UIS and SIU Medicine faculty collaborate on innovative heart disease research

Faculty from the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) and Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine have been awarded a grant from the Caryl Towsley Moy, Ph.D., Endowed Fund for Collaborative Research to conduct innovative heart disease research.

Julio A. Copello, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology at SIU School of Medicine, and Stephen R. Johnson, Ph.D., UIS associate professor of chemistry, are investigating the ability of small proteins found in animal toxins, such as that of the scorpion, to modify the activity of calcium ion channels. Understanding the structure and function of these proteins may assist in developing therapeutics for heart disease, resulting in decreased mortality and health care costs.

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. Certain heart diseases (e.g., ischemia, arrhythmia, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia) are due to the abnormal function of calcium ion channels of the muscle tissue.

Richard Moy, M.D. (1931-2013), founding dean of the SIU School of Medicine, and his sons Philip and Eric Moy created the $250,000 endowed fund at UIS in honor of their wife and mother, former professor Caryl Moy (1932-2010). The fund supports faculty from UIS and the SIU School of Medicine to perform team-based research. Caryl Moy taught for 21 years at UIS (then Sangamon State University) beginning in 1970. She also served as a clinical professor at the SIU School of Medicine.

For more information, contact Keenan Dungey, UIS associate vice chancellor for research and institutional effectiveness, at 217/206-8112 or kdung1@uis.edu.

UIS Assistant Professor Jennifer Martin to be honored for her article on Transgender bathroom access

University of Illinois Springfield Assistant Professor of Teacher Education Jennifer Martin will be honored with the Paula Silver Case Award from the Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership for her co-authored work titled “The Bathroom Case: Creating a Supportive School Environment for Transgender and Gender Non-conforming Students” during a November conference in New Orleans.

The journal article examines the nuances of accommodating transgender student needs, while examining the legal requirements for schools, and the practical implications of those requirements.

Martin and co-author Jane Beese, an associate professor at Youngstown State University, found that Title IX regulations have long permitted school districts to segregate male and female students in separate but comparable toilet, shower, and locker room facilities, but the legal issue presented by transgender students is how to gain access to facilities that match their gender identity.

The Paula Silver Case Award was instituted by the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) in 1999 to memorialize the life and work of Paula Silver, a UCEA associate director and president-elect who made significant contributions to the program through excellence in scholarship, advocacy of women, and an inspired understanding of praxis. A sterling silver bowl is presented annually to the author(s) of the most outstanding case published during the last volume of the UCEA Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership.

Martin started teaching at the University of Illinois Springfield in fall 2018. She holds a doctorate in education from Oakland University and two master’s degrees in English and liberal studies from Eastern Michigan University.

The award-winning article was first published in September 2017 by the Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership and can be read online.

UIS professor co-edits new book on the use of tax increment financing in economic development

Kenneth Kriz, a distinguished professor of public administration at the University of Illinois Springfield, has co-edited a new book titled “Tax Increment Financing and Economic Development.” The book brings together leading experts to examine the evolving nature of tax increment financing (TIF), the most widely used tool of local economic and community development.

Originally designed as an innovative approach to the redevelopment of blighted areas, TIF has become a more general-purpose tool of economic and community development.

“The book examines the theoretical and legal bases for the use of TIF and presents new empirical evidence of how it is used by local governments throughout the United States,” said Kriz. “It highlights important issues that must be addressed by local government officials and community groups as they examine proposals to use TIF and also presents a framework for evaluating its success in improving community economic and social conditions.”

Contributors to the book offer case studies of the uses, structures, and impacts of TIF projects alongside more general discussions on the theoretical, financial, and legal bases for the use of TIF. They also explore its effect on overlapping jurisdictions such as cities, counties, and school districts. Some of the case studies capture TIF at its best—redeveloping areas that would likely never develop without substantial incentives. Other cases highlight questionable uses, especially where it has been used in new ways that those who developed the tool never envisioned.

Originally published in 2001, an updated second edition of “Tax Increment Financing and Economic Development” will be available for purchase in July 2019 in both hardcover and paperback from the State University of New York (SUNY) Press.

According to the publisher, the updated book is “clear, comprehensive, and timely.” “This new edition features the latest research and thinking on TIF, including the political, legal, and even ethical issues surrounding its use.”

Kriz is a frequent presenter at public economics, public budgeting and financial management conferences and has published more than 40 journal articles and book chapters along with a textbook on quantitative research methods in public administration. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado at Denver and a doctorate in public affairs from Indiana University.

The book is co-authored by Craig Johnson, an associate professor of public finance and policy analysis at Indiana University.

For more information, contact Kriz at 217/206-6572 or kkriz4@uis.edu.

Jessie Decker named the new director of marketing at the University of Illinois Springfield

The University of Illinois Springfield has named Jessie Decker the new director of marketing in the Office of the Chancellor.

Decker comes to UIS from the Illinois Department of Transportation where she served as Bureau Chief of Communications Services. Prior to that appointment, Decker worked as a communications and digital editor at Memorial Health System in Springfield. She has also worked in marketing and public relations roles for the Orthopedic Center of Illinois and The Hope Institute for Children and Families.

“Jessie brings with her more than 10 years of strong experience developing effective creative messaging that connects with diverse audiences,” said Kelsea Gurski, UIS associate chancellor for public affairs. “Her exemplary marketing and project management skills, paired with a keen understanding of the importance of protecting and extending a brand, will serve UIS very well, and we’re thrilled she has joined our team.”

As director of marketing, Decker will provide leadership and direction in managing the university’s brand, recruitment and enrollment efforts, reputation and visibility. She will also oversee the university’s overall marketing plan including the development and production of paid advertising, web content and publications.

“My student experience at UIS opened new doors to grow my career and to be a stronger leader in the community,” said Decker. “I look forward to helping more people discover how the university can impact their lives like it did mine.”

Decker earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2006 and a master’s degree in communication from the University of Illinois Springfield in 2012.

She is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Morgan County Historic Society’s Underground Railroad Committee. She is also a past president of the Association of Women in Communications, Springfield Chapter, and was named to the Springfield Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” list in 2012.

Decker succeeds Michelle Green who retired on May 31 after serving almost 18 years as the university’s director of marketing.