Complete the Illinois Leads strategic planning survey by Friday, March 27, to share your insights on the future of our university. The survey takes less than 10 minutes, and anyone who completes the survey may enter their name in a drawing for Illinois-branded merchandise. Additionally, campus units are also encouraged to host their own brainstorming sessions using the Illinois Leads facilitation guide, which provides step-by-step instructions and discussion topics to help capture feedback.

DEADLINE EXTENDED: The Office for Student Conflict Resolution is inviting all faculty, staff and students to apply to any of the various subcommittees (Subcommittee on Undergraduate Student Conduct, Subcommittee on Graduate Student Conduct, Subcommittee on Sexual Misconduct). More information can be found at: http://www.conflictresolution.illinois.edu/getinvolved. Application review will begin March 23. Please submit any questions to conflictresolution@illinois.edu.

The daily menu for Ted's Cafe at the Beckman Institute is now available online. The menu includes breakfast, lunches and daily specials and soups. You can also sign up to have the weekly menu delivered to your email. The cafe is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday on the first floor of the Beckman Institute. Hot food is served until 2 p.m.

Happy Spring Break, Illini! 🌷🐝 Since classes are not in session this week, Intermezzo Café will be closed to give Chef Amy and her staff some well-deserved rest. Don't worry — Intermezzo opens back up on Monday, March 23, as classes resume. Keep an eye out for those specials coming soon! 👀

Nominations are now open for the March virtual coaching cohort. This six-month virtual coaching experience is designed for executives and emerging leaders to support leadership growth and strengthen engagement across our leadership community. Participation costs are covered by the respective unit or college. Use this form to learn more and nominate individuals who would benefit. Space is limited, so please submit interest by Wednesday, March 25.

The FY 27 Campus Holiday Schedule for the University of Illinois System is now posted on the Illinois Human Resources website. You can now view the current and upcoming holiday schedule.

Check out the “Made to Lead” podcast — your new go‑to source for energizing, inspiring leadership stories and insights! Created by the Illinois Leadership Center, this podcast brings leadership learning to life in a fun, engaging and easy-to-digest format. Each month, our host sits down with standout faculty, staff, students and influential leaders who are shaping the Illinois community and beyond. It’s all about unlocking human potential — because the world needs better leaders. Catch new episodes monthly on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

OLLI at Illinois is accepting proposals from current and retired faculty and area experts to teach courses to engaged lifelong learners during our fall 2026 semester (Sept. 8 through Nov. 2). All fields of study are welcome. Compensation: $500 for 4-week courses; $1,000 for 8-week courses. For more details, visit the OLLI course proposal website or contact the OLLI office (olli@illinois.edu, 217-244-9141). To find out more about OLLI, visit the OLLI website. Proposal deadline: Friday, April 10. 

University Laboratory High School, located on the campus of the U. of I., is in the beginning search process for a new girls basketball head coach next season. If interested, please reach out to athletic director Kyle Hummel, KHummel@illinois.edu.

PITA grants enable recipients to design, implement and assess instructional innovation that has a high probability of enhancing education at Illinois. Successful applicants will receive $10,000 in financial assistance for their proposed activities. Application deadline is at 11:59 p.m. Monday, April 6.

Illinois faculty, students and staff are invited to submit proposals to the GAM Programs Committee for consideration in the CAS/MillerComm series of public events or the GAM Visitors program. Partial funding is available. The MillerComm series includes speakers and creative artists from all disciplines. GAM Visitors spend at least one week in residency on campus.

Challenge yourself, explore new areas and get motivated to get outside with our third annual Hike ALLerton program, happening from now until Dec. 31, 2026. Register by Wednesday, April 15, and make the commitment to hike all nine trails at Allerton by the end of the year. Earn a limited edition t-shirt, plus bragging rights! The program is open to all ages, and past participants have had a great time hiking with family and groups of friends or co-workers. Learn more and sign-up here.

Do you have an idea for the Illinois app that could benefit the community of people your unit serves? Share your concept or propose an enhancement by completing this form: https://go.illinois.edu/AppIdeasSpring2026.

Join us at Riggs Beer Company at 1 p.m. Sunday, March. 22, to hear Deana McDonagh discuss her work as director of the (dis)Ability Design Studio. Snacks will be provided. Hope to see you there!

NCSA, in collaboration with the Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center, invites you to the next Quantum User Group Bring Your Own Lunch and Learn on Thursday, March 26. For additional details, please refer to the calendar page.

The 20th annual Edible Book Festival will take place April 4 at the Common Ground Coop in Lincoln Square Mall! Participants create an “edible book,” which can be inspired by a favorite tale, involve a pun on a famous title or simply be in the shape of a book (or scroll or tablet, etc). This event raises funds for the Wesley Food Pantry. Registration is not required but helps us plan.

The Cancer Center at Illinois Cancer and Microbes Working Group will host a town hall event on March 24. This session is designed to bring together researchers across cancer biology, microbiology, immunology, engineering, computational science and related areas to explore and expand collaboration at the cancer–microbe interface.

The Department of Dance’s 2025–2026 season, "Black on Black: A Celebration of Black Dance," highlights the impact, diversity and innovation of Black dance artistry through a series of performances, lectures, masterclasses and community events. On March 26, a special lecture/exhibition entitled "Blacks in Ballet: Embodiment, Representation, Resilience" will be presented at the Independent Media Center. This event will feature ballet historian and former Dance Theatre of Harlem company member Joselli Deans and local visual artist Marilynn Dean Cleveland.

How can we use spatial narrative data to understand hidden resources within diverse communities? Join AJ Kim from San Diego State University as they explore the strengths, opportunities and threats experienced by marginalized communities facing compounding forms of structural racism in New York and New Orleans. Utilizing cognitive mapping, body mapping and counter-mapping tools in diverse neighborhoods and communities, Dr. Kim creates a deeper understanding of how vulnerable populations navigate both formal and informal assets. Lunch will be provided!

Join Spurlock Museum, SkAI and U. of I. faculty in a discussion exploring the use of artificial intelligence. Topics to be explored will be arts and humanities, science and ethics.

This workshop explores how cultural differences show up in practice through the Intercultural Conflict Styles model, which describes four common ways people approach conflict. Participants examine the strengths and challenges of each style and consider how different styles interact. The session then shifts to practical strategies for navigating intercultural conflict, with an emphasis on flexibility, face awareness and respectful communication. Open to faculty, staff and international scholars. Registration is required.

Bollywood Dance Jam is a beginner-friendly dance class designed especially for people who want to move, groove and let loose in Bollywood style! You’ll learn signature Bollywood moves with dramatic hand gestures, theatrical expressions and full-body energy, set to the beats of exciting Bollywood film hits. Grab your comfy clothes and join us for an afternoon that promises good vibes, smiles and serious Bollywood flavor. No experience necessary. Free and open to all.

Cultivate connection with your body, mind and nature at Arboretum Sunset Yoga from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, March 30, April 13, May 11, July 6 or Aug. 3, in the Oak Grove at the Illinois Arboretum. Kristina Reese will lead an all-levels class integrating yoga poses, breath work and meditation. Enjoy the serene surroundings of the Arboretum as the sun sets on another day. Register here.

We have reserved the Mansion for the public on Friday, March 20, so that you can Wind Down and take in the lovely ambiance of Allerton! Enjoy the Solarium Bar (5 p.m. to 10 p.m.) and live music from singer/songwriter Sass, playing a unique blend of rock, blues, country, soul and R&B from 8-10 p.m. Overnight lodging available. Learn more here.

Merle Bowen, CAS Associate 2024-25 (African American Studies), presents "Remembering the Black World: African-Descended Rural Communities in Atlantic Canada." This study brings to light untold stories of African-descended communities' ingenuity and resilience, creating new narratives of Black rural life in Atlantic Canada by analyzing the diverse experiences of people of African descent and by situating them as speakers and agents of their own lives.

Beckman Microscopy Suite Tech Talks presents: Investigation of inorganic crystal growth using Diffraction Contrast Tomography (Lab-DCT) with Eslam Elbakry. Please join us at noon Tuesday, March 24, in Beckman Room 5602. Lunch will be provided to those who register for in-person attendance.  Please register by noon March 20.  

The Office of Data Science Research is launching a new workshop support fund to provide financial and in-kind support to organizers of events on the Urbana-Champaign campus. This competitive process supports new multi-disciplinary and/or multi-unit collaborative activities around data science-focused research. This informational webinar will provide more details about this program, including eligibility, submission and review, with time for audience Q&A.

The Office of Data Science Research's Collaboration Community webinar is a venue for multi-disciplinary conversations to identify specific collaboration opportunities related to data science and artificial intelligence. On March 26, guests from SPA and the Office of Technology Management will explain U. of I. policies on data transfer and use agreements and software licensing agreements, so that faculty and staff have a better understanding of how to work with collaborators when sharing data science-related data and code.

The Career Center is hosting The Art of the Ask: Using Artificial Intelligence Prompts to Build Strong Applications at 6 p.m. March 26. This interactive workshop is designed to help students strengthen their application materials and prepare for interviews using generative AI prompts. Students will gain hands-on experience with prompts for resumes, cover letters and interview questions and receive practical templates to support career preparation. Registration is encouraged but not required. For more information and to register, visit Handshake. 

Join the ADA Coordinator for a webinar designed to help faculty and staff understand the distinctions between service and support animals, the responsibilities handlers have for their animals and best practices for supporting access for people with disabilities and the operational needs of their colleges and units.

Join us for a 2-hour, hands-on workshop that introduces educators to human-centered design! You’ll work through a real challenge from your teaching, explore learner perspectives and prototype a new idea alongside other educators. Leave with practical tools and one actionable shift you can bring back to your classroom.

The U.S. federal government supports carbon capture, utilization and storage through the 45Q tax credit, a policy with unique features compared to other pollution control approaches. In this webinar, Ben Leibowicz will present insights from three studies using operations research and economics to evaluate 45Q. He will discuss its advantages and possible unintended consequences, including whether tax credits could increase emissions relative to a no-policy scenario. The talk will also examine research on optimizing CCUS infrastructure networks under policy uncertainty.

Join a Quick Start Workshop this week (March 17) to learn how to check if your documents are accessible! In this workshop, you’ll learn to scan multiple document types for accessibility issues and remediate them. Additional workshops on various topics are available throughout the semester. Sign up and expand your accessibility skills!

Help make the Next Alcohol Fitbit! The Alcohol Research Lab is looking for participants for a validation study of transdermal biosensing bracelets. Participation involves attending three laboratory sessions, wearing at least two transdermal bracelets (on your non-dominant hand) and filling out surveys for two weeks. Up to $400 in compensation for participation.

The Nutrition and Exercise Performance Research Group is recruiting recreationally active adults (19–40 years old) to participate in a 2-day study examining how food combinations affect muscle protein synthesis and whole-body protein utilization. Participation includes four free meals, resistance exercise, muscle biopsies and blood, breath and urine sampling across two lab visits. Participants who complete the study will receive $300 and information on body composition and caloric needs. Interested individuals may contact Calvin at (cw148@illinois.edu) to learn more and see if you qualify!

The Nutrition and Exercise Performance Research Group is looking for participants to partake in a 2-day study to establish the utility of the indicator amino acid oxidation method in adults. Participation in this study involves 2-day habituation lead in with all meals provided, muscle biopsies and blood, breath and urine sampling during two all-day trials. Upon completion, you will receive $150 and information about your body composition and caloric needs. Contact Gena (NEPRESEARCH@illinois.edu) for more information! Male participants are strongly encouraged!