News from the Moms and Dads Associations
Important Dates
Fall Commencement Information
December Graduation Reception
Winter Break Closing Information, Undergraduate Residence Halls
Students can Nominate Their Favorite Instructor for an Award
Leadership Programs Offered Over Winter Break
Leadership Center Graf Internship Program
Holiday Fitness Advice from Campus Rec
Revive-Restore-Relax: Weston Wellness Center
Priority Deadline for Study Abroad Office Applications for Summer 2008, Fall 2008, and Academic Year 2008-09
Illinois in the News

News from the Moms and Dads Associations

Please urge your student to log on to the emergency system Web site at emergency.illinois.edu and enter their contact information. The Urbana-Champaign campus of the UI has launched a new emergency communication system that will alert students and faculty and staff members to crisis situations on campus through mass cell-phone text and e-mail messages. Learn More

The Moms and Dads Associations work in coordination with the Parent Programs Office at the University to provide parents with up-to-date information, resources, services and programs that will help them make the most out of their students’ Illinois Experience. We also address the issues and concerns parents bring to us, with the University community and work to get the answers parents and families need. If you are interested in helping to support these efforts and programs that enrich the lives of all students at Illinois, please consider a gift to the University of Illinois Parents Fund. Learn More

Want to get involved? The Moms and Dads Asssociations offer a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for parents. Visit our web site for a list and description of activities and then call us!

The Moms and Dads Associations will be hosting their annual spring parent workshops March 29-30th. Details are being finalized and we will forward registration and schedule information in the next E-Update and on our Web site. Check often!

Important Dates

December 7, 2007 -- Last day of instruction
December 8, 2007 -- Reading day (No classes)
December 10-15, 2007 -- Final examination period
Also see our Calendar for more important dates.

Fall Commencement Information

Is your student graduating this December? Click here for more information about Fall Commencement.

December Graduation Reception

The University of Illinois Alumni Association invites all graduates and their families to celebrate graduation on December 14, from 6:00 - 9:00 pm, at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center. Live entertainment and hors d’oeuvres will be provided.

Winter Break Closing Information, Undergraduate Residence Halls

The residence halls will close for winter break at 3 pm on Sunday, December 16, 2007. Students whose rides cannot arrive until after 3 p.m. may wait in the lobbies of Sherman Hall, ISR, PAR, or The Illini Union. Click here for more information.

Students can Nominate Their Favorite Instructor for an Award

Students can nominate one of their professors or TAs for one of Illinois Student Senate's (ISS) five different faculty awards. The winners will be treated to a gift certificate by ISS and their names will be forever enshrined on the instructor evaluation website so that students can easily find the best faculty on campus.

Leadership Programs Offered Over Winter Break

Are you and your son or daughter dreaming of Winter Break? 4 weeks at home -- with nothing to do? Encourage your student to take advantage of the three free leadership programs offered by the Illinois Leadership Center over Winter Break! These leadership programs are a great opportunity for students to network with other students, learn skills important for their career and life, and make an impact on their future! Students enjoy a night or two at a hotel with fellow University of Illinois students, along with great food, while developing leadership abilities! And thanks to private and corporate sponsors, it’s all FREE!

Registration is available on the Leadership Center web site at www.illinoisleadership.uiuc.edu. Students are encouraged to register as soon as possible…there are still spots available, but they are filling up! If you want more information about Illinois Leadership, you are invited to email leadership@uiuc.edu.

Leadership Center Graf Internship Program

The Illinois Leadership Center is now accepting applications for next year's pre-professional internship program. Information on the Graf Internship and directions on how to apply can be found here. Application deadline is Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 5 pm.

Holiday Fitness Advice from Campus Rec

Your son or daughter has been stopping by the Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE) or the East Wing three times a week throughout the semester, helping them to relieve stress and stay healthy. But, the holiday season is upon us and they’re now at home, relaxing, watching television, seeing old friends, and eating. Read More

Revive-Restore-Relax: Weston Wellness Center

Students can visit Weston's Wellness Center on December 2nd, from 2:30 - 4:30 pm, to create their own stress relief pack, visit with McKinley's Stress Management Educator, or pick up other wellness related resources. The relaxing atmosphere is great for study breaks!

Priority Deadline for Study Abroad Office Applications for Summer 2008, Fall 2008, and Academic Year 2008-09

The priority deadline for Study Abroad Office program applications for Summer 2008, Fall 2008, and Academic Year 2008-2009 is on Saturday, December 15th, 2007.

Illinois in the News

After Years of Record Class Sizes, Plans for Better Managing Enrollment Are Beginning to Pay Off

Many colleges would envy the dilemma faced by U of I admissions offices. Rather than worrying about filling empty chairs, the University has been trying to find some. With more students than ever seeking—and accepting—admission to U of I, the University has faced record enrollments in each of the past eight years prior to 2007. The abundance of talent flocking to U of I, however, has not come without costs. Some incoming classes have grown so large that the campus has begun taking steps to reverse this trend as part of an overall strategic plan to better control enrollment. Full Story

First Online-Only Undergraduate Courses Coming to U. of I.'s Urbana Campus

The University of Illinois will launch its first fully online courses for undergraduates on the Urbana campus next spring, seeking to train a new generation of labor leaders for a rapidly changing workplace that has become more global and high-tech. Faculty members say offering the labor studies courses by computer rather than in classrooms will ultimately help the university connect with workers around the world who are already on the job, as well as with traditional students. Full Story

U. of I. Senior Named Marshall Scholar

Clausen is the first U. of I. student to receive a Marshall scholarship in 10 years. A member of the Campus Honors Program and the English department honors program, Clausen also is a James Scholar and a Cohn Scholar in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and a Raymond Seng Scholar in the English department. Full Story

Fighting Illini to Face USC in Rose Bowl

The University of Illinois has been selected to the Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi, the Tournament of Roses announced Sunday evening, and will face the University of Southern California on Jan. 1 at 3:30 p.m. (CT) on ABC national television. It is Illinois' fifth Rose Bowl appearance of all time and first since facing UCLA in the 1984 Rose Bowl. Full Story

UIParents E-Update is a compilation of information for parents of University of Illinois Students produced by the Parent Programs Office and the Mothers and Dads Associations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign