Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016

Dwight Kay and Katie Stuart
Candidates for Illinois House of Representatives, District 112
5 p.m.
Today
Morris University Center, Fixins' Restaurant (second floor)
Moderator: Leo Welch, faculty member at Southwestern Illinois College
Light refreshments will be provided. 

SIUE retirees, current employees and survivors are invited, as well as SUAA members from Southwestern Illinois College.

Please join us for this SUAAction-sponsored legislative forum to hear the candidates’ views on issues of critical importance to higher education. Welch will pose a series of detailed questions to the candidates regarding their legislative priorities, pension reform, taxation of pensions, constitutional amendments affecting pensions, health insurance benefits, state funding and revenues and related topics.

For more information, contact John Jennetten, president of SUAA SIUE Chapter, jjennetten@yahoo.com.

It’s time to complete mandatory annual online ethics training required of all State of Illinois employees.

This year, the training period for SIUE is through Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Please visit the training website, workplaceanswers.com/uillinois and follow these directions to access your on-line training:

LOGIN INFORMATION
Your User ID is a combination of your name and the month and day of your birthday.
Example: John L. Smith born June 5
User ID: JohnLSmith0605
The default password is ethics#123. You will be prompted to change the password on your first login.

If you have questions about completing your annual ethics training, please contact Gail Hughes at ghughes@siue.edu or Stephanie Schroeder at stschro@siue.edu. Both can also be reached at (618) 650-2190.

If you have technical problems accessing the training, please contact the ITS Helpdesk at 650-5500.

Questions regarding ethics issues or concerns can be addressed to the SIU Ethics Officer, Michelle Taylor at ethics1@siu.edu or Dr. Vanessa Brown at vbrown@siue.edu.  

More information related to the Ethics Act can also be found at the SIU Ethics website, ethics.siu.edu.

Disability Support Services has been celebrating Disability Awareness Month during October. This month has been full of opportunities to learn more about disability.

The following is a list of remaining scheduled activities:

Noon-2 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 19
Morris University Center Goshen Lounge
Accessing Campus: An Obstacle Course
Information will be provided to show the challenges encountered on campus by wheelchair users and those with vision impairments. 

7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 19
Morris University Center Conference Center (second floor)
Comedian Samuel Comroe will perform his stand-up routine. Comroe’s comedy is based on his everyday observations about relationships and life in general, tempered by his trials and tribulations with Tourette Syndrome. 

Tuesday, Oct. 25
Morris University Center second floor near the Multicultural Center
National Disability Employment Awareness Month will be recognized through a display of educational posters. 

"The Greatest Show on Earth: Masculinity, Femininity, and the Performance of Gender” will be presented by Alison Reiheld, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Philosophy, and director of the Women’s Study Program. 
10:30-11:45 a.m.
Wednesday, Oct 19
Morris University Center, Illinois Room

We often think of gender as something we are born with, even as a key part of our identity. These may be part of gender, but some have argued gender is also, and maybe even mostly, a performance. Gender is a major part of who we are in nearly every culture on the globe. Is it the greatest show on earth?

“Plants in Space: How plant cells respond to life on the International Space Station” with Darron Luesse, PhD, associate professor and assistant chair in the Department of Biological Sciences. 
1:15-2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct 19
Morris University Center, Illinois Room

Because future long term space missions will rely on plants for food and oxygen, learn more about the journey that led Luesse and a colleague, Dr. Sarah Wyatt of Ohio University, to a grant from NASA to investigate how plants adjust and cope with the stress of life in space.

The SIUE community of faculty, retired faculty, staff and students are always invited and may attend for FREE.
The cost is $5 for the public to attend.

For a complete synopsis about these and other upcoming presentations, please visit Lifelong Learning or contact Patty Bade at pbade@siue.edu or 650-3985.

We welcome your comments, questions, and participation in the program.

Counseling Services will host a free introductory guided meditation:

1-2 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 19
Morris University Center, International Room (second floor)

All are welcome to learn how breathing can reduce stress. The hour will include discussion and direct experience with how to meditate.

For more information, contact Lisa Thompson-Gibson at lithomp@siue.edu. 

Thursday, Oct. 20 10 a.m.-- 12:30 p.m.
Lower Level of the Student Success Center

Employees covered under a State health plan:
Health Service is able to provide flu shots to employees and retirees who are the primary insurer in a State sponsored insurance plan at no charge. Employees must document the last four digits of your social security number, present your university ID and your state health insurance card in order to receive the vaccine at no charge. Retirees must present your state health insurance card and document the last four digits of their social security number in order to receive the vaccine at no charge.

Employees not covered under a State health plan:
Health Service has two options for you this year.

• You may receive the immunization at a cost of $30 (cash or check) from SIUE Health staff; OR
• You may receive the vaccine from Gateway Regional Health staff (adjacent to our flu clinic location) on campus. If you choose Gateway, please bring your ID and insurance card to use when completing claim form documentation.

Please plan to wear clothing for easy access to the upper arm injection site.

The STEM Center is hosting another round of journal club discussions focused on computational thinking.

Students are increasingly required to think analytically and mathematically, but what are best practices on the topic? Come read articles and find out!

Noon
Thursdays
STEM Resource Center - Vadalabene Center Room 1304 

October 20 -  "Computational Thinking in K−12: A Review of the State of the Field" (Grover and Pea, 2013). This article will provide an overview of current thinking and an introduction to some techniques. 

October 27 - "Using Mathematical and Computational Thinking in Early Grades Science Classrooms" (Gilbert et al. 2016). A short discussion will be held on how computational thinking is expressed in current teaching frameworks like the Next Generation Science Standards. 

All are welcome! Send any questions, or requests for articles, to Colin Wilson at colwils@siue.edu.

Cougar Madness 

7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 20
Vadalabene Center

Free admission. For more information, contact Bradley Hardin at 650-5286.

The Office of Human Resources is dedicated to promoting an environment that supports the balance between an employee's work and personal life. The University's Work-Life program may include topics such as elder care, childcare, wellness and stress management resources.

These sessions, in keeping with the University's mission and vision, serve to integrate your professional and personal life so that you may be more productive, engaged and satisfied in your work setting.

The sessions are free, however, registration is required due to seating availability.

We encourage you to bring your lunch, notepad and a friend to enjoy the the session:

12-1 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 27
Morris University Center Mississippi-Illinois Room
Seating is limited. RSVP to Rasheda King at rajohns@siue.edu.

There will be a 30–45-minute presentation, followed by a 15-minute question and answer portion.

Tentative presentations for upcoming months include:

November -- Food Service: Food Safety for the Holidays
December  -- Campus Security: Shopping with the Masses
January --  Studio Gaia Edwardsville: New Year New You (Yoga)

We are always in search of speakers with a message to share, to motivate, to explain, to enlighten and enrich the campus community. If you have a passion, or know someone with an interest in a particular area of importance to employees, please e-mail King.

Alton Memorial Hospital and SIUE women's basketball are teaming up for the Lil' Cougar Clinic for area girls in grades first through eighth.

The clinic, to be held at SIUE's Vadalabene Center for the fourth consecutive year, is divided into two dates:
1:30-3 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 22

1:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 29

All are welcome to attend both dates.

The cost of the clinic is $25, and each participant will receive a T-shirt and a basketball. All participating kids also will receive a free pass to all SIUE Cougar Athletics events.

Registration is FREE for the first 75 girls to sign up. To sign up or for questions, contact Alexis Lawrence at allawre@siue.edu or call 650-2791.

The month of November is open enrollment for the new Student Fitness Center Payroll Deduction option for a one-year membership (January to December).

The payroll deduction option will allow SIUE employees to pay for their Student Fitness Center membership by automatically having four equal payments of just $60 withdrawn from their pay in the months of January and February. (There is also a monthly payment option using a checking account.)

See the Student Fitness Center’s Membership page, call 650-2348, or stop by the reception desk for more information about payroll deduction and other membership payment options.

Also for a limited time, all new memberships get a free full-size locker rental for one year, which is a $60 value.