We hope you’re excited to begin your journey here at Illinois, and we want to give you some information about how we do advising. The information that follows is also available on the departmental advising site. You should be prepared for the possibility of change as we move through this semester, so bookmark the advising page and check the blog regularly to stay in the loop and up to date! We look forward to working with you all and we want to keep advising procedures as clear, smooth, and accessible as possible.
MANDATORY NEW STUDENT CHECK-IN:
We are asking all new students to check in with an advisor in some way during the first two weeks of the semester. This is to let us know how you’re doing, whether you’re satisfied with your schedule, and (crucially) whether there are any problems we might be able to help you solve. Even if everything seems fine, please do your check-in (at least send an email) so that we know you’re settled in. A good time to do this is once you’ve attended the first meeting of each of your classes (i.e. toward the end of the first week). The last day to add a semester class to your schedule (in case you do want to swap a class you don’t like out for something else) is Friday, September 1, so you must complete your check-in by then.
You can connect with us in the following ways:
You can email your questions and concerns, and we will email you back. If you have already worked with a particular advisor and would like to email her directly you may, or you can email englishadvising@illinois.edu in which case Anna, Keshia, and Nancy will all see your message and the first person available to reply will do so.
If you want to talk to an advisor in real time, please schedule an appointment by calling the office at 217-333-4346 (we do not schedule appointments via email). If you have to leave a message, please include your name, UIN, the reason for the appointment, and your preferred advisor (if any). Someone will get back to you as soon as possible. Depending on the urgency of your questions and our availability you may need to schedule a virtual appointment, but if you prefer to meet in person please let us know.
That’s it for now! Let us know if you have questions or need help, and we wish you all a happy and safe fall semester!
Greetings! We hope you’ve all enjoyed the summer break and found some opportunities for relaxation. With the fall semester fast approaching, here are some bits and pieces of information we think might be of interest. Remember, in an effort to avoid bombarding you with emails we use this blog as a virtual notice board, so please check it regularly to avoid missing out on opportunities!
Aug 21, 1:30-4 : Fall Kick-off, Special Drop-in Session with Coffee in 105 Greg Hall
Pre-Law Resources
Following are some resources for pre-law students.
Pre-Law Advisory Council: Class of 2027 Representatives! We are looking forward to welcoming two representatives from the Class of 2027 to the 2023-2024 Pre-Law Advisory Council. Applications are due August 30 and can be accessed on our website.
Instagram: PLAS is on Instagram @uiucprelaw! We share updates, news, events, and celebrations through our account. This is an excellent way for students to stay connected!
Year-In-Review Highlights: We had an exciting year filled with new initiatives and renewed traditions. Our Year-In-Review highlights reel is a great way to learn more about our events, initiatives, and programs, click here to view!
Prospective Student Video: Prospective students, current students, and family members can learn more about our office in this short introductory video: https://mediaspace.illinois.edu/media/t/1_1bcf4lx5
As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to prelaw@illinois.edu.
illinois neurodiversity initiative
HDFS 199 Academic Strategies: A 2-credit hour course for neurodivergent students to improve academic performance. Students will learn concrete strategies to get started on uninteresting work, meet deadlines, manage stress, organize information, take notes, study for tests, advocate for supports and more. Email jjkramer@illinois.edu for instructor approval.
HDFS 199 INI Independent Living Skills: This 1-credit course teaches neurodivergent students information onadulting. Learn how to plan for and prepare meals, manage your money, meet your healthcare needs, keep your spaces clean and organized, travel… all the things you need to know but no one teaches you! Email jjkramer@illinois.edu for instructor approval.
consulting opportunities
Illinois Business Consulting (IBC), Illinois Design Consulting (IDC), and EntreCorps provide excellent opportunities for students from ALL colleges to build their resumes and sharpen their skills by working on projects for real-world clients, and applications for each organization are now open!
library resources
Here are a couple of library resources you may not be aware of:
There is a food panty located in the Orange Room of the Main Library where students can grab some food to fuel up! No information is required of them, they can simply stop by and get what they need.
Students who have children of their own or help take care of them should know that children are welcomed in the library. There are Family Study Kits available to check out for use in the library that kids can play with while their caretakers study.
dates and deadlines
August 18: LAS Lift-Off for New Incoming Students August 20: Quad Day August 21: Classes Start September 1: Last day to add a full semester course September 4: Labor Day holiday–no classes
Still playing around with your fall schedule? Check out these great ENGL and CW courses!
CW 243: Advanced Topics in Creative Writing Novel Workshop (just added!) Taught by Gabriela Garcia, bestselling author of Of Women and Salt, this workshop will be primarily focused on reading and discussing excerpts of students’ novels in progress with an eye toward answering what may at first seem fundamental questions but can yield complex answers–what is a novel? How do we carve its structure and design? How does length shape how we think of craft? We will supplement our workshop of student work with readings and discussions of contemporary novels and craft texts.
This is a reminder that those of you who are participating in the English & Creative Writing Convocation ceremony can pick up your tickets in EB 200 next week if you haven’t already. We will have shorter hours on Monday, May 8 (between 10 am and 2 pm only), but regular hours Tuesday through Thursday (9 am-noon and 1-4 pm). Please be sure to fill out the English Department’s Exit Survey first, and please also do the Illini Success Survey at some point. Thank you!
Immediate Opening—High School Teaching Position (Theatre/English)
An important message from LAS Student Academic Affairs:
Spring 2023 grades will be available to students on Saturday May 20. All students will be able to access their posted grades online and will see an academic status of “status under review.”Final academic standing can be viewed on Friday May 26 at 5 pm.
*Students who are confirmed or placed on academic drop status by the College during its review will be informed by e-mail only, on Friday May 26. It will be delivered via Secure Message Delivery (SMD) and will be from a noreply address, so it is important you check your spam digest/junk if you don’t see a message in your inbox.
What follows is relevant only for those students who are at risk of being dropped if their term GPA is below a 2.0 (you would know this because you would have had a meeting with a college advisor and would have signed an advising agreement that lays out the terms of a “last chance” semester):
The drop status for some students is “Not Petitionable” (drop 18)
The drop status for other students is “Petitionable” (drop 17): we expect most such students to provide documentation of extenuating circumstances and/or evidence they are receiving appropriate medical treatment or have a viable plan for moving forward
Eligible students must submit their petitions by 5 pm on Wednesday June 7, so students anticipating a drop status decision may wish to gather petition materials now, as the period is short between drop status notification and the petition deadline.
Students who submit a petition should not plan on returning for the next semester until they hear the outcome of the petition review which will be available by the first week of July.
Students should be reminded that the purpose of the drop is to give them time and space to take care of whatever issue is getting in the way of their academic progress. We don’t want students using precious financial resources and limited semesters to get themselves into a dire academic situation for which there is no solution.
Students on drop status are permitted to continue with Summer 2023 enrollments, but Summer term academic outcomes will NOT change the drop status.
Academic Standing decisions are made on the basis of a student’s entire academic record. As such, grade changes should only be pursued in rare cases where an instructor has miscalculated a final grade: it is inappropriate to ask instructors for additional points or to accept redone assignments. Please also understand most grade changes do not result in a corresponding change of academic standing.
Grade changes submitted after Monday, August 21, will not result in changes to academic standing.
Don’t Forget These!
exit questionnaire for graduating seniors
We invite all undergraduates who expect to complete their degree requirements by May or August of this year to complete this short Exit Survey about your experience in the English department at your earliest convenience (if you are registered for the ceremony please complete this survey BEFORE you pick up your tickets). Everyone who completes the survey before May 11 will be entered into a random prize drawing, and five lucky winners will be chosen to receive a gift card!
Only the aggregate results will be distributed to the department for assessment purposes; individual participants will not be identified. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and will be used to improve our programs and services.
help a professor!
Please consider responding to this call for survey participants from Professor John Gallagher:
Dear students,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to request your participation in a survey that I am conducting as part of my research project on perceptions of academic dishonesty and artificial intelligence writing programs, such as ChatGPT (IRB approved #23989). I am reaching out to you as I believe that your valuable input and insights, as students, would contribute to the success of my study.
Your participation is entirely voluntary and confidential, and you have the right to withdraw at any time. The survey will take approximately 7-10 minutes to complete, and your responses will be strictly anonymous and confidential.
Your participation in this survey will enable me to gather valuable information, which will help me to better understand perceptions of academic dishonesty and make meaningful conclusions about AI writing technologies.
Seniors: Please share your next steps after graduation!
Every year the University of Illinois surveys graduating seniors to find out where they are going next. The information you provide helps future students find their path at Illinois, and it helps departments and colleges support students more effectively. For example, in the English department we really rely on the results of this campus-wide survey to help us make the argument to prospective students that English and creative writing majors really do go on to find interesting jobs!
Whether you are still figuring out your next steps, plan to volunteer or travel, or have already accepted a job or graduate school offer, your data matters! Completing the Illini Success survey qualifies you for a drawing for Amazon gift cards. It also provides us with critical information necessary for career and academic advising, student recruitment, and institutional reporting needs.
The Office of Advancement within the College of Education is looking for an undergraduate student who can help the office with advancement initiatives for the fall semester If it works well, the intern can continue as long as they are a student at Illinois. See the flyer below for more information:
Academic Strategies and Independent Living Skills
If you identify with neurodivergent conditions and are struggling with academics and/or the responsibilities of “adulting,” the following classes might be of interest to you:
Academic Strategies and Independent Living Skills
If you identify with neurodivergent conditions and are struggling with academics and/or the responsibilities of “adulting,” the following classes might be of interest to you:
Need to Meet an Advisor?
To contact a college-level advisor, use the online chat, online advising appointment calendar and queue, and online forms for program change requests. Find a list of unit and college advisors along with hours and contact information on the college website.
2023 Q Magazine writing contest
The Janelle Joseph Environmental Writing Award gives students a chance to have their work published in Q Magazine, a publication of the Certificate for Environmental Writing (CEW) at Illinois. The top awards also carry a cash prize.
The contest is open to all Illinois undergraduates of any major and is geared toward those with an interest in environmental writing.
Winners will have their work published in an upcoming issue of Q. The top prize is $1,000, and $500 prizes will be available in five categories this year: feature, memoir, op-ed, Q&A, and “At Illinois” (see the below link and attached flyer for descriptions and examples of each category).
The scholarship application can be found on the LAS Scholarships webpage under the “Current Students” tab. Filling out this application is quick and easy, and with this one step you are considered for a wide variety of scholarships. Applications accepted through Friday, May 12.
Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) Now Hiring
Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is looking for recent college graduates who are passionate about public service and giving back to the community to join the Illinois Student Assistance Corps (ISACorps). For more information, see the flyer below:
new courses!
We’re pleased to announce a never-before-taught course in the English department’s fall line-up. Lori Newcomb will be teaching an advanced methods course called “The Art of Research” (see ENGL 461), and it’s open to all juniors and seniors who have completed ENGL 301 and 350. This is perfect for any Topics concentrator graduating in December (this will count as your capstone), anybody thinking about graduate school in English or a related field, or anyone who just wants to beef up their research skills. Check it out!
some other recently added courses . . .
CW 463 (meets with GSD 409): Advanced Topics in Creative Writing (TOPIC: Design & Programming of Narrative Games & Simulations)
ENGL 461: (meets with CWL 481) Topics in Arabic Lit & Culture (TOPIC: Arabs and the Americas)
National Name Exchange
The Graduate College invites University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign undergraduate and master’s students to enroll in the National Name Exchange. The National Name Exchange was established to help match graduate schools with students from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups interested in graduate education. The National Name Exchange seeks to:
Increase the number of qualified students from underrepresented groups accepted into graduate school.
Improve student access to information on graduate school opportunities.
Work towards personalizing the recruitment effort by designating a National Name Exchange institutional representative to facilitate information exchange between the institution and prospective students.
Assist graduate schools in identifying qualified candidates from underrepresented groups for consideration for graduate study.
The NNE enrollment portal is now open for the 2023 year. Students can now enroll in the National Name Exchange database. The password to access the student portal is NNE2023.
Qualifying students must be enrolled at a participating Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) member institution (Illinois is a member institution), maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above, and be from a group historically underrepresented in higher education (qualifying groups can be found here). Students who decide to participate will be asked for their consent to share their information with other participating CGS institutions.
Teacher licensure: Golden Apple Scholars Program Recruitment
Get up to $23,000 in total financial assistance and stipends and become a teacher in Illinois! For more information about the benefits, eligibility requirements, and application, visit https://www.goldenapple.org/scholars.
Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative (INI)
If you need accommodations to be successful in college, INI could be a good resource. See the flyer below:
The Women’s Resources Center (WRC) is the designated confidential campus resource related to sexual assault/rape, sexual harassment, stalking and abuse within a relationship (sometimes called dating or domestic violence). That means when they talk with students, staff, and faculty who have experienced harm, they make sure you get what you need and on your terms! There are several Confidential Advisors at the WRC who can provide you – or someone looking to support you – with support and advocacy services. They also have two Confidential Advisors embedded at BNAACC and La Casa two days/week.
Embedded Advocate Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 10am – 4pm @ BNAACC Wednesday 1pm – 5pm and Thursday 10am – 4pm @ La Casa
Advising available by appointment | Monday – Friday @ the WRC Hours may vary. Walk-in appointments offered as available. Learn more about Advocacy & Support Services, here.
Office of Conferences and Special Events
The Office of Conferences & Special Events will be hiring several students to join the 2023 Summer Conference Team. There are a variety of full-time and part-time positions available ranging from Conference Clerk to Conference Coordinator. Summer housing, hourly pay, and discounted meals are included.
Summer Institute for the Languages of the Muslim World (SILMW)
Summer Institute for Languages of the Muslim World will be held from June 12-August 5, 2023.
Session includes • Arabic, Persian, Swahili, Turkish, and Wolofcourses • Small class sizes and dedicated faculty and staff • Immersive experience, complete with instruction • Cultural activities, opportunities for language practice, conversation tables, cooking classes, movie nights, and more!
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays, First Floor of Lincoln Hall, Behind the marble staircase Peer mentors help LAS students access opportunities to gain hands-on experience. Drop-in for a casual conversation about exploring student organizations, undergraduate research, volunteer opportunities, study abroad, internships, and more. Learn how to access resources and apply to opportunities.
Our old friends at the Humanities Professional Resource Center (now LAS Career Services) are still in Greg Hall 105 and available to meet with students to talk about professional development opportunities, career planning, and general life stuff of the “what am I doing here?” variety. See their website for contact info and event announcements.
