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Weekly Update: Sustainapalooza, bike rental, Lincoln Avenue Corridor Study Open House
Associated Project(s):All, Sorry for the delay, I was out yesterday. My staff tabled at the Sustainapalooza yesterday on the quad.
Elsewhere, our visitor numbers are creeping up and we had two people originally interested in renting our 1-person bikes but upon further consideration, opted to try out our tandem to great success. Our donations have anecdotally ticked upwards as well, which is fortuitous timing as we had exhausted our supply of used 26” tires.
Just received late notice about the RPC having an outreach/input session this afternoon on the Lincoln Avenue Corridor Study, which I’ll publicize to my staff and visitors. The more voices that can provide input, the better.
The numbers:
Visitors: 44
Sales: $682.65
Bikes: 4 for $675
Memberships: 2 for $60
Tires/tubes: 9 for $68
Thanks!Jacob Benjamin
Coordinator -- Campus Bike Center2024 Tree Care Plan
Associated Project(s):Attached is the 2024 annual Tree Care Plan.
Attached Files:Weekly Update: bike sale, TBP community ride
Associated Project(s):All, Getting busier with the warmer temps. Working our way through a glut of single speed bikes, which are both easy to fix (thus far; knock on wood) and will be in demand come the fall. We’ve got around 20 or so bikes for sale, but the math is shifting from when we have more time to fix than help to now having more people in than down time to fix up bikes.
Over the weekend The Bike Project held a community ride, which I attended. Great weather for some bumpy road meandering!
The numbers:
Visitors: 26
Sales: $1,047.50
Bikes (refurb): 4 for $685
Memberships: 5 for $150
Tires/tubes: 12 for $96Thanks!
Jacob Benjamin
Coordinator -- Campus Bike CenterWeekly Digest
Associated Project(s):Rainy weather last week kept our visit numbers down at the beginning of the week. This allowed us some time to fix more bikes, and we’re up to 20 for sale bikes. We’ve also seen an uptick in drop-off repairs.
We had another Bike Center on the Quad event last Friday and that went very well with a reported estimate of a dozen attendees. A success! Even though the team forgot to pack repair stands (whoops!).
Saturday was Sustainapalooza ’25 and we were able to lend a bike for a Smoothie Bike—pedal to blend your smoothie! Happy to be able to facilitate that.
This week we will host another instructional class, this time covering Gear Shifting 101.The numbers:
Visitors: 60
Sales: $461.50
Memberships: 9 for $270
Tires/tubes: 9 for $65Weekly Update: Walking Tour
Associated Project(s):All, Slow week with the bad weather. This week looks better. Friday we’re helping with the Campus Recreation Walking Tour and so will show off our space to some folks that probably wouldn’t visit otherwise—that’ll be fun.
Also have a couple new staff starting this week.
The numbers:
Visitors: 14
Sales: $223.50
Memberships: 2 for $60
Tires/tubes: 4 for $35Thanks!
Jacob Benjamin
Coordinator -- Campus Bike CenterWeekly Update: Donation, Busier week, Staff training
Associated Project(s):All, It’s April! Busier week over here with the warm spell. Tues/Thurs continue to be slower days and the 4 – 6p side of our hours remain more popular—anecdotally. I’ll dig into the numbers and see if that bears out.
We are also trying out new sales tickets for our bikes, with the hopes that it’ll speed up that process as demand at the computer/square station will increase between our checkouts and the Adv. Rec folks.
We received a large donation on Thursday, which we’ll continue to work through this week. Will also facilitate a staff training for a new hire. Plan to tackle some of the abandoned bikes as well.
The numbers:
Visitors: 38
Sales: $727
Bikes (refurb): 2 for $275
Bikes (B-a-B): 1 for $50
Memberships: 4 for $120
Tires/tubes: 2 for $19Thanks!
Jacob Benjamin
Coordinator -- Campus Bike CenterWeekly update: M-F hours, IU sustainability visit
Associated Project(s):All, First week of being open M – F wasn’t blow-the-doors-off-busy. Tuesday was a dud, but Thursday picked up a little. Think it’ll take a little longer to get the word out on our new hours, and of course it’s always weather-dependent to a degree.
We had a visit from Indiana University sustainability folks on Friday, which was good.
This week is business as usual and next week it’ll be April! That undoubtedly will be a busy month.
The numbers:
Visitors: 26Sales: $934.09
Bikes (refurb): 3 for $540Bikes (B-a-B): 1 for $50
Memberships: 6 for $180
Tires/tubes: 10 for $65
Thanks!Jacob Benjamin
Coordinator -- Campus Bike CenterDump and Run digital graphics
Associated Project(s):Attached Files:Dump and Run posters
Associated Project(s):I have attached files for the digital sign and the posters. I will get our marketing staff to add the digital sign to our boards in the next couple weeks, and I have asked them to add it to a future issue of Housing Insider. We already talked about the hall posters, but the larger foam board signs you can also bring to me and I will get them delivered to the halls. To cover all the halls we will need 20. I have seen them produced with the a build in fold out stand on the back, which would make it really easy to place in the halls as opposed to having to get a easel for each sign. But we can make either work.
Let me know if you have any questions or thoughts on the design.
BRYAN JOHNSON
Hi Bryan,
Thank you for sending these over! I wanted to follow up with a couple of items:
- I just got notice from University YMCA that we should include the ampersand as opposed to “and,” as well as the used of ® after the name, because YMCA received approval for trademarking. Would it be possible to revise what was created with this new info?
- Are there standard dimensions for the foam board signs? This isn’t something F&S created last year, so just want to make sure I understand the product we are talking about. Is this something that Housing communications would be able to assist with?
Thank you,
DaphneThe marketing person who typically orders the poster board signs is out of the office today, but she is expected back tomorrow. She is supposed to get me an answer on how we can get them produced when she returns. Until then, here are updated creatives with the suggestions you provided. Let me know if these look good.
BRYAN JOHNSON
Attached Files:Eastern Illinois Foodbank Update
Associated Project(s):Hi Jenna,
We met with Eastern Illinois Foodbank this morning, and they are excited about the prospect of working with us. F&S and Dining plan to take on the labor to bring the food donations to the foodbank. At the foodbank, the incoming product can be weighed so we can track that data. We are thinking of having boxes inside of the shipping containers (there will probably be 6-9 shipping containers this year, locations are pending) dedicated to food collection. They take the typical stuff, non-perishable, non-opened, but they do not have any issues with us brining expired food. Their team will go through and make the final call on what is distributed to the pantries. Most students probably won’t have super old food anyway, we suspect. UIUC will fill out a food drive form for the foodbank, and we will work on how to advertise this food drive effort at the residence halls – if you have any suggestions on that part, that would be awesome.
Thank you,
Daphne
Weekly Update: Spring break, M-F open
Associated Project(s):All, We were closed for Spring Break, and I guess mother nature decided that was when it would actually be spring, and now it’s back to winter. This week we reopen to M – F 2 - 6p. Considering the cooler temps, likely won’t be super busy on those days.
We were thwarted by the weather right before break and unable to clear bikes from the barn but will try again this week.
The numbers:
Visitors: 29
Sales: $302.50
Bikes (B-a-B): 1 for $40Memberships: 4 for $120
Tires/tubes: 13 for $75Thanks!
Jacob Benjamin
Coordinator -- Campus Bike CenteriSEE New Green Event Certifications - February 2024
Associated Project(s):The Greener Campus Program would like to recognize the most recent events certified under the Green Event Certification Program.
These events include:
- Office of the Provost's Student Success Symposium; hosted February 8th, 2024
- Office of the Provost's Celebration of Academic Excellence; hosted February 20th, 2024
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel Workshop; hosted February 23rd, 2024
Congratulations and keep up the great work!
Weekly Update
Associated Project(s):All, Business as usual last week. We cleared some space up in the back to accommodate more for sale bikes, as we were out of room in the lobby.
After this week, we will be closed all of Spring Break and afterwards reopen M – F.
Will continue to grab bikes from the barn this week. Another unseasonably warm week ahead!
The numbers:
Visitors: 38
Sales: $467
Bikes: 1 for $180
Memberships: 4 for $120
Tires/tubes: 2 for $30Thanks!
Jacob Benjamin
Coordinator -- Campus Bike CenteriSEE research newsletter - EV chargers
Associated Project(s):In the Media: EV Charging Stations
A Chicago Tribune story on plans by the state of Illinois to add more than 1,000 new public electric vehicle (EV) chargers included expertise shared by iSEE affiliate George Gross, Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Illinois. He said the shortage of EV charging stations isn't just an Illinois problem but a national one. Explore EV and other sustainable transportation options — and ways to make these systems more equitable for all to access — May 16-17 at an iSEE workshop in Chicago on "Envisioning Equitable Transitions to Sustainable Transportation Systems," co-hosted by the University of Illinois-Chicago! Details >>>Green Research Program documents - drafts
Associated Project(s):Attached are:
- The green research committee charge letter,
- The committee’s written proposal that was presented to leadership , and
- Following the meeting with leadership, the presentation developed and delivered to the iSEE Sustainability Council and sub-council.Also attached is a copy of the revised budget which eliminated FY24 and added FY29. In addition to student labor, other costs that could potentially be part of the SSC grant application are the training software subscription, marketing & promotional materials, and web presence.
Also attached is a draft position description for the Green Research Coordinator position based on the committee report. It is anticipated that this will and should be civil service in the Program Coordinator classification. As such, education requirements have been written to match the classification which deviates from prior discussions.
Weekly Update: Busy, M-F hours after Spring break
Associated Project(s):All, Business as usual last week. We were especially busy on Friday with a wait for stand time. Today will probably be hopping, too. Warm weather and all. Should cool down by end of week and allow us to finish some for-sale bikes, as spring seems to be coming sooner this year. Only a couple more weeks before we’re open M – F. Be good to get the Tue/Thurs crew some public facing time, as they’ve been squirreled away working on our off-days.
The numbers:
Visitors: 38
Sales: $764.50
Bikes (refurb): 2 for $350Memberships: 5 for $150
Tires/tubes: 11 for $85Thanks!
Jacob Benjamin
Coordinator -- Campus Bike CenterBiodiversity Master Plan Finalized
Associated Project(s):The Urban Biodiversity Master Plan has neared its completion and will be sent to the iCAP Resilience Team for implementation. The iCAP Resilience Team will continue to work with city officals from Savoy, Champaign, and Urbana to collaborate and establish this comprehensive plan.
iCAP Resilience Team Meeting 2-22-24
Associated Project(s):The iCAP Resilience Team met on 2/22/24 to kickoff the new semester and discuss further objectives for the 2025 iCAP. Meeting minutes are attached.
Attached Files:Weekly Update
Associated Project(s):All, Most surprisingly, we sold a bike on Friday during the snowy times. Odd timing but if you need a bike, you need a bike! Can’t argue there. Got a new hire in pipeline, gearing up for some warmer weather this week. Probably means some busyness around here.
Been working with my staff on lacing up wheels. Can’t speak highly enough of the instructional book and the staff have taken to it admirably.
The numbers:
Visitors: 21
Sales: $493.50Bikes (refurb): 1 for $160
Memberships: 5 for $150
Tires/tubes: 9 for $95
Thanks!
Jacob Benjamin
Coordinator -- Campus Bike Center

