“Survey: UI dorms among worst in nation,” Daily Illini, March 14
On Mar. 1, CampusSplash.com, a college news website, published a list of the “10 Worst Dorms in America,” based on ratings from students across the country. The verdict? Garner was ranked the worst dorm in the country, with Weston and Forbes coming in fifth and sixth, respectively.
“Urbana school board to send layoff notices to 66,” News-Gazette, March 15
The Urbana school board Tuesday night approved issuing reduction in force, or layoff, notices to 66 employees.
While the task of informing employees of layoffs is never pleasant, the good news is that the district is issuing fewer than half the number of reduction in force notices it issued last year, when it cut $2 million from its budget for the current school year.
“Food service workers voice discontent, prepare strike,” Daily Illini, March 16
University building and food service workers were joined by a large crowd of student organizations and faculty members during a rally on Wednesday afternoon.
Led by Service Employees International Union, or SEIU Local 73, service workers were joined by student groups such as the Graduate Employees’ Organization, or GEO, By Any Means Necessary and Undergraduate-Graduate Alliance to help protest the University’s responses to contract negotiations.
“Champaign council drops idea of pension bonds,” News-Gazette, March 16
The city council on Tuesday night voted 8-0 to drop the discussion of pension obligation bonds, a proposal that some had touted in previous months as a method to reduce budget costs by millions and prevent the pain of cuts to services.
But council members decided the investment risk was just too high.
“UI plans to raise tuition, but only to account for inflation,” News-Gazette, March 15
The next tuition hike will be tied to inflation, but the University of Illinois is still not releasing a dollar figure.
UI spokesman Tom Hardy said tuition is likely to be voted on at the March 23 board of trustees meeting in Springfield, but the agenda item has not yet been composed.