Moms Weekend is just a week away! Come to campus and enjoy the variety of events and opportunities offered to families!

Some important highlights include:

Friday April 20, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Explore Illinois reception, Illini Union Rooms ABC
At Explore Illinois, you will get the opportunity to look through a multitude of interactive booths that highlight groups on campus that are entertaining, informative, and a great example of the wide breadth of amazing groups, research, and programs on campus! In addition to the interactive exhibits, student entertainment groups will be performing, and refreshments and appetizers will be served. The Amelia Alpiner Stern 2012 Mom of the Year will also be announced. Register to attend the reception here!

Performers: Gah Rahk Mah Dahng Korean Drummers, Floor Lovers Illinois, and Odd Request Improv

Exhibitors: Access4All; American Nuclear Society; Asha for Education; Campus Recreation; The Career Center; Counseling Center; Dharma Hindu Students Organization; European Union; i-Parents; Illini Art Therapy Association; Illini Emergency Medical Services; Illini Union; The Leadership Center; Material Advantage; Native American Student Organization; Office of Inclusion & Intercultural Relations (OIIR); Student Sustainability Farm; University Archives; University of Illinois Police Department; Veterinary Teaching Hospital; Yoga and Meditation Club

Saturday April 21, 9:15am - 10:15am
Annual Meeting of Moms Association Board of Directors, Illini Union Room 210
The Moms Association Board of Directors extends an invitation for you to join them on Saturday morning for the Moms Association Annual Meeting. This is a great opportunity to learn more about what you can do to be involved in the outstanding work of this organization. The 2012 - 2013 Board of Directors will be elected, and the Moms Association will recognize several award recipients: the Medallion of Honor recipient for her dedication and service to the students and to the Illinois community, the Humanitarian Award recipients for their innovation and dedication to community service, the Illini Spirit Award recipient, and the 2012 scholarship recipients.

Saturday April 21, 10:00am - 5:00pm
Illini Union Board Annual Moms Day Craft Fair
Browse the booths of dozens of different craft vendors, and make sure to stop by the Moms Association sales table on the second floor!

Saturday, April 21, 1:00pm
Moms Weekend Wii Bowling Tournament, Illini Union Rec Room
$5 entry fee for 2 person team (parent/ student), prizes of Illini Union Bookstore giftcards for first and second place!

Saturday April 21, 2:00pm and 7:00pm
Illini Union Board presents Chicago the Musical, Assembly Hall
The spring musical is Chicago! Tickets on sale through the Assembly Hall Box Office.

Saturday April 21, 9:00pm
Illini Union Board Moms Comedy Show, Illini Union Ballroom, free!
The perfect way to entertain mom during the weekend!

Saturday, April 21, 10:00pm
Illini Union Board Moms Night Out, Illini Union lower level, free!
Join the Illini Union Board for free games, entertainment, food, and prizes.

Moms Weekend 2012 Calendar of Events is now available here.

Each year, the Illini Union Parent Programs Office coordinates a number of on-campus tours for families during Moms Weekend. This year we are increasing our number of tour offerings. Register for tours now at this link.

There are space limitations on each tour. Unfortunately, there is no waiting list for tours, but you can keep trying to register if the tour is full, as the system releases openings when participants cancel.

Most recent added tours include: the Illini Union, the Illini Union Bookstore, and the Cultural Centers on Nevada Street. Register soon, as slots fill up fast!

University of Illinois President Michael J. Hogan submitted his resignation to the Board of Trustees on March 22. Hogan will serve as president until July 1, when Robert Easter, a long-time faculty member and former interim provost and interim chancellor on the Urbana-Champaign campus, will serve as president-designate.
For more info, visit here.

The UI graduate program in Civil Engineering was ranked number 1 in the nation in the most recent US News & World Report graduate schools rankings, released March 13. Several other UI programs received high rankings as well including Accounting at number 4; Curriculum and Instruction at number 6; Clinical Psychology at number 6; and Environmental Engineering at number 3.

The 2012 Roger Ebert Film Festival takes place April 24-29 at the Virginia Theater in Champaign, with other events at the U of I. The festival features Citizen Kane, A Separation, and Joe Versus the Volcano. Guests will include the Oscar-nominated actor Michael Shannon, seen recently in the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire,” and comedian and actor Patton Oswalt, seen recently in the film “Young Adult,” and a regular on the TV comedy “The King of Queens.”

The schedule of film screenings can be found at www.ebertfest.com, along with Ebert’s commentary and reviews of the films, festival updates, and information about panelists and guests.

The U of I festival events are free and open to the public.

The April 2012 issue of the Student Health 101: The Parent Perspective is now available online! Read about topics like:

• Top 10 Questions About Nutrition
• Dealing with Anxiety
• Mastering the Job Interview
• ...and more!

What's Online

• Moms Weekend is in April! Read About this Tradition
• April Parent Survey
• Spring 2012 Newsletter, "Moms & Dads Illini"

Why Give to Student Affairs?

Just because our children “go off to college,” doesn’t mean that it’s the end of our involvement in their education and their lives. It merely means that our day to day, hands-on responsibilities are turned over to them, giving our children not just an academic education but the opportunity to discover on their own what the world has to offer. This new found freedom can be overwhelming, not just for the student, but for the parent as well. It’s wonderful to know that the University of Illinois Student Affairs is there to provide activities and programs that will support our students in the same manner we would if they were home with us. A donation to the Parent Fund is a small way for me to insure that there continues to be a connection and support system for my children as they find their way to adult independence. --- Gloria Pavese, Illinois parent

Funding from the state now accounts for less than 19% of the University’s total budget. That is a substantial reduction from the nearly 50% support the University received in the early 1980’s. Student Affairs depends on the support of alumni and friends to provide vital services and resources to our students that round out their education at Illinois. Your unrestricted gift to the Parent Fund will:

• Provide programs that offer non-alcoholic alternatives to clubs and bars
• Create an inclusive environment supportive of diversity and prepare students to be citizens of a global community
• Encourage student development and growth through cultural and professional programs
• Provide continued communications and programming to parents and families through the Illini Union Parent Programs Office

GIVE TODAY!

Important Dates

The Dads Association at the University of Illinois has allocated a portion of its funds
generated through Dads Association activities to help fund and aid worthy projects that
promote the safety, guidance, care, and well-being of our children attending the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. If you are a registered student organization,
not-for-profit association, or University department that has a project or program
requiring financial support for the 2012-2013 school year, please apply.
Deadline: May 30, 2012. More info on how to apply can be found here.

It's hard to believe, but summer registration will be here before you know it! Parent Programs is looking for volunteers for summer registration! Registration is coordinated by the Office of Admissions-- the Parent Programs Office runs a workshop in the morning that involves parent volunteers and has a table at the afternoon information fair that parent volunteers staff. Volunteers (at least 2 per day) are needed from 8:00am to 4:00pm every weekday starting Tuesday May 29 - Friday July 13, minus the July 4 holiday. Lunch vouchers and housing in residence halls are offered to volunteers.

If you are interested in helping out with these events, visit https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/5961822 to sign up, email the Illini Union Parent Programs Office at uofiparents@illinois.edu, or call (217) 333-7063.

Moms Weekend is 3 weeks away! We need volunteers on Saturday 4/21 for:

Information table: the table runs from 9:00am - 5:00pm and it would be great to get volunteers for 2 hour shifts. If you are available, please sign up at https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/ 4149201.

Craft fair table: the table runs from 10:00am-5:00pm. If you are available, contact Elaine Wrinkle at ewrinklez@gmail.com.

Help us celebrate all things international April 9-15, 2012 on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. International Week at Illinois is comprised of a series of educational, cultural, and recreational events designed to foster interest in our global community. Coordinated by International Programs and Studies and a cross-campus organizing committee, the goal of International Week is to raise awareness about the breadth of international education, activities, and resources at Illinois. We invite students, faculty, staff, and the Champaign-Urbana community to join us in celebrating international education at Illinois.

For more information visit here.

There are many opportunities to be involved in National Volunteer Week on campus! The Illini Union Office of Volunteer Programs is coordinating many activities including volunteering at the Eastern Illinois Foodbank, Special Olympics, Champaign Public Library, and the Oprheum Children's Science Museum.

For more information visit here.

The purpose of Sexual Assault Awareness Month at UIUC is to raise awareness about sexual violence and to educate the campus community and individuals about how to prevent sexual assault and support survivors of sexual assault.

To see a calendar of events, visit here.

The Rape Aggression Defense System (for women only) will provide participants with hands-on training to develop physical skills, as well as develop a base of knowledge of crime prevention techniques. The multi-week course is not about self-defense…it's about empowering yourself and the community against crime.

Women's Course: April 12, April 19, April 26, May 3

For more information visit here.

The Counseling Center Paraprofessionals present "The Tuesday @ 7" workshops, which provide information for the general student population. Workshops take place in the Chaplain Room of the YMCA from 7:00pm - 9:00pm. Upcoming workshops include:

April 17 Put Fears to Rest and Conquer the Test: Overcoming Test Anxiety

To see the spring schedule, visit here.

Do you find yourself procrastinating? Is “cramming” for an exam not working well for you? Would you like to learn how to improve your memory and concentration?

The Counseling Center is offering a series of two day, interactive, ONLINE, educational workshops on “Intentional Studying.” The workshop will provide you with effective strategies for concentration, strategic reading, memory, time management, and organization. These online workshops are FREE to students, but you must register to attend. Space is limited. Please contact the Counseling Center Administrative Office at 217-244-3356 to register. You must register for both days of the workshop!

Upcoming Workshop Dates:
April 17 and 19
April 24 and 26
Workshops will be held 9:30am - 10:30am.

Please make a point to come to these workshops, we would love to see you!  Everybody is welcome. A typical workshop is spent by making art based on a theme with our free supplies while sharing with others in small groups.  This is a nurturing opportunity for self-care through creativity, and we believe everybody could benefit by taking a little time for self-reflective art making in this busy world. Come and feel free to bring a friend or two!

Our Spring 2012 Workshop Schedule is as follows:
Monday, April 16
Monday, April 30 

Mondays from 7:00pm - 9:00pm, Women’s Resources Center, 703 S. Wright Street, 2nd floor

ILLINOIS IN THE NEWS

Learn about some of the cutting-edge research by University of Illinois Professors and students. To read more articles about Illinois in the News, visit the University of Illinois News Bureau website.

Team Discovers how Bacteria Resist a "Trojan Horse" Antibiotic

A new study led by University of Illinois biochemistry professor Satish Nair describes how bacteria use a previously unknown means to defeat an antibiotic. The researchers found that the bacteria have modified a common “housekeeping” enzyme in a way that enables the enzyme to recognize and disarm the antibiotic.

The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Bacteria often engage in chemical warfare with one another, and many antibiotics used in medicine are modeled on the weapons they produce. But microbes also must protect themselves from their own toxins. The defenses they employ for protection can be acquired by other species, leading to antibiotic resistance.

Click to read more.