (Goodman, Anson, & Belcheir, 2014).
Explain the Purpose
- Students are more likely to respond when they understand how their input is used (Kidd & Letif, 2003; Anderson et al., 2005; Hatfield & Coyle, 2013).
- Emphasize that feedback is used to improve course design, teaching practices, and faculty development.
News Worth Celebrating
Graduate Assistants Participate in Professional Development
Kara McElwrath听and听Beth Ribarsky听recently offered workshops in the Graduate Assistant Professional Development pilot program. McElwrath, Director of Technology Operations in Information Technology Services, presented on 鈥淎I for GAs: Empowering Your Studies & Work.鈥� 听Ribarsky, Professor in Communication and Director of the School of Communication and Media, presented on 鈥淧olish Your Presence: Professional Communication for Graduate Students.鈥� The program will continue through Spring 2026.
Jake Friefeld Appointed 缅北禁地 State Historic Preservation Board Chair
Jake Friefeld, Director of the UIS Center for Lincoln Studies, has been appointed by Governor JB Pritzker as chair of the 缅北禁地 State Historic Preservation Board. The Board, under the Department of Natural Resources, is responsible for listing, delisting, and changing the listing designation of State Historic Sites as well as other duties.
Devin Hunter, Associate Professor and Chair of History, also serves on the board.
Meet Fumika Brudnak
Although her office is tucked away at one end of the Provost's Suite,听Fumika Brudnak's impact extends well beyond her work space. Fumika joined the Provost's Office this past December, and we invite you to view a brief video to get acquainted with her. (Thanks to COLRS Multimedia Specialist听Scott Moomaw听for his video work, and to听Mark Morten听for his role听as "background interviewer"!)
Resource Refresh
Academic Affairs Resources - All In One Place!
We鈥檙e excited to announce the launch of the new internal Academic Affairs resource website, with a .This site is designed specifically for UIS faculty and staff and brings together key resources鈥攊ncluding form links, curriculum planning materials, organizational charts, and more鈥攊n one secure location.听Tip: Begin from a fresh browser to streamline your experience.听
As we transition UIS-only content from our public-facing听听to this听, we're adding notes to point users to the new location. If you鈥檙e unable to find something you need, please reach out to听Monica Kroft.
We appreciate your patience and feedback as we continue to improve the site and streamline access to essential information.
Newsletter notes
Subscriptions and suggestions
Suggestions for future content:听We are interested in hearing from you about topics you would like to see covered in the Provost鈥檚 Office monthly newsletter.听Send content suggestions
Newsletter opt-in:听The Academic Affairs newsletter is sent to employees in the Division of Academic Affairs monthly during the academic year. If the newsletter was forwarded to you or you found it in Orbit, and you would like to be added to the distribution list, please听contact Monica Kroft. We would be glad to send to you directly.
Newsletter archives: Find links to recent newsletters on the听Academic Affairs "News" page.
Important Dates
- Thursday, November 27 - Friday, November 28,听Thanksgiving Holiday听
- Friday, December 5, 2-4 pm,听Provost's Open Hours, check in at UHB 2001
Office of the VCAA/Provost
Contact:听Monica Kroft