Mid-July City of Urbana Updates

Tonight's Urbana City Council meeting will have a presentation on a rental assistance program with the Regional Planning Commission, an update on the Imagine Urbana Comprehensive Plan, and two resolutions on rental assistance programs.

The agenda also has a discussion on the task force being established to look at alternative responder models for calls that would now normally go to the Urbana Police. This follows up on the discussion from last week at the 7/8 City Council Meeting (jump to video link).

Mayor Race Updates:

The Urbana Mayoral race is still uncontested for current Champaign County Deputy Chief Treasurer Deshawn Williams. The News-Gazette had coverage of Urbana City Council Alderman Quinsenberry's decision to not enter the race:

Quisenberry is currently the alderman in Urbana’s Ward 7 and the executive director for student affairs technology at the University of Illinois. He previously served on the Champaign County Board.

In late 2022, he told The News-Gazette that he was interested in running for mayor but said Tuesday he had a change of heart after thinking it through...

Unlike most mayoral offices in the area, Urbana’s is a full-time, salaried job.

That full article here. Quinsenberry told WCIA that he got to know Williams in the process of considering his own run and came to believe that Williams is a "great candidate."

Budget and Police Budget:

Most of the Urbana City Council news coverage this past month focused on the police staffing, alternative responder models, and budgeting for the same. From the News-Gazette's coverage of the budget vote a few weeks ago:

One police budget vote down, one extended conversation about alternative response models for police, fire and medical calls to go.

After weeks of debate and discussion — and two-plus hours of public comment Monday night — the Urbana City Council voted 6-2 to adopt a fiscal budget ordinance that included a slimmed-down version of what Police Chief Larry D. Boone asked for at the start of the process...

[Mayor Diane Marlin] said a “collaborative community stakeholder task force” will be formed — including community members, representatives from community organizations and first responders — which over the next year will “explore options for alternative response … not just focused on police alternative response (but) fire and medical, as well.”

That full article here. The News-Gazette had coverage on the task force being established to look at alternative responder models in Urbana. WAND had coverage of the final vote here and an overview of the compromise plan here with a comparison to the original plan. WCIA had a short article on the development of the task force for alternative responder models here. 

WCIA also had coverage of the original budget vote (without the police funding) last month here.

There were a number of opinion pieces, including from the Chief of Police himself, on the staffing and budget issues:

• Urbana Chief of Police Boone on his frustrations and the needs of the department in a News-Gazette "My Turn" column.
  
  
• The News-Gazette's criticism of many on the Urbana City Council in an editorial last month.
  
  
• The News-Gazette had coverage of some of the different perspectives between the Chief and Aldermen on the council here.
  
  
• The News-Gazette also had coverage of the initial proposal presented by the UPD and reactions by various Aldermen on the City Council here.

The Urbana Police Department has also been posting updated crime and gun violence maps on its facebook page. WCIA had coverage of some of the maps released last month here. The most recent maps release from last week is available here.

Urbana City Council Meeting Write Ups:

The Daily Illini had write ups on Urbana City Council meetings throughout June and early July as well: 

• 7/1 City Council Meeting (Committee of the Whole) coverage (video, agenda packet) which included preliminary votes on Hope Village funding and a number of other items. See Hope Village coverage below. There was a brief Public Hearing with some concerns about the Hope Village project here.
  
  
• 6/24 City Council Meeting coverage (video, agenda packet) which included the original Budget vote (without the police budget).
  
  
• 6/17 City Council Meetings coverage (continued to 6/18) (Special, Public Hearing, and Committee of the Whole (part 1 and part 2) video links, with all agenda packets available here) which discussed budget issues, zoning issues, and redistricting. There's a great deal of public participation in all three meetings, available in the video, generally focusing on criticisms of the proposed police budget. 
  
  
• 6/10 City Council Meeting coverage (video, agenda packet): which included a vote on the Youth Services Grant Program and Mayoral appointments.

Hope Village Updates:

The News-Gazette also had an update on the Hope Village timeline:

A spokesman for Hope Village said that construction is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2025 and the project "aims to be ready for residents in early 2026." It was previously estimated that the community would open in 2024...

Hope Village is a collaboration between Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC), Carle Health and the University of Illinois. The city of Urbana has allocated $850,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding for the endeavor...

According to the project's website, Hope Village will be a community of tiny homes that offer housing for adults in the Champaign-Urbana community who are "most at risk of homelessness and are medically fragile." The project is being built on farmland south of Federal Drive in Urbana and north of Champaign's Carver Park neighborhood.

That full article here. WCIA had similar coverage of the Hope Village updates here.

Continuing a Long Meeting Rules:

Kathy's Mailbag had an overview of the rules dictating public notice when a meeting is continued to the next day. This has been the circumstance for many Urbana City Council meetings as they tend to run long more often than most (the June 17th and 18th meetings above, for example):

When a meeting is “properly noticed,” and the business cannot be completed within the time constraints allowable for a meeting of that body, Sandefur said the meeting may simply be recessed and reconvened where the body left off within the agenda — provided that the above condition (1) or (2) is met, as outlined in the OMA.

In addition, she said the city of Urbana “has a hard stop of 10:30 p.m. and via council vote may continue beyond that time in 30-minute increments no more than twice more. On Monday, June 3, our council motioned, seconded and voted to recess the meeting to a time and place certain, Tuesday, June 4, in city council chambers at 7 p.m., sharing the announcement of the time and place of the reconvened meeting, which also fulfilled the 24-hours requirement.

That full Mailbag column here.

More Urbana Government News:

• The News-Gazette had a comparison of Mayoral pay across the local area, including Urbana (2nd highest pay of those listed, though still significantly less than Danville).
  
  
• Updates on a potential future Urbana skate park, from the News-Gazette.
  
  
• The Urbana Plan Commission is still going to be discussing a possible development on Campus, according to the News-Gazette. At the July 11th meeting, there were a number of questions and the issue was continued to their next meeting on July 18th.
  
  
• Yet another Hotel Royer update, with a possible opening later this summer. From the News-Gazette.

City of Urbana February Updates

A lot of recent coverage has been over a possible ceasefire resolution regarding the conflict in Gaza and the approval of the Hope Village tiny homes project. This post starts off with crime updates (with rates continuing to decline) and the new chief of the Urbana Police Department calling for increased crime analysis, technology, staff, and funding to prepare for the next cycle of crime.

There are two City Council meetings tonight: a rescheduled City Council meeting (agenda packet) and a Committee of the Whole meeting (agenda packet). With municipal governments, the Committee of the Whole is usually the first step of introducing and discussing resolutions. If there's agreement those resolutions are moved forward for final approval at a regular City Council meeting at a later date (ensuring time for public input and other statutory requirements). 

Crime Updates:

There's a broader look at gun violence in Champaign-Urbana and Champaign County in our Gun Violence Updates post from last week here. The News-Gazette had an update on Urbana's crime situation a few weeks ago:

The Urbana Police Department reports seeing a one percent decline in violent crime in 2023 compared to 2022, as well as a nine percent decline in property crime...

But Boone, who was sworn into office in July, noted that Urbana’s downswing is part of a national trend in which a pandemic-era uptick in crime across the county is now subsiding...

Whether it be adding more sworn staff, civilian analysts or license plate readers, the Urbana Police Department will need funding from the city if it is going to update its operations into the state Boone said it needs to be.

That full article here. Urbana PD presented an crime update to the Urbana City Council in early November (jump to video). A graph from that presentation shows similar drops as in Champaign and national trends:

More charts and data are available on the UPD's facebook page here. WCIA had an overview of the crime statistics here. Below is more information and coverage about the December City Council meetings where police funding was a primary topic, especially for public comment.

The News-Gazette's continuing series on local guns being allegedly "lost" or "stolen," has included some examples in Urbana from unlocked vehicles and realizing they were missing from their cars and homes.

Calls to Support a Ceasefire Resolution:

The News-Gazette covered some of the public input for and against a ceasefire resolution by the Urbana City Council at the 1/8 City Council meeting:

Over the objection of Mayor Diane Marlin, this week’s Urbana city council meeting included a 14-minute presentation and brief Q&A calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East.

And then came the two-hour public comment period, during which one of Marlin’s reasons for not wanting the item on the council agenda at all — the divide it would cause in the community — played out.

Of the 35 residents of Urbana (and several from Champaign) who stepped up to the microphone to let their opinions be heard, nine objected to the city passing a formal resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, many agreeing with Marlin’s contention that “this is not city business” and noting that a ceasefire would only benefit Hamas militants.

That full article here. There was additional coverage of the public input that continued into the 1/16 Committee of the Whole here.

Without wading into the debate on the ceasefire resolution itself, I would like to highlight the arguments on the role of the city government presented at these meetings. Generally, those in support of the resolution took a broad interpretation of the City's role as a representative body and democratic institution. While often admitting that the City lacks the authority to change foreign policy, it can take a symbolic position on matters important to its constituents. They point to varying precedent of the City in doing so.

Many in opposition to the ceasefire resolution took a narrow view of the City Council's role to focus on issues more directly related to City business. They point to the Council's own statement of purpose and a litany of other conflicts, foreign policy issues, etc. the Council has remained silent on. They viewed the community as too divided for the City government to take a stand in the name of the entire community, regardless.

There were folks on both sides of the ceasefire resolution who suggested room for compromise on the language, including Rabbi Alan Cook (1/19 News-Gazette coverage, video) and Allen Axelrod (in a 1/21 Letter to the Editor).

Hope Village "Tiny Home" Approval:

From 1/3 News-Gazette Coverage:

After one last impassioned round of objections by some residents of Champaign-Urbana’s oldest African American subdivision, the tiny-homes-for-the-homeless project known as Hope Village is a go.

At Tuesday night’s city council meeting, Urbana aldermen signed off on the final development plan and subdivision plat for the first-of-its-kind development of permanent supportive housing in north Urbana for people who are medically fragile and chronically homeless to live and get the help they need...

Like during December’s marathon meeting, those who spoke out against the project Tuesday focused on the disruption it will cause in the neighborhood, given that the access road in and out of Hope Village will be Carver Drive, one of the subdivision's main roads.

That full News-Gazette article on the 1/2 meeting here and coverage of the 12/18 meeting here. WCIA had similar coverage of the 1/2 meeting here and the 12/18 meeting here. From the News-Gazette's December coverage highlighting the interests at odds on this project location:

“I’ve lived in this community 50 years and every single effort to provide housing for homeless people has been met with bigotry,” said former council member Esther Patt, director of the Champaign-Urbana Tenant Union. “The completely irrational belief that once a person becomes homeless, they become bad. Lousy neighbors.”

“We’re not a piece of dry mucus to be flicked off your fingers at your will — and will not be treated as such,” said Jacqueline Curry, who spoke of north end residents’ desire to “be heard and not ignored” about the impact the project would have on the Carver Park neighborhood.

There's both a unfortunate local history of treating homeless as a threat and also ignoring the Black community's voice in matters of community investment, planning, and more. Finding another viable location in Urbana for a project like this may be difficult or even impossible because other neighborhoods have more power to block it (or for the City to even risk suggesting it). Likewise the stigma of homelessness may also play a role that cuts across other divisions. It may be worth looking at how to quantify and address both issues going forward.

Police Funding:

Earlier in December the City Council heard proposals from the new Urbana Police Chief about additional funding to hire more officers and other matters. From Illinois Public Media's coverage:

Urbana Police Chief Larry Boone asked the Urbana City Council Monday night to amend the budget to hire four additional police officers.

The Council deferred the decision until a national consulting firm hired by the department releases a report with staffing recommendations...

In 2020, The Urbana Police Department, in collaboration with nonprofit C-U at Home, Rosecrance Behavioral Health Services, Carle Foundation Hospital and other Champaign County law enforcement units planned to create a program called One Door Crisis Response System, a co-responder model in which trained crisis workers would partner with police to provide care to people experiencing mental health crises. 

However, the program was never launched. Administrative conversations about One Door stalled in early 2021, partially due to a lack of coordination among agencies as well as uncertainty about funding, according to reporting from Invisible Institute in 2022.  

That full article here. The ongoing theme from activists is a demand for more funding for social services, programs, and solutions beyond more policing and jailing. The News-Gazette had an article previewing the meeting that included an overview of the Chief's spending proposals here.

The News-Gazette also had an editorial defending the new Chief against what they considered anti-police "vitriol," while not taking a stance on his funding proposals yet. They pointed to an upcoming study that may be worth considering before the City Council makes a decision on those.

Back in November, IPM had an article highlighting the BerryDunn study and the trend towards mental health and other professionals to handle certain situations where armed officers may be less ideal. Excerpt:

“We’re coming to understand that police departments may have taken on responsibilities that aren’t necessarily best suited for police response,” [BerryDunn law enforcement consultant Michele Weinzetl] said. “In some cases, it may be that the police shouldn’t go to it at all.” 

Many police departments are dealing with unprecedented vacancy rates and tightening budgets, which cause them to struggle to keep up with call-for-service workloads, according to BerryDunn’s website. 

However, the Urbana Police Department’s budget has been increasing steadily each year — rising over $2.5 million between 2021 and estimates for 2023. 

That full article here. This is in addition to other community collaborations that Chief Boone had also proposed such as the "clergy patrol" (ride-alongs with clergy members) and working with landlords and improving living conditions, mentioned in the News-Gazette back in November.

Other City Government News:

• There was a presentation to the City Council on the Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report at the 1/16 Committee of the Whole meeting (jump to video). They highlighted what amounts to the executive summary beginning at page 14 (page 20 of the PDF).
  
  
• WCIA had a blurb announcing that the City of Urbana has begun its own process of redistricting City Council districts based on the 2020 Census data. As Illinois Public Media reported earlier in January, this redistricting won't be affected by any potential second Census count if one happens in Urbana. That would likely only impact funding for programs based on Census population counts.
  
  
• Community comes out to City Council meeting in support of a skate park in Urbana. The Daily Illini coverage includes the discussion on whether the Urbana Park District would be the first step towards implementing that idea. The News-Gazette had its own coverage of the skate park supporters in its Meeting Minutes feature here.
  
  
• Former Deputy City Clerk Darcy Sandefur was appointed to fill out the remainder of retiring City Clerk Phyllis Clark. More on Clerk Clark and her retirement in the News-Gazette here.
  
  
• The Daily Illini had coverage of the City of Urbana's portion of a IDHS grant to Champaign County to help provide support for asylum seekers.
  
  
• The Daily Illini had coverage of the 9/25 City Council meeting: Urbana City Council talks pride, streetlights and more. It noted the approval of funding the rebuilding of fire stations (a more detailed look at that grant and the approval process from the agenda packet starting on page 133 of the PDF). The News-Gazette and WCIA both had articles on the debate on possible better or more appropriate uses for this specific grant funding.
  
  
• Since our last update (it's been a while) there have been more delays with the Hotel Royer project at the site of the old Lincoln Hotel in downtown Urbana. The News-Gazette had updates on delays in June and July, and a City Council extension in its City Council coverage in its 8/4 and 9/1 Meeting Minutes article. WCIA had coverage of tax issues surrounding the project in November here and more delays in December here. The News-Gazette delay coverage in December pointed out that it looks like the first reservations aren't available until the end of June this summer.

Coronavirus and General Updates

Sometimes the Cheat Sheet doesn't have any posts for days or weeks depending on how busy everyone is and everything going on in the world. The last 12 weeks since we last posted have been an extraordinary time for everyone.

The coronavirus went through some naming conventions and concerns about political correctness versus inflaming racial tensions. Older posts still refer to the likely geographic origin, but the technical names for second severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2 and the coronavirus disease of 2019, or COVID-19, that it causes are a lot to type out.

I'll be referring to the coronavirus currently kicking humanity in the teeth as the coronavirus and qualify any other coronavirus with additional information (e.g. the original SARS or in contrast with less virulent coronaviruses that cause other diseases).

The latest local statistics on the coronavirus here are still available on the C-UPHD website here, with regular updates on their facebook here. There's also a collaborative effort to help businesses during the reopening phases here.

For folks looking for more detailed information and with some spare time on their hands (and coffee), I strongly recommend the last Champaign County Board of Health meeting video here (with a 17 minute delay during logons and Zoom setup). The meeting runs about two and half hours, but it begins with an update by Julie Pryde of the C-U Public Health Department with the latest information on local outbreaks and efforts. If you keep watching beyond that you'll get to see her respond to community and County Board member concerns on a host of issues.

Some highlight's from that update last week included details on the the 19 local outbreaks in Champaign County. There were over 700 people in quarantine (potentially exposed and avoiding contact and further spread) and 188 people in isolation (confirmed infected and avoiding contact with others). The low hospitalization rates due to the lower ages of many of those who have been exposed.

Critically, our local region, including Champaign County, is in a "sweet spot" according to Pryde when it comes to our hospital capacity in the cities and overall infection rates and treatment needs. This means that we're on track to move to Phase 3 of the reopening process. This next step allows other classes of businesses to open along with essential businesses and relaxes some other areas of the Stay at Home Executive Order. She answered numerous questions and addressed several concerns about the timing and process of this.

Phase 3 has a minimum period of 28 days (or two incubation cycles) to ensure that changes to the mitigation policy are being done safely. With the exponential nature of out of control infections, lives hang in the balance between being patient enough to have accurate data and acting quickly enough to control outbreaks before they get out of hand. An exhausting and constant effort that has been going on locally since the beginning of the year.

One of the issues that came up was child care access expanding in Phase 3, which would be necessary for many parents, but there were concerns about needing more details. Illinois Newsroom had a blurb on that this morning:

Child care facilities  will be able to operate again once Illinois enters the third phase of its reopening plan, which is expected Friday. Maria Whalen is president and CEO of Illinois Action for Children’s, which offered input into the plan to reopen child care centers. “I think that this is a plan that recognizes that at the end of the day, we’re talking about children who are being cared for in congregate settings,” said Whalen.  Newly reopened child care facilities will limit rooms sizes to eight for infants and 10 for others. There are now new sanitation and social distancing requirements. Children over the age of 2 will wear face covering when possible.

More information will probably be available as policy meets reality next week.

The meeting ended by adding an additional June 1st Meeting at 5:30pm (with Zoom meeting information for people to attend remotely to be made available on the Champaign County website later). It will be for additional public participation and updates prior to the regular meeting scheduled on June 16th. 

I'll try to get more updates and information on the local Cheat Sheet going forward. There have already been some updates on the Cheat Sheet of Champaign County for anyone interested in County government. We've been catching up on local government meetings and there should be some overview posts soon. I apologize for the long break while adjusting to the every changing landscape on how local governments were adapting and a tsunami of news and information that we just couldn't keep up with. I have a huge to do list on updates and information on how people can still participate in local government.

Good luck and stay safe, everybody!

Local Coronavirus Preparation Updates

With the latest updates nationally with community spread incidents on the West Coast, it's worth highlighting some local information sources and coverage about how to prepare for an increasing number of cases in the United States. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District put out this informational flyer for the public:

More information available from their facebook post and facebook page for updates. The CDC has the national updates here. Some of the basics in that flyer were also reiterated in Tom's Mailbag today. WCCU had some coverage yesterday:

While there are no known cases in the C-U area, the virus is known to spread quickly around the world.

Now, the Champaign Urbana Public Health District is warning residents in the Champaign area to prepare for the spreading of the virus.

In a Facebook post, it tells people to prepare to stay in their homes for at least two weeks, in case you get sick.

More at that full article here with a video segment. The News-Gazette had additional information on preparation yesterday here:

Preparing for coronavirus? 'It's not as simple as slapping a mask on your face'
...
[Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Administrator Julie Pryde] urged everyone looking to buy N-95 respirator masks to consider that these masks are going to be most urgently needed by health care workers and supply is running low.

She and Healy also advised taking similar precautions used to help prevent the spread of flu.

While there’s not a coronavirus vaccine, there are other protective steps, among them washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, disinfecting surfaces touched by sick people, staying home when you’re sick, covering up coughing and sneezes and staying alert to updates from public health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That full article here.

Health Updates: Covid-19 and Meningitis

The latest updates on the Wuhan coronavirus, which the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is calling by its new name, Covid-19 are available at their website here. They link to the latest CDC update on February 13th which still describes the risk to those in the general American public without relevant contact as low (emphasis added):

The potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 virus is high, both globally and to the United States. The fact that this virus has caused illness, including illness resulting in death, and sustained person-to-person spread in China is concerning. These factors meet two of the criteria of a pandemic. It’s unclear how the situation will unfold, but risk is dependent on exposure. At this time, some people will have an increased risk of infection, for example healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19 and other close contacts of patients with COVID-19. For the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low at this time.

More from the full CDC information page here. The last update on the WILL coronavirus information blog was also on February 13th and is no longer linked on their main page. I'm not sure what that means for future updates.

There were unconfirmed stories about a potential coronavirus case a little over a week ago suggesting a child was under observation. Those stories were never confirmed and so far the only hard update I have on that is from WCCU quoting local health officials that there are no confirmed cases locally.


Bacterial Meningitis Case:

The McKinley Health Center on campus had an update on a meningitis case that stated that those possibly exposed have already been contacted:

A student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been diagnosed with a case of bacterial meningitis, as confirmed by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (C-UPHD). The student, a resident of off-campus housing, has been isolated at an area hospital for treatment, and authorities have identified and treated anyone in who may have had close contact with the student – including hospital staff.

As a result of those efforts, there is no longer believed to be a risk of the illness spreading.

Bacterial meningitis is a serious illness that spreads to other people through sharing personal items, kissing or prolonged close exposure such as residing in the same household. There is low risk to other people in the general community.

When the university learns of incidents like this, it acts to limit the potential spread within campus and into the broader community. The university works with state and local health officials, and McKinley Health Center to contact the students, staff, faculty members or others in the community who may have been exposed during that period. At this time, C-UPHD or McKinley has contacted all those identified at risk.

That news release available here. There was also coverage in the News-Gazette and WCIA. From the News-Gazette article:

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District’s public health administrator, Julie Pryde, said that since meningitis requires close contact to spread, it’s relatively easy to contain compared to diseases like measles.

“It’s been a busy day” tracking down the student’s associates and giving them antibiotics, Pryde said, but “there’s no risk to the community.”

That full article here. More general information on bacterial meningitis is available at the CDC here.


Other Health Updates:

WILL reported earlier this week that OSF Healthcare is promoting an app to help connect people who need emergency CPR response with people who know CPR:

OSF Healthcare is encouraging people to install an app on their phone that will alert them when people nearby are in need of life-saving CPR. The PulsePoint app launched a couple years ago in Peoria and Champaign counties and recently expanded to Vermilion county. The American Heart Association says the survival rate for people experiencing cardiac arrest is less than 12 percent but CPR can double or triple the chances of survival. OSF Healthcare reports that since PulsePoint launched in Champaign county in 2017, more than 7000 people have subscribed to the app. Formal CPR training is encouraged but not required.

From WILL's "News Around Illinois" update here. More on PulsePoint from the OSF news release including several informational videos here.

There was also a happier story from Smile Politely about how the local Champaign County Humane Society brings animals to visit nursing home residents who could benefit. A little more background is available from the CCHS on the Queenie Mills memorial dedication page:

Dr. Mills established the Pet-a-Pet program in 1978, through which volunteers took pets on weekly visits to residents of Champaign-Urbana nursing homes.  She knew that interacting with animals made people feel better, and made it part of her life’s work to provide that experience to those who could benefit the most; children and the elderly or infirm.

More on Queenie Mills here. More on the CCHA at their main website here.

UIUC Plans and Updates

There has been a lot of information on the future of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus lately. The recent UI Trustees meeting had updates on tuition increases, programs, staffing, etc covered in a recent Cheat Sheet post here. But since then the University presented its master plan to the Urbana City Council and the Chancellor had his State of the University address.

Other news updates below (jump to link) include ongoing litigation by Yingying Zhang's family, a free tax help course for low income and elderly members of the community, and an update on international enrollment numbers. Latest updates on local preparations to the Wuhan coronavirus here.

The presentation of the U of I Campus Master Plan (related to land use and planning) to the City of Urbana is available here on the City of Urbana's website. The 2017 Campus Master Plan information is available here and more information on planning with the University is available at the Facilities and Services website here. A student senate document here helps explain the master planning process and what it is.

There was a recent update in the Daily Illini about ongoing MCORE improvements here. There's also a more broad University strategic plan, "The Next 150," available here.

The Chancellor's "State of the University" address had an overview by Illinois Newsroom last week:

In his annual “State of the University” address Friday, University of Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones applauded the Illinois government for a recent revenue increase, discussed campus strategies to recruit and retain top-notch faculty and announced new efforts to increase outreach to the local community.

Jones also explained what U of I officials are doing to address the Urbana campus’ most critical challenges, which include handling of sexual misconduct cases, creating a campus climate of tolerance, dialogue and open expression, and addressing the issue of Chief Illiniwek–the campus mascot retired more than a decade ago that continues to be a “point of contention” among students and alumni.

That full article here. The Daily Illini had a more comprehensive breakdown here.


Other UIUC News:

The latest update on the Zhang family's litigation against the University over their potential liability after the murder of Yingying Zhang by a former University graduate student. From this morning's News-Gazette:

After a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by the estate of Yingying Zhang against two social workers at the University of Illinois Counseling Center, her family is trying again in state court...

The family of the slain visiting Chinese scholar had argued that the social workers should have done more when Brendt Christensen, who was later convicted of murdering Ms. Zhang, told them three months before her death about his fascination with serial killers and that he’d purchased and returned items to move and dispose of a body. But U.S. Judge Colin S. Bruce ruled last month that Ms. Zhang’s death “was simply too remote a consequence of Defendants’ alleged actions to hold them responsible under the federal civil rights law.”

More at that full article at the News-Gazette eEdition here (subscription). Previously a judge had dismissed the family's federal lawsuit. More on that at the News-Gazette from December here.


A free tax help program will be available to some members of the community from UIUC students this tax season. From WCCU yesterday:

The students are currently enrolled in a 6-week course to prepare them to file taxes.

Then, They'll be running a free tax help program for low-income residents and the elderly...

The students will be preparing taxes from February 18th through April 9th.

That full article with video segment here.


On international enrollment, the News-Gazette highlighted data from a recent report comparing the University to national trends:

Freshman international enrollment at the University of Illinois has been trending downward since 2015, though it held steady this fall at 569 students.

But the UI rose a spot, to No. 5, among American universities for total international enrollment in the latest “Open Doors” report from the Institute for International Education, commissioned by the U.S. State Department...

The UI was tops among U.S. public universities with 13,497 international students, up just slightly from 13,445 in 2017-18. Arizona State, which had been in the No. 5 spot, saw its enrollment drop to 13,324, from 13,459 in 2017-18.

More at the full article at the News-Gazette eEdition here (subscription).

Health Updates and Data

[UPDATE x2: Coverage from yesterday's forum with local health officials on preparations and proactive steps being taken in regards to the Wuhan coronavirus and the need to be vigilant about the flu season in general. From Illinois Newsroom:

Health officials in Champaign County say they are ready, if any cases of the novel coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China should turn up locally. But they say no cases have shown up so far.

As of Tuesday, five cases of the coronavirus have been reported in the United States, with one reported in Chicago. In Champaign County, officials with the University of Illinois’ McKinley Health Center say they determined that one person showing possible coronavirus symptoms did not have the illness. The vast majority of reported cases are in China, with the World Health Organization reporting more than 4,593 cases as of Tuesday morning, including more than 100 deaths.

At a news conference at the U of I, McKinley Health Center director Robert Parker says he emailed each of the 146 students who came to the Urbana campus from Wuhan, with information related to the virus. He says several wrote back to say they had not traveled to Wuhan during the university’s winter break that ended last week, which means they are not at risk of bringing the virus with them. And for those who had traveled to Wuhan, Parker said several said they had decided to “self-quarantine” themselves.

Full article here. Illinois Newsroom has been adding updates at their information post here. WAND had an overview of the forum here with a video segment. There was additional coverage in the News-Gazette this morning here.]

[UPDATE: Another update on the local coronavirus response since I posted this earlier this morning from Illinois Newsroom:

Tomorrow, health officials in Champaign will discuss their response to the coronavirus at a forum on the University of Illinois campus. The forum will take place at 9:00 a.m. at the Fire Service Institute at 11 Gerty Drive. Champaign Urbana Public Health administrator Julie Pryde will answer questions. She’ll be joined by Robert Parker, the director of the U-of-I’s McKinley Health Center and Janet Jokela, the acting dean of the University of Illinois’ College of Medicine.]

First, the latest updates on the Wuhan coronavirus. The CDC's risk assessment has been updated to describe an important exception to the overall low risk to Americans in general:

The risk to individuals is dependent on exposure. At this time, some people will have an increased risk of infection, for example healthcare workers caring for 2019-nCoV patients and other close contacts. For the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus, the immediate health risk from 2019-nCoV is considered low.

More at the CDC website here. The Daily Illini had an update on campus precautions yesterday:

After coronavirus spread to the United States, McKinley Health Center has been taking precautionary measures to make sure everyone on campus is healthy.

According to a Massmail sent around noon Monday, there have been five confirmed cases of coronavirus in four states, including one in Illinois.

Since then, one University student has shown possible symptoms, but it was determined to not have been coronavirus...
On Friday, McKinley started contacting students with a known connection to Wuhan City, China, where the virus first started. Some students who traveled home to Wuhan City have chosen to self-quarantine, monitor themselves or wear a surgical mask.

More at that full article here. The News-Gazette's eEdition had an update this morning noting the increased sales of face masks and other precautions given our international community:

“We know there are no symptomatic individuals right now in this community,” he said. The UI contacted students with a known connection to Wuhan City on Jan. 24, according to UI McKinley Health Center Director Dr. Robert Parker. All students coming to the health center with respiratory symptoms are being masked at the door and told about how to keep themselves healthy, he said in an updated email to the campus community Monday.

More at that article on A1 of the eEdition here (subscription). Previous updates on local reactions to the Wuhan coronavirus risk are available on the C-U Local Cheat Sheet here.


In other local government health news:

Our local health district administrator received an appointment from the governor. From the News-Gazette earlier this month:

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Administrator Julie Pryde has been appointed to a three-year term on the Illinois State Board of Health.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced seven appointees to the board on Monday, pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

Full article here.

The C-UPHD also announced that they're gearing up for the latest local health assessment (the 2017-2020 assessment is available here with a treasure trove of data) with additional grant funding. From the News-Gazette a few weeks ago:

The newly awarded $10,000 federal grant is aimed at a more meaningful inclusion of the needs of people with disabilities in the next three-year community health needs assessment, according to the public health district Administrator JULIE PRYDE.

Historically, people with disabilities are under-represented in planning processes such as these, Pryde said...

The health district works with the Carle Health System and OSF HealthCare on a community-wide health needs assessment every three years.

That full article here. There was also an overview of the assessment and an interview with Pryde in Smile Politely last week:

When we first started collecting this data about 20 years ago, it was part of a requirement for the Health Department, and it was just sort of a joke.

It was just 10 people sitting around a table putting 10 things on paper and then putting the report on a shelf and do nothing with it. However, every year we try to do better with how we do it. We use a process called MAPP (Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships).

This year (as they prepare the 2021-2023 report), we are doing even more. We are going to start this month. And if you are interested in being on that group, we would love it. We try to get a huge array of people involved. Media is important. People don’t realize it, but the media is very important.

Full article here. The 2017-2020 assessment is available here and has a lot of data looking at different impacts to different neighborhoods, demographics, racial disparities, etc. The introduction explains the structure of the assessment and how it's put together:

The Champaign County Community Health Plan provides a current portrait of the health assets and needs of the residents of Champaign County. Illinois state law requires every local health department to participate in this process, called the Illinois Project for Local Assessment of Needs (IPLAN). This process must be conducted at minimum every five years. The detailed assessment and plan provides the foundation for evidence based health planning and decision-making.

The essential elements of IPLAN are:
1. An organizational capacity assessment;
2. A community health needs assessment; and
3. A community health plan, focusing on a minimum of three priority health problems. 

The Champaign County Community Health Plan was created using a model called Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP). This collaborative approach to community health planning was developed by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) in cooperation with the Public Health Practice Program Office and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). MAPP helps communities form effective partnerships that can better identify their unique circumstances and needs and use their resources wisely.

Full assessment here. The C-UPHD's facebook page also highlighted the issue of redlining and the legacy that housing discrimination continues to have on health incomes in this article from Shelterforce. For more on segregation in the Champaign-Urbana area, check out this C-U Local Cheat Sheet post: C-U Segregation.


[This post has been updated. Originally posted at 8:11am on 1/28/20.]

Wuhan Coronavirus Updates

The News-Gazette reported that the University of Illinois will be screening students for a respiratory virus that has recently been detected in the United States after an outbreak in China. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the risk low at this time, but since this is a novel virus, they're taking precautions. From the CDC:

Outbreaks of novel virus infections among people are always of public health concern. The risk from these outbreaks depends on characteristics of the virus, including whether and how well it spreads between people, the severity of resulting illness, and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccine or treatment medications).

There is much more to learn about how the 2019-nCoV virus spreads, severity of associated illness, and other features of the virus. Investigations are ongoing. While CDC considers this is a serious public health concern, based on current information, the immediate health risk from 2019-nCoV to the general American public is considered low at this time. Nevertheless, CDC is taking proactive preparedness precautions.

More information at their website here. CNN had a helpful overview here as well. The News-Gazette article is available here. Excerpt:

Students with respiratory illnesses will be screened regardless of whether they’ve been to an area with a confirmed case of the virus, which has infected more than 400 people in six countries, including a case confirmed Tuesday in Washington state.

So far, nine people in China have died from the virus, which can be spread through coughing and sneezing, the UI said.

Despite considering the risk to the American public to be low, on Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began screening for the disease at three airports that receive most of the travelers from the province in China where the disease started — San Francisco International Airport, New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.

That full article here. WAND had coverage of the first case being reported in the United States yesterday:

The U.S. patient is a male in his 30s and in good health the CDC said. He arrived in the U.S. around Jan. 15 after visiting Wuhan. Airport screenings for those traveling from Wuhan did not begin until Jan. 17.

The patient is from the U.S. He said he did not have any symptoms when he returned, but immediately reached out to a health care provider when he started to develop symptoms.

NBC reports the strain could be passed in so-called super-spreaders or highly infectious patients. Those people could sicken dozens all at once...

Currently major airports have been screening passengers who are arriving from Wuhan, to prevent the spread of the virus. The CDC added Chicago O'Hare and Atlanta to the list on Tuesday. 

Full article here. WCCU had additional coverage including reaction from the C-U Public Health District and University working together on the issue:

[Deputy Administrator of the C-U Public Health District, Awais] Vaid said the District and University are close in contact.

"Before waiting for any of this to happen they're being very pro-active," Vaid said. "They ask the question for anyone that comes into the McKinley Health Center if they have any travel history or if they have any symptoms on mimicking coronavirus,."

Vaid said it's still too early to tell what could happen in the C-U area.

"The situation is very current as of what we know right now but things will change in the next 24 to 48 hours," Vaid said.

That full article here. I suppose we can only keep an eye out for any changes in the news and hope that the risk remains low. 

UIUC Updates

This post contains updates from the recent UI Board of Trustees meeting in Chicago. It also contains  other updates (jump to link) with:

• A couple professors and pending litigation. 
• A couple local professors in the news for good reasons.
• Link to an overview of UI initiatives moving forward
• Local coverage of upcoming Illinois Fire Service Institute training on campus.

UI Trustees Meeting:

The News-Gazette had several articles previewing the Board of Trustees meeting (e.g. on tuition and Killeen's raise) in Chicago as well as later coverage of various measures approved. The Daily Illini had a quick summary of the top headlines out of the meeting Friday:

Incoming students will see a 1.8% increase if they choose to attend either the Urbana-Champaign or Chicago campus, while students attending the Springfield campus will see a 1% increase.

The tuition increase will not affect current students, as the Illinois Truth in Tuition law ensures the price students pay in their first year of attendance is what they will pay for their four years in college.

This is the first time since 2014 that President Tim Killeen will not recommend a tuition freeze after initially doing so to attract more Illinoisans, ending the longest freeze in UI System history. 

Full article here with some basic details on Killeen's pay raise. This News-Gazette article from Friday was probably the most comprehensive here. Excerpt:

In addition to a tuition hike and extending Tim Killeen’s contract, UI trustees signed off on a number of other items Thursday in Chicago. Among them:

— The appointment of two-degree UI mechanical engineering grad William Jackson as executive director of the Discovery Partners Institute. His annual salary will be $414,000.

— The appointment of former Parkland College trustee and UI assistant libraries dean Greg Knott as secretary of the Board of Trustees and UI System. His annual salary will be $182,500.

— A $67.5 million budget for upgrades at two Illinois Street residence halls — Townsend (to be completed in July 2020) and Wardall (July 2021).

Full article with a great deal of additional information here. There was also a lot of detailed information on the meeting items at the UI System's press release here, including specifics on tuition and fees:

Trustees also approved student fees for the 2020-21 academic year. In Urbana, those fees will increase 2.5 percent, or $76, to $3,162 per year, and Chicago’s fees will rise 1 percent, or $32, to $3,340 per year. In Springfield, fees will be unchanged, remaining at $2,426 a year. Fees help pay for student health services, library maintenance, student unions and other services and are set in consultation with committees that include students.

Undergraduate room-and-board costs in Urbana, based on the standard double-occupancy room and meal plan, will rise 3.65 percent, or $394, to $11,168 per year. In Chicago, costs will increase 2.6 percent, or $293, to $11,553 per year. In Springfield, the cost for a double-occupancy room in Lincoln Residence Hall with a gold meal plan will remain unchanged at $10,810.

That full press release here as well as one specifically on Killeeen's contract extension and raise here along with biographical information. The News-Gazette also had information on the Discovery Partners Institute's new Executive Director approved at this meeting in coverage earlier this month here.


Other Updates:

In the last month there have been a couple updates with professors facing accusations. First on Jay Kesan from WILL last month:

A University of Illinois law professor previously accused of sexual misconduct and slated to return to teach in January will instead go on "university-sanctioned leave."

That’s according to an email sent this week to College of Law faculty and students on behalf of the college’s dean, Vikram Amar, and reviewed by NPR Illinois. The email says Jay Kesan, faculty at the U of I’s flagship campus in Urbana-Champaign, will not teach two courses he had previously been scheduled to begin in January 2020. Instead, on January 1, he will go on leave “during which he will not be teaching” the email says...

A 2019 investigation by ProPublica and NPR Illinois detailed several cases where U of I professors had been found to have violated university policy after facing accusations of sexual misconduct and had their reputations protected by the university. Some were promised the university would not disclose the details of their resignations. Others, including Kesan, were allowed to remain on faculty.

Full article with an overview and timeline of the accusations and fallout here. ProPublica investigation into several UI cases here.

Also about a month ago, a professor who has been inaccessible (believed to be in China) was finally served legal documents via email. From the News-Gazette last month:

The alleged victims of former University of Illinois Professor Gary Xu were finally able to serve their federal lawsuit to him over email.

Their civil lawsuit had been held up by their inability to deliver the lawsuit to Xu, despite multiple attempts to do so since it was filed Sept. 10, and earlier this month, they were granted an extension to serve the lawsuit.

When the extension was granted at a Dec. 6 hearing, the attorneys also discussed with a magistrate judge a sealed motion to serve the lawsuit by email, which was apparently granted.

Full article here. Background information on the accusations here and in the ProPublica series and article here. I haven't found any further updates on the Kesan and Xu situations more recently. [UPDATE 1/22: WCIA has a short blurb on their website saying Gary Xu is denying the accusations in a federal lawsuit, but it doesn't have any additional information here.]

In better news, two local UI professors are in the news for good news and accomplishments. Ming Kuo will be speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos. From Smile Politely:

Ming Kuo, associate professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, will be speaking on "the connections between mental health, urbanization, and loss of contact with nature, making the case that investments in urban greening could improve mental and physical health."

Kuo, an expert in urban greening, is the first person from the University of Illinois to speak at the forum's annual meeting, which takes place in Davos, Switzerland next week. Thousands of global business leaders and heads of state attend each year with the goal of, according to the website, shaping "the global, regional and industry agendas at the beginning of each year."

Full blurb with additional information and links here. Another professor was awarded a fellowship from the NEH. From WCIA:

A UI music professor has been awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for 2019.

The recipient, Christina Bashford, is a professor of musicology...

The NEH awarded $30.9 million in grants for 188 humanities projects across the nation. The fellowship program supports advanced research in the humanities, and the recipients produce articles, books, digital materials or other scholarly resources.

The NEH has received an average of 1,110 applications per year for fellowships in the last five rounds of competition, according to the NEH website. Over that time, it awarded an average of 79 fellowships per year for a funding rate of 7%, making the fellowships among the most competitive humanities awards in the country.

Full article available here.

The Sunday News-Gazette had a five year outlook on issues facing the University. Excerpt from the description:

Enrollment continues to rise, but administrators have their eye on a declining number of high school graduates and the growth of online programs.

Faculty hiring is ramping up after a budgetary dry spell, with aggressive efforts to recruit new talent. But finances, and affordability for students, remain a concern.

Two huge new projects — the Discovery Partners Institute in Chicago and the Carle Illinois College of Medicine in Urbana — are up and running but still in fundraising mode.

And after a year of headlines about sexual misconduct, the campus is moving to implement new procedures to protect students and staff.

Full article here.

And finally, the Illinois Fire Service Institute on campus has its winter training coming up. WCIA had a blurb with some preview coverage:

Nearly 300 of the state’s bravest will descend on Central Illinois this weekend. The Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) is hosting the 25th annual Winter Fire School this weekend.

The attending first responders will experience in-depth, hands-on training from more than a dozen classes and live fire courses. Topics include traditional essential skills, large animal rescue, active shooter for EMS, investigation, wildland firefighting and advanced level rescue training.

Full blurb here. More information on the training event from the institute's website here, including registration and class information here.

UIUC Public Safety and Bias Incident Updates

There has been some handy local coverage highlighting new public safety data and comparing bias incident reporting over recent years. I have some excerpts from that below. They've also been covering quiet a bit of the debate and concerns about antisemitism on campus after an incident and letter sparked controversy over issues relating to Israel and Palestine.

Here's a quick list of context links for people interested in the incidents and responses that have stirred up debate and controversy locally:

• UIPD public safety data article from the DI
• Bias incident data over recent years from WILL
   
• News-Gazette coverage of resident hall adviser meeting that sparked controversy
• Daily Illini coverage of the fallout from that presentation, the Chancellor's letter and other recent antisemitic events on campus
• Protests over the Chancellor's letter from the N-G
• Coverage of the student government meeting revolving around these issues from the DI
• Student government meeting coverage, including resolution voted on from the N-G
   
• Recent reported incident of racial slurs being shouted from a truck waving Confederate symbols in campustown from Fox Illinois
• UIPD response to the Confederate truck incident from the DI

I'll be highlighting the UIPD public safety data and bias incident data from the first two links below. The other links are for those interested in the controversy and context. As even the short descriptions of the links imply, there is a wide variety of perspectives and passion on these issues locally. I leave it to the reader to weigh their own concerns about public safety, free speech, academic freedom, and the historical contexts locally and around the globe.

From the article on UIPD safety statistics:

The University Police published the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, Thursday in order to increase transparency around campus.

The publishing of this report falls under the requirement of the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Police and Campus Crime Statistics Act and contains statistics from 2016-2018 on crime and fire-related incidents on campus as well as campus policies on safety-related activities.

In an effort to make the report more user-friendly and transparent, the most recent report was published as a website instead of a PDF document, with more navigation functions and greater accessibility for different screen sizes.

In a statement, Police Chief Craig Stone said the report was being released not just to comply with federal law, but to create a more informed campus.

Full article here. UIPD press release at their blog here and report website here.

WILL had recent bias incident data, including a chart examining the recent increase in bias incidents reported on campus with a breakdown of the type of incidents:

University documents show that reports of bias incidents, which would include swastikas, have increased dramatically over the last five years. The U of I defines these reports as being motivated, at least in part, by hostility or prejudice toward a person or group of people because of their perceived race, ethnicity, religion, gender and sexual orientation, among other attributes.

Reports of bias incidents more than doubled between 2013 and 2018 — with 62 total reports in the former year and 128 in the latter.

Reports of religious only bias incidents also soared during the same time period — with five reported in 2013-14 school year compared to 22 reported in 2017-18. During the 2017-18 school year, 16 incidents were classified as anti-Semitic, and 14 were categorized as anti-Islamic in nature. Prior to 2017-18, reports of swastikas were categorized as "unclassified" rather than anti-Semitic, and reports from prior years do not include a breakdown of religious bias incidents by denomination.

Full article with additional information and links here.

Update 11/8: Another recent incident was in the news about a week after this was posted in the Daily Illini here.