Campus News: visiting neighborhoods

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle at the 2013 Urban Forum. This year’s event, held Thursday at the UIC Forum,  focuses on “The Return of the Neighborhood as an Urban Strategy.”

Visiting neighborhoods

Livable, smart, balanced neighborhoods — that’s the focus of discussions at the 2014 Urban Forum Thursday.

“The Return of the Neighborhood as an Urban Strategy,” 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the UIC Forum, brings a varied list of presenters, from the Chicago Public Library commissioner to former NBA star-turned businessman Isiah Thomas to the sixth-grade class of Bradwell School of Excellence.

Keynote speaker is Cook County commissioner Bridget Gainer. Moderators include Chicago Tribune columnist Marcy Schmich, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Laura Washington and Niala Boodhoo and Richard Steele of WBEZ.

Panel discussions focus on issues that include schools, gentrification and immigrant communities.

Co-chairs are Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Susana Vasquez, executive director of LISC/Chicago.

Admission is free to Chicago-area teachers, faculty and students with online registration; $25 others.

For more information, call 312-413-2194.

The fall of the Wall

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s collapse, the department of Germanic studies will host a campus event series, Sept. 22 through 26, with film screenings, exhibitions, panel discussions and an essay contest. The series is co-sponsored by the German Information Center and the German Embassy.

UIC students are invited to enter a video essay contest on the topic “Confronting Dictatorship and Injustice.”

Admission to all events is free and open to the public.

• Sept. 22: “The Tower,” 2 – 3:45 p.m., 1-470 Daley Library

A screening of the German mini-series includes a panel discussion and a Skyped discussion with producer Benjamin Benedict, led by Sara Hall, associate professor of Germanic studies and director of moving image arts. Additional screenings Sept. 23 and 24, 2 to 3:15 p.m., Lecture Center F6.

• Sept. 22: “Dictatorship and Democracy in the Age of Extremes: Spotlights on the History of Europe in the Twentieth Century, ”4 p.m., Daley Library

The exhibition will open with remarks from Germany Consul General Herbert Quelle. On view through Oct. 24, the exhibition presents 190 photographs from European archives and contemporary audio recordings accessible via smartphone.

• Sept. 25: “Living with Walls: From the Berlin Wall to the U.S. Border Fence,” noon, 1-470 Daley Library

Presented by UIC’s Global Learning Community, the panel discussion will link the historic events in Germany to contemporary issues of immigration. Panelists include Imke Meyer, professor of Germanic studies and director of the School of Literatures, Cultural Studies and Linguistics, Lulú Martínez, activist and UIC student, and José Ángel N., UIC alumnus and author of Illegal: Reflections of an Undocumented Immigrant. Lunch will be served. RSVP by Sept. 22. 312-355-0867 or glc@las.uic.edu.

• Sept. 22-26: architecture installation, UIC Memorial Grove

UIC architecture students who participated in the Studio Berlin program last summer will design and construct a temporary pavilion that will house an installation documenting historical moments from former student trips to Berlin and highlight topics related to the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall.

Town hall with President Easter

University President Robert Easter will discuss the state of the university at a town hall Oct. 6, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Thompson Rooms of Student Center West.

Register by Sept. 26.

The event is coordinated by the Academic Professional Advisory Committee.

Report of Non-University Activities

All salaried faculty and academic staff are required to submit the annual Report of Non-University Activities to their units by Oct. 6.

The form, instructions and more information are available under the RNUA link. Civil service employees are not required to complete the form.

For more information, contact the Conflict of Interest Office at rnua@uic.edu or 312-996-3642.