Student Government Updates - Spring Semester
March 31, 2022 5:02 AM

Dear UIUC Community,

As the spring semester carries on, it is important to reflect on what we have done as individuals, students, and a campus community. The following is a summary of what various entities within Illinois Student Government (ISG) have been up to over the past semester.

Student Governance 

A select group of Illinois Student Government members will be in Washington D.C. April 3-6 for the Association of Big Ten Students (ABTS) Big Ten on The Hill (BTOTH) conference. We will be meeting with several members of the United States Congress from Illinois. Please click on the following link and select the top two issues you want us to discuss with the representatives. https://forms.gle/AfRgpwEewdVtAYNu6

Cultural Engagement

For Women’s History Month, ISG has been engaged with different programming to truly celebrate women. We partnered with La Casa Cultural Latina to host a panel on women in leadership, and how to run for student government. I was able to work alongside the Humanities Research Institute and the Women in Global Perspectives Program as a featured speaker for their International Women’s Day event, where I paid homage to Shirley Chisolm, the first Black woman in Congress. 

Campus Health

ISG Vice President, Nicole Arnold, and I have been coordinating with McKinley Health Center since October 2021 for an annual health fair. The health fair took place on March 30, 2022, from 10 am to 2 pm in Illini Union Rooms A, B, and C. There were giveaways, live entertainment, and, most importantly, health promotion. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us all how important and invaluable our personal health and the health of our communities is.

ISG is co-sponsoring a blood drive with Volunteer Illini Projects on April 12-15. There will be giveaways for participants. 

Campus Diversity 

ISG is hosting our annual “Free Expression Town Hall” on April 1 from 4-6 pm, in the Illini Union Room 407. Panelists include various professors, a student from the college of law, and a political science student. 

Campus Accessibility

Our Disability Advocacy Department has been working on addressing issues related to accessibility on campus. They have also been working with members of the university administration to increase accountability around disability accommodations and improve understanding of disability among course teaching staff.

Academic Initiatives

ISG contributed $3000 to the new Open Educational Resources (OER) Incentive Program this school year. Professors can apply to receive grants so they can convert their course materials to be open-source and free to access online, thus, decreasing the financial burden on students. So far, OER conversion on campus has saved students $46,000, and with numerous applications submitted by professors this March, that number will only grow in the future.

https://guides.library.illinois.edu/facultyoerincentiveprogram/incentiveprogram

Student Engagement

I invite you all to our weekly Senate meetings at 7:00 pm on Wednesdays on the 2nd floor of the Illini Union in the Ballroom.

Sincerely,
Enoma Egiebor
Student Body President