ACTION ITEMS
Appointment requests and timesheets: Late transactions require additional processing time and sometimes additional paperwork. iSchool HR needs your assistance to comply with state and federal laws and ensure that employees are paid on time. Please note the following:
- Employees must complete an I-9 form by their start dates to avoid violating I-9 law (and in the case of internationals, their visas). Retroactive start dates constitute an I-9 violation. The law also requires immediately updating an I-9 when a change in visa status occurs for a current international employee. I-9 violations expose the University to four-figure federal fines per occurrence. A pattern of late I-9s could result in the federal government revoking the University’s e-verify status, which would eliminate the ability to offer employment on an OPT visa to students after they graduate. iSchool HR is required to explain each violation to the University.
- If an employee reports that they have not been paid or are being paid incorrectly, please notify iSchool HR at once. Their appointment or reappointment request may not have been submitted to us, and we are happy to look into this for you.
- Service-in-Excess (SIE) payments: Once signed, SIEs constitute an accepted offer to perform work assignment(s) outside of the employee’s regular responsibilities at the amount of pay and for the time period specified on the signed SIE form. A fully signed SIE means that all parties have agreed to these terms. An additional volume of work does not qualify for an SIE. For more information, including eligibility guidance, please refer to the University’s SIE policy.
Employee trainings: ANCRA training ends on Monday, February 28. This used to be a once-and-done training, but the Illinois Legislature has changed the law to require periodic trainings. The Preventing Harassment and Discrimination (Title IX) training is scheduled for March 1-April 1. iSchool HR recognizes the time these trainings take and appreciates your efforts to complete them in a timely manner.
Remote work from abroad: The temporary authorization for remote work from abroad necessitated by the pandemic ended on December 31. Please review the updated U of I System’s policy, referring to “Additional Responsibilities for Working Outside the United States.” In some countries, employee sanctions can include steep fines and/or imprisonment for violating that country’s tax and employment laws. If you consider hiring someone to work from abroad, please first consult iSchool HR for additional context on the time and costs involved.
Semi-Annual Confirmations: Please pay close attention to emails from SPA (Sponsored Programs Administration) and Beth Etchison about semi-annual confirmations. The iSchool deadline is Friday, February 25.
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Canvas Tips and Tricks: Interested in learning more about Canvas? The Help Desk and ITD are hosting regular Canvas Tips and Tricks sessions via Zoom. Feel free to join any and all of the following sessions:
- Monday, February 28, at 10:00 a.m.
- Tuesday, March 8, at 1:00 p.m.
- Monday, March 28, at 10:00 a.m.
- Tuesday, April 12, at 1:00 p.m.
- Monday, April 25, at 10:00 a.m.
- Tuesday, May 10, at 1:00 p.m.
Fair Use Gameshow: Would you like to test your knowledge of fair use? Join us on Tuesday, February 22, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. for the Fair Use Gameshow. Your host, Sara Benson, copyright librarian, will quiz the audience with fun and challenging questions, and a panel of esteemed copyright experts will share their opinions and discuss the many nuances of fair use. The panel will include Melissa Ocepek, iSchool assistant professor; Pia Hunter, College of Law access librarian and online learning consultant; and Barbara Kaplan, College of Law faculty outreach librarian. For more information and to register, visit the event page.
Research Services Workshop: Research Services staff will host a workshop designed to help you update NIH/NSF SciENcv online forms. Watch your email for links and information. If you can’t attend, please consider sending your research assistants.
Sensitivity Reading Panel: Join the CCB on Wednesday, March 2, from 12:00-1:00 p.m. for a virtual panel discussion of youth literature and sensitivity reading, the practice of evaluating manuscripts for bias, inclusivity, and authenticity. Please register online.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Academic Support Center: Our center is located at 614 E. Daniel Street in Room 4060. Services consist of in-person and online tutoring for iSchool students and students enrolled in iSchool courses, academic success workshops, academic support for specific courses or exams, and other resources. The center is managed by Meg Edwards and Melissa Newell with support from Will White, undergraduate affairs GA. It is currently staffed by four undergraduate tutors and one graduate tutor with plans to expand in upcoming semesters. More details about services, hours, areas of expertise, and contact information are available online.
- If you are comfortable sharing your syllabus, or if there are specific assignments that have historically challenged students, please email ischool-tutoring@illinois.edu to ensure that our tutors can effectively assist our students. We also are happy to collaborate with you to coordinate study sessions for classes.
BookLab: Ryan Cordell’s BookLab will move into the CU Community Fab Lab this semester. This space will offer hands-on learning with print and letterpress capabilities.
New Classroom Equipment: Please contact the Help Desk with any questions or concerns about the following new equipment:
- Room 46: A ClearOne microphone is now available. Some updates are still in progress, so this microphone is always on. The audio input should be ClearOne USB, and the audio output should be the system default/HDMI.
- Room 126: A Solstice pod has replaced the Apple TV. Please note that the touchpad has not yet been reprogrammed and is still labeled as “Apple TV.”
Pet of the Week: Submit a photo of your sweet and lovable pets to the Help Desk for a chance to be our Pet of the Week!
Research Fellows: The Research Advisory group is accepting faculty nominations for the next cycle of Research Fellows. You should have received an email with information and a link to the nomination form. If you have questions about the nomination process, please email Research Services.
Storyblocks: U of I faculty and staff have access to Storyblocks, a repository of more than one million high-quality images, videos, and audio files. To use this service, visit the StoryBlocks website and click “Login.” On the login page, enter your Illinois email and press “enter.” The website will recognize you as a single-sign-on user and will prompt you to finish logging in through two-factor authentication. From there, you can search easily for the content you need.
Summer/fall course scheduling: Academic Affairs and Student Affairs are working on course scheduling. All faculty and postdocs should have received two course preference surveys: one for Summer ’22 and one for Fall ’22/Spring ’23. If you missed one of these surveys or have questions about scheduling, contact Ted Underwood. Course assignments will be announced by early March.
