HR news and notes for April 2025
Benefits choice fair on campus May
In anticipation for the upcoming Benefits Open Enrollment sponsored and facilitated through Central Management Services (CMS), a benefit choice fair with plan representatives will be held on campus on Monday, May 12, in the Prairie Room of the Bone Student Center. As some vendors will change going into the new benefits year (fiscal year 2026), it may be more important than usual for University employees to research and ask questions in-person with regards to benefit plans. Additionally, our other vendors (eye and dental benefits, as well as some savings representatives) will be on campus to help employees prepare for the upcoming elections. The normal Benefits Choice Open Enrollment Period will run during May (ending June 2) to allow employees to confirm and/or update plans effective on July 1, 2025. More information on the fair and choices can be found here.
Dependent tuition waivers accepted starting June 1
New and continuing dependents of Illinois State University employees who are attending Illinois State University (or another state school) in summer of 2025, fall of 2025, or spring 2026 should start preparing their tuition waiver forms for submission to Human Resources June 1, 2025. Our office will begin to accept and process these waivers at that time. More information on dependent waivers, qualifying, and where to locate and submit forms can be found here.
Learning and development
Staff members from more than 15 departments across campus completed a Leadership Certificate program as a cohort for 2024-2025. To read more about that program and the certificate recipients, read the full story here here. As we move into summer, some in-person offerings will still occur and be listed on our website and we will shift to a focus on asynchronous (available 24/7) learning through LinkedIn Learning (including a day-by-day calendar for Leadership in May). More information and additional campus learning opportunities can be discovered on the HR webpage.
Sick Leave Bank open enrollment closed
Human Resources completed the first step of the open enrollment for the University Sick Leave Bank (SLB) program from April 3 through April 14 in iPeople. Adhering to the Sick Leave Bank policy (3.1.38), those elections will be reviewed and individuals will see the donation and election in their iPeople balance and benefits in July of this year. If you have questions or concerns regarding the Sick Leave Bank program, please contact Human Resources at (309) 438-8311 or hrbenefits@IllinoisState.edu, and we will gladly assist.
For an archive of news and notes articles, past posts are available on our web site.
Latest Publications
- Dr. Claudia Petrescu named associate vice president for Graduate Education & Internationalization Initiatives, effective July 1, 2025Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Dr. Ani Yazedjian, has named Dr. Claudia Petrescu as Associate Vice President for Graduate Education and Internationalization Initiatives effective July 1, 2025.
- Back in action: Innovation hub and incubator project reignitedIllinois State University is revisiting the conversation about an innovation hub and business incubator. The original plans for a physical space were placed on hold in 2022 after a developer decided not to construct a four-story building in Uptown Normal that would have housed the business incubator among other private businesses.
- Water main flushing on campusCrews with the Normal Fire Department, ISU Facilities Maintenance, and Environmental Health and Safety will be flushing standpipes and fire pumps in May and June.
- Graduate research exhibit merges design and community-engaged research practices to drive social changeDesign influences our lives in ways we often don't realize. It's present in the schools we attend, the offices where we work, and the homes we live in. Sierra Mack-Erb researches the power of design as a graduate fellow at Illinois State University and is earning their M.S. in Cultural Anthropology in the Applied Community and Economic Development sequence.
- Faculty/staff assistance requested with first-destination data collectionAlthough the survey is sent to the University email accounts of all graduating students, faculty and staff assistance is needed to encourage students to complete the survey.
- Secretary of State mobile office, April 29, 2025The Secretary of State's Office will provide services on April 29, 2025, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., in the Spotlight Room of the Bone Student Center.
