Education

‘No Taxpayer Dollars’ for coaches at the University of Illinois? It’s a lie

The Multimillion-Dollar Head Fake is an investigative project by Jay Rosenstein, a University of Illinois professor of Media and Cinema Studies, on how the University of Illinois spends state money on its athletic department despite claims to the contrary. Here part one of a four-part series as presented on Rosenstein's website. It was also featured in the Huffington Post, the Champaign News Gazette, Illinois Public Media and the Chicago Tribune.

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Read more about the article Champaign schools implement coding curriculumDarrell Hoemann
Kevin Zhu shows off some of his coding in Tabith Dunn's class at Kenwood School in Champaign, IL on Tuesday, November 7, 2017. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Champaign schools implement coding curriculum

Champaign Unit 4 Schools have implemented a curriculum based around coding, beginning in kindergarten and going all the way up through high school. The students have designated time each week to learn how to code through the programming language Scratch.

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Read more about the article Physical accessibility issues persist at University of Illinois 27 years after ADASteffie Drucker/For CU-CitizenAccess
A $60 million renovation helped Lincoln Hall become more accessible.

Physical accessibility issues persist at University of Illinois 27 years after ADA

While the University of Illinois has been called a pioneer in providing accessibility and support for students with disabilities, certain simple items — such as buttons to call and operate the elevator in Gregory Hall — remain out of reach.

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Read more about the article Despite reputation, University of Illinois struggles with web accessibilityDarrell Hoemann
Tim Offenstein, Lead Information Design Specialist Campus Accessibility Liaison at UIUC with web pages he is checking or accessible tags in his office at the Digital Computing Lab in Urbana, IL on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Despite reputation, University of Illinois struggles with web accessibility

If Tim Offenstein had to grade the University of Illinois in terms of web accessibility, he said he would give a B or C+.

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Read more about the article Federal civil rights investigation into University of Illinois web accessibility launcheduser
A copy of the notification of a civil rights investigation launched by the Department of Education sent to Chancellor Robert Jones.

Federal civil rights investigation into University of Illinois web accessibility launched

The University of Illinois is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights because many university web pages are allegedly inaccessible to those with disabilities, according to an official notification sent to Chancellor Robert Jones on April 10.

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Read more about the article New law allows Illinois schools access to students’ social media passwordsAP
Champaign Unit 4 school district attorney Tom Hockman with a screen of some of the district's digital media policies in his office in Champaign on Wednesday, April 1, 2015. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

New law allows Illinois schools access to students’ social media passwords

Teenage cyberbullies across Illinois might want to think twice before posting anything mean or reckless on social media ever again. Illinois public school administrators now have the authority to demand a student’s social media account password if the school suspects the student of violating a disciplinary rule or policy, thanks to a new law implemented earlier this year.

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Read more about the article Free and reduced-cost lunches served up at Champaign County schoolsDarrell Hoemann
Peaches are served to a student at Booker T. Washington school in Champaign, Il on Monday, April 13, 2015. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Free and reduced-cost lunches served up at Champaign County schools

The number of children receiving free and reduced-cost lunches in Champaign County is on the rise as numbers across the country decline. Of the school districts that reported, more than 51 percent of children in the county are receiving free or reduced cost lunches, up 2 percent from 2014, according to state education data.

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Read more about the article Head Start, Early Head Start struggle with fundingAP
Head Start director Cameron Moore in a classroom at the Champaign facility on Wednesday, April 1, 2015. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Head Start, Early Head Start struggle with funding

The Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Champaign County spent about $6.8 million last year to prepare young children from low-income families for kindergarten. But it is not enough. Although the programs serve nearly 600 children, there are still 230 on the waiting list.

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Read more about the article Second Chances at Urbana Adult EducationLuke Ray/For CU-CitizenAccess.org
Jackie Mills does not have a high school diploma. She is working on getting one through Urbana Adult Education. Spring 2014

Second Chances at Urbana Adult Education

By Luke Ray/For CU-CitizenAccess.org -- The Urbana Adult Education Center (UAEC) offers free high school, GED, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), and other courses to adults…

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Read more about the article Native American student still anguished over campus attitudes
Sandoval holds a sign outside of the Native American House during a University-sponsored "I stand for..." event last year.

Native American student still anguished over campus attitudes

Xochitl Sandoval is proud of her Native American heritage. She is not proud, however, of her campus's attitude toward her Native American heritage. Sandoval, a recent graduate of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, follows the Nahua tradition of her mother's heritage and has a Rararmuri background from her father. Through volunteering with the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, Sandoval became interested in learning more about her indigenous culture.

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