In April, our plagiarism detection provider, Turnitin, activated a new AI detection feature that was automatically integrated within our current Turnitin tool. After becoming aware of several issues with this feature, we will be disabling Turnitin’s AI detection feature for the Spring 2024 semester. Turnitin will still be available. Given these concerns, instructors may wish to use caution if employing Turnitin’s AI detection features for assignments coming due over the coming weeks. Read more in this release from the Office of the Provost.

Come by the Grad College for a break and a snack from 1-2:30 pm through Finals Week. Monday, December 11 - pet Kirby from 1-2 pm! Tuesday, December 12 - info and swag from the Counseling Center! Friday, December 15 - pet Rosie from 1-2 pm!

If you have graduate student United HealthCare health insurance and are travelling over break, you still have free access to doctors and mental health care from anywhere you are, even while traveling internationally. Find more information and make sure your United HealthCare account is activated at the Student Insurance website.

Staying on campus during break? Join us for fun activities and get connected with other students and find your home away from home. Join us for these upcoming sessions: Cookie Decorating December 18, Cozy Crafts January 4 and "Let's Hygge" January 10. All sessions will be held 12-2pm, lunch is provided. For more information, https://internationaled.illinois.edu/programs/break-programs

Graduate-level tuition and service fee waivers, provided as a benefit of employment are considered taxable income. This impacts both employees taking advantage of the benefit as well as Graduate Assistants and Pre-professional Graduate Assistants. The video linked sheds light on the tax implications of these waivers, defines what constitutes employment for tax purposes, and provides a guide on estimating the impact on a students' net pay. Watch our YouTube video above on the Taxability of Graduate-Level Tuition and Service Fee Waivers at the University of Illinois for more insights.

Nomination for the $20,000 Illinois Innovation Award, awarded by The Grainger College of Engineering through Technology Entrepreneur Center  and the $10,000 Fiddler Innovation Fellowship awarded by NCSA is open. The Illinois Innovation Award honors graduate or undergraduate students for excellence in cutting-edge innovation or translational research that addresses real-world problems. The Fiddler Innovation Fellowship honors students for excellence in addressing cultural, societal, or global challenges with innovative solutions. 

Now that the semester is nearly over, take some time to reflect on your writing schedule and routines! This workshop will include tips for starting and maintaining a writing routine, cultivating effective habits, and forming a successful writing group. Dissertation and thesis writers from any discipline—and at any stage in the writing process—are welcome. This virtual event is open to U of I students, faculty, and staff. Please register with your University of Illinois email account by 11:59pm on 12/11, and we will send the Zoom invitation on the morning of the event.

Join the Writers Workshop to kick off the New Year the "write" way! For folks planning to catch up on some writing over Winter Break, we'll be offering a mini-retreat during the week of January 8th on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, in the Main Library's Orange Room or by Zoom. Please note that you only need to register once to attend any or all of these dates. 

Join us for our final week before break and finish the semester the "write" way! Our hybrid writing group provides graduate students with dedicated time to make progress on thesis or dissertation writing in a supportive atmosphere. Each meeting consists of a short goal-setting conversation, quiet writing time, and a concluding reflection and wrap-up. Use this time to create or return to a writing routine, make progress and meet deadlines on long-term projects, or jump-start a new writing project. 

Assist the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center and Facilities & Services with their examination of waste streams on campus by responding to an online survey. Answer questions on current waste management practices and suggest ideas for waste reduction and improved recycling. Deadline extended--survey closes December 22. https://surveys.illinois.edu/sec/1006279958.

The Center for Advanced Study sponsors an annual international interdisciplinary Summer Institute in Human-Animal Studies for advanced graduate students and early career scholars pursuing research in Human-Animal Studies. The 2024 Institute will be held June 23-29, 2024. If you are interested in applying or know someone who would be, please click the link above for application information.

The Illini Union Bookstore is offering Holiday Deal Days from December 12-21. Each day you can get a different great deal on Illini apparel and gifts. Check out all the deals! Watch our Instagram page for the daily deals as well.

Interested in exploring the potential commercial application of your research? Apply to the Lean Launchpad Short Course that provides a set of skills and entrepreneurial knowledge that can be applied to any career path. Explore your innovation from a business and customer perspective and prepare to apply for federal grants. Spring session application is due January 15.

Students, are you looking for a place to study? Native American House Ambassadors David Eby (Choctaw/Muscogee Creek) and Yanaba Schroeder (Navajo) invite you to our cultural center to work on your end-of-semester projects and exams. We will keep our space open from 5:00- 8:30pm on 12/11-12/13. Free snacks and iced coffee! Don't forget to bring your i-card.

Register now for the 2024 AgTech Summit on Tuesday, March 5. The AgTech Summit is a free interactive conference. This event features a unique mix of investors from throughout the Midwest, large corporations, prominent academics, growers, and startups to provide a well-rounded perspective on the future of AgTech. Register Here.

The University of Illinois Counseling Center provides mental health counseling and well-being education for students. 

If you or a student you know may need support with their basic needs or financial stressors, please reach out.

McKinley Health Center serves on-campus students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.