Campus News: holiday concerts, toy drives

The UIC Choirs, String Orchestra and Concert Band present a holiday concert Saturday.

Students will perform holiday music ranging from favorites such as Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” to Saint-Saens’ “Christmas Oratorio.” The concert is directed by Michael J. Anderson, Andrew Lewis, Daniel Black and Jose Oliver Riojas.

The event begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m. and the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church, 924 Lake St., Oak Park.

RSVP online.

 

Giving back

UIC students have organized toy drives and a blood drive for #GivingTuesday.

UIC student-athletes will host a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today in the Physical Education Building. Student-athletes will also donate at least one item to military service personnel abroad through the Operation Care Package project.
Student employees at campus recreation centers are hosting a toy drive through Tuesday to benefit Noah’s Arc Foundation. Collection bins are in the UIC Bookstore in Student Center East and the Student Recreation Facility on the east side of campus.

Student Leadership Development and Volunteer Services is collecting new books and toys for patients at the Children’s Hospital University of Illinois.

Items must be new. Requested toys include infant toys, books, coloring books, crayons, Play-Doh, rattles, board games, stuffed animals, playing cards and toys that light up or make noise.

Collection bins are located in the Behavioral Sciences Building, Student Services Building, Commons West, Commons East, Stukel Towers, Marie Robinson Hall, Thomas Beckham Hall, Honors College, Student Recreation Facility, College of Applied Health Sciences, College of Medicine and College of Pharmacy.

For more information, call 312-996-4500 or email sldvs@uic.edu

Art on display

Check out student artwork at the UIC Art Fest today.

More than 25 students will showcase their work, which they had one week to create for the art festival. Votes will be tallied for the best painting and the top three entries will receive prizes.

The event, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Montgomery Ward Gallery in Student Center East, is hosted by Campus Programs.

For more information, email sgrbic2@uic.edu

 

Singing for scholarships

John McDermott, a founding member of The Irish Tenors, will headline the 13th annual S.E.E. Benefit Friday.

The event will also feature the Dee Alexander Trio. Alexander is an award-winning jazz vocalist and UIC employee in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.

The event, hosted by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, funds scholarships for UIC students who demonstrate strong leadership skills.

A reception, dinner and concert are included in the $225 ticket price ($125 is tax-deductible). The event begins at 5 p.m. with the concert starting at 8 p.m. in the UIC Forum.

For information or tickets, call 312-413-0077 or e-mail ovcsa@uic.edu

 

Flames vs. Illini

UIC faculty and staff can purchase discounted tickets to watch the Flames take on the Fighting Illini at 1 p.m. Dec. 28 at the United Center.

Employees can reserve tickets in the UIC fans section without any fees by purchasing through the UIC Athletics ticket office. Call 312-413-8421 by 5 p.m. Thursday.

The teams last met in 2010, when the Flames topped the Illini, 57-54, at the United Center.

 

Renew license today

The mobile Illinois Secretary of State office will be on campus today from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Center East concourse.

Students and employees can renew their driver’s license or state ID, buy vehicle license plate stickers, register to be an organ or tissue donor, and buy specialty UIC license plates to support student scholarships.

 

Urban Forum Thursday

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will give the opening keynote address at the 2013 UIC Urban Forum Thursday.

This year’s event at the UIC Forum will examine the role of technology in metropolitan regions’ emerging economic, political and social changes.

Preckwinkle and Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares are co-chairs.

Admission is free for Chicago-area faculty and students; tickets for the general public are $25.

 

Online tax information


Employees can sign up through Jan. 15 to receive their Form W-2 online.

The 40,000 employees who received their W-2 electronically last year do not need to sign up again this year. Others can request an online W-2 through NESSIE, the university’s HR website, under the “compensation” tab.

Employees who do not receive the W-2 electronically will be mailed a copy.

 

Plans for development

A seminar today examines plans for a 600-acre site along Chicago’s south lakefront.

“Transportation Vision for Chicago Lakeside Development,” is part of the Urban Transportation Center’s 2013 Fall Seminar Series. Speaker is Nasutsa Mabwa, project manager of development for McCaffery Interests, developers of Lakeside.

Mabwa, who received her master’s in urban planning and policy from UIC, will discuss the recent opening of South Lake Shore Drive, proposed water taxi service and bus rapid transit to downtown and connections to CTA and Metra.

The talk takes place from noon to 1 p.m. at the Great Cities Institute, 400 CUPPA Hall. For more information, call 312-413-1967.

 

Vacation, sick leave payouts

UIC employees can defer vacation and compensable sick leave payouts to their 403(b) and 457 retirement accounts when they retire or leave the university.

For instructions, call the Benefits Services office at 312-996-6471 on or before 60 days before the last day of employment.

The benefits office is located on the first floor of the Marshfield Building.

 

Interested in journalism?

UIC News seeks two interns to add a student voice to its work in news and social media.

It’s a great opportunity to gain experience writing for print and online, including news and feature writing, video and social media.

Applicants should have experience in writing for publications (online or print) and an interest in journalism. Video and photography skills are a plus. Interns must enroll in an internship course for elective credit.

Email résumé and two samples of published work (print or online) to christyb@uic.edu

 

Transportation plans

How does transportation around campus affect you?

Share your opinions through Dec. 31 in a survey created by the UIC Office of Sustainability, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and Active Transportation Alliance. 

The groups are planning a transportation plan for the UIC campus and surrounding area.

 

Inequality at work

A seminar Monday examines the advancement of underrepresented individuals to leadership positions.

“Why Are John and David More Likely to Become Department Chair than Joan or Jamal?” will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Moss Auditorium, College of Medicine Research Building.

Speaker is Molly Carnes, professor of psychiatry and industrial and systems engineering and director of the Center for Women’s Health Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The event is sponsored by the UIC Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health Program and the Center for Research on Women and Gender.

For more information, email abbykoch@uic.edu

Need help?

Not sure how to use computer software? Ask Lynda.

Lynda.com, a collection of online tutorial programs available free to UIC students and employees, offers more than 1,000 video tutorials on software topics such as Adobe, Apple, and Microsoft products; web publishing; video and audio editing; operating systems and more.