Friday, April 20, 2012

UIS library dean elected to leadership post in global cooperative

Jane Treadwell, university librarian and dean at the University of Illinois Springfield’s Brookens Library, has been elected vice-chair/chair-elect of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) Americas Regional Council of the OCLC Global Council.

OCLC is the 72,000 library member cooperative behind WorldCat, the world’s largest database of library resources. The system is used at Brookens Library to allow users to search other locally held databases and display results along with WorldCat results.

“I’m honored that my peers in libraries throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America have elected me to this post,” said Treadwell.

The OCLC Global Council and its regional councils provide an important avenue for member libraries of the cooperative in 170 countries to offer feedback to OCLC management and its Board of Trustees on significant issues and strategic direction.

“I will help to facilitate this process in the Americas and, as a member of Global Council Executive Committee, help to set the agenda for the work of that group,” said Treadwell. “Brookens Library should benefit from my involvement because I will be bringing back new ideas not only from OCLC, but from other libraries all over the world.”

Founded in 1967, OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world’s information and reducing library costs. The service allows libraries to locate, acquire, catalog, lend, preserve and manage library materials.

Evan Stanley wins the 2012 CAPE Award

Evan Stanley, student enrollment coordinator in the Office of Records and Registration, was honored with the ninth annual Chancellor's Academic Professional Excellence Award (CAPE) on April 19, 2011.

Stanley has worked at UIS in the Office of Records and Registration since 2005. He began as a student worker and later became the student enrollment coordinator.

“He has done some very innovative work in the Registrar’s office, said Chancellor Susan Koch. “He has dug into our records and had many conversations to compile a report summarizing why students withdraw from UIS prior to degree completion. This is invaluable data when we’re focusing on retention.”

It was also added that Stanley is assisting in a thorough assessment of the Records and Registration website so that better service is provided.

“I think I need to call my high school guidance counselor and say ‘see..see this.’ It says ‘excellence’ right there,” Stanley said to a chuckling crowd in the PAC Restaurant. “I really enjoy working with everyone in enrollment management and the whole office and UIS family.”

The CAPE Award recognizes U of I academic professionals for their efforts in three general categories: work projects, professional development and affiliations, and contributions to their units. The winner receives $500 in cash for personal use, and another $500 is given to the winner’s department.

All academic professionals are eligible to receive the CAPE Award; nominations are reviewed by campus committees and candidates' names are forwarded to the chancellor, who makes the final selections.

Others nominated for the 2012 CAPE Award include Dana Atwell, Clarice Ford, Beth Hoag, Jim Korte, Tulio Lloso, Chrisa Potthast-Leezer, Donna Schaub, Richard Schuldt, Barbara Selvaggio, Evan Stanley, and Thomas Wood.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Computer Science Instructor honored by the FBI

Janis Rose, a Computer Science instructor at the University of Illinois Springfield, was recently honored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with an “Award for Exceptional Service in the Public Interest”.

The award was presented by Special Agent in Charge David Ford on behalf of FBI Director Robert Mueller during the annual Cyber Defense Disaster Recovery Conference at UIS on March 9, 2012. The award recognizes Rose’s 10 years of service to InfraGard and the FBI. InfraGard is an information sharing and analysis effort between the FBI, academic institutions, businesses, and other partners.

Rose is one of, or perhaps, the longest serving InfraGard presidents in the history of the program. The award stated “The Federal Bureau of Investigation expresses its appreciation to Janis Rose for exceptional service in the public interest,” signed by FBI Director Robert Mueller, February 2012.

Rose serves as the program chair for the Cyber Defense Disaster Recovery Conference at UIS. The conference is sponsored by InfraGard, the UIS Computer Science Department and the National Science Foundation (NSF) National Resource Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance (CSSIA).