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Projects Updates for place: Campus Bike Center

  2. Weekly Update: Bike to Work Day, Light the Night

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, I was out sick all last week with some combination of flu/cold/sinus infection. My staff handled operations in my absence. However, there were some issues tracking visit numbers, unfortunately.

    Last Thursday was Bike To Work Day. Some very awesome people stepped up and filled in for me. Sounds like it was a banner year! Congrats to all involved.

    Tomorrow evening is Light The Night. We’ll be hosting at a different location this year. Should be a better spot for folks to get their lights.

    We were inundated with donations last week. I’ll bring in staff off-hours to help scrap the junk bikes and reorganize this week. Hopefully we’ll have our space in better shape by our open hours on Wednesday.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 8*
    Sales: $1,242.50
    Bikes (refurb): 2 for $215
    Bikes (B-a-B): 1 for $40
    Memberships: 17 for $510
    Tires/tubes: 9 for $55

    *See above issue with visit numbers.

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  4. Noteworthy at Illinois: Bike at Illinois mention

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bike at Illinois Website and Campaign
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night
    Noteworthy
     
     


     

    Welcome to a new year at Illinois

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    We've opened our semester with all the energy and excitement a new academic year deserves. By watching this short video, you'll see we are already meeting plenty of new faces.

    I am so grateful to have you as part of our Illinois family. Because, as we all know, the best parts of any new journey are the people who share it with you.

    Robert J. Jones, Chancellor

    Chancellor Jones

    		  


     

    students at memorial stadium

    Meet the Illinois family

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    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign welcomed a record-breaking class of students for the 2023-24 academic year. Representing excellence at scale, the total student enrollment is 56,403.

    By the numbers:

    • 8,325 new freshmen
    • 74% in-state students, the largest number since 2006
    • 22% from underrepresented groups
    • 24% first-generation college students
    • 6,304 new graduate students, one of the largest group of new graduate students in history
    • 32% increase in new certificate students
    		  


     

    foellinger auditorium

    Explore our university

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    Discovering our campus: A new academic year means new opportunities to explore.

    Experiencing game day: Illinois returns to Memorial Stadium for its Big Ten opener against Penn State on Saturday. 

    Visiting the Illini Union: A new exhibition at the Illini Union Art Gallery is featuring photographs of artwork from the Mexican Muralism movement. 

    Watching live performance: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts showcases national and international artists as well as university student performances in music, theater, dance and more. 

    Exploring Krannert Art Museum: The university is home to the second-largest general fine art museum in the state. 

    Biking at Illinois: Illinois is a leader in sustainability and active transportation. Celebrate C-U Bike Month during September.

    		  


     

    orange fountain

    Get ready for Illinois Homecoming

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    It's one of the best weeks of the year. Whether you’ve lived here for years or are returning for the first time, Illinois Homecoming is the perfect time to explore our university community.

    Mark your calendars for Oct. 15-21, with more details coming soon.

    		  


     

    student with research project

    Discover Illinois innovation

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    Inspiring discovery: In 30 seconds, watch how Illinois is a world-class leader in research, teaching and public engagement. 

    Seeing humanities in action: Undergraduate humanities scholars are pursuing community engagement opportunities within the Champaign-Urbana community.

    Bringing cells to life: Researchers, policymakers and Minecraft players can look forward to the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology’s newest research center. 

    Leading autonomous construction: The university will be the site of a new research center focused on the most pressing questions related to autonomous construction technologies.

    Propelling ag education: Illinois will collaborate with six community college agricultural technology programs to design and conduct a course and internship program for students.  

    		  


     

    alma mater statue

    Stay connected with Illinois 

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    Missing campus: Watch live from the Main Quad or at the Alma Mater statue.

    Following news at Illinois: Stay up-to-date on the latest Illinois news.

    Applying to Illinois: Know an aspiring Illini? Applications for admission are now open.

  5. Bike at Illinois Newsletter: September 2023

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bike at Illinois Website and Campaign
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles
    Lock Your Bike Right (LYBR)

     

    Facilities & Services

    Bike at Illinois

     

     

     

     
    Bike at Illinois Newsletter: September 2023

     

     

    Thank you for registering your bicycle! There are a few bicycle related events coming up in the Champaign-Urbana area, and we would like to invite you to participate in them!

    We, also, want to remind you to collect your bike registration sticker (shield) and attach it to your bicycle, if you have not done so already. There are, currently, eight campus and community Shield pick up locations. You will be required to show the Bike Registration Fee payment confirmation email and identification to collect a shield.

    Winners of Bike Registration Raffle will be contacted soon as well!

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Upcoming events

     

     

     

    CU Bike Month 2023 t-shirt

     

    		  

    Bike to Work Day

    Ride your bike to campus on Thursday, September 14, and get a free T-shirt! Welcome stations featuring drinks and snacks will be available from 7 to 10 a.m., at eight university locations. Participants will also be able to interact with other bicyclists and city planners about potential enhancements to the bicycle network and future programming. First-time riders are encouraged to take part and learn more about the C-U bike community.

    You must preregister at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/BiketoWorkDay and bring your bicycle to get this year's shirt (shown). The event will move to September 15, should inclement weather arise.

    Light the Night – Free Bike Light Giveaway

    The 16th annual Light the Night is Tuesday, September 19, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Alma Mater Plaza, Hallene Gateway, and the Ikenberry Commons Quad. You MUST bring your bike to get a light set. Approximately 1,100 bike light sets will be available. In case of severe weather, the event will be rescheduled for September 21.

    Remember, bike lights are required by Illinois law when riding at night. Volunteers are still needed for the event.

    Reclaiming an Abandoned Bike

    F&S removed almost 230 abandoned bicycles on campus this summer. If you left your bike and want to reclaim it, email bike@illinois.edu and include where it was located, the make/model, color, and serial number, if possible. Bike registration information or other documentation will be needed to prove ownership (e.g., pictures). More information is available at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/ReclaimBike. If the bicycle wasn't registered, that step must be completed before retrieving the bike. The deadline to reclaim your bicycle is Friday, September 22, 2023. Any unclaimed bikes will be donated to the Campus Bike Center and the Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign to help support bicycle programs and initiatives.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Bike Safety: Always lock your bicycle

     

     

     

     

    For nearly 60 percent of the bike thefts reported in the past year, the stolen bicycle was not locked. Always lock your bicycle to a bike rack to keep it safe. Watch this video on how to properly lock your bicycle. Watch other educational videos created by Bike at Illinois.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Thank you so much for all your support, and learn more about the Bike at Illinois program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Contact us at bike@illinois.edu for any questions.

     

     

     

     

  7. F&S Announcement - Celebrate C-U Bike Month

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    Join the Others in the Community at Bike to Work and Light the Night Events

    Bike at Illinois strives to offer resources, education, and engagement for a safer, more comfortable, and more enjoyable biking experience on the Urbana campus. As the university celebrates C-U Bike Month, please join students, faculty, and staff in upcoming events and learn more about bicycle registration, safety tips, rules of the road, bike infrastructure, and how to participate in sustainability initiatives.

    Bike to Work Day
    Ride your bike to campus on Thursday, September 14, and get a free T-shirt! Welcome stations featuring drinks and snacks will be available from 7 to 10 a.m., at eight university locations. You must preregister at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/BiketoWorkDay and bring your bicycle to get the shirt.

    Volunteers can also help provide more information about the benefits of registering your bike with 529 Garage’s national database (https://go.illinois.edu/RegisterYourBike). Once registered, owners will get a 529 Shield (registration decal) to help as a theft deter

    Light the Night – Free Bike Light Giveaway

    The 16th annual LTN is Tuesday, September 19, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Alma Mater Plaza, Hallene Gateway, and the Campus Bike Center (51 E. Gregory Drive). You MUST bring your bike to get a light set. Approximately 1,100 bike light sets will be available this year.

    Remember, bike lights are required by Illinois law when riding at night. Volunteers are still needed for the event.

    Attached Files: 

  8. Check in meeting from September 6, 2023

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night
    Community Bicycle Events and Rides

    Please see attached the agenda and documents shared during this meeting. Watch the meeting recording here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QZsmvj8CXrpSFk7BlJpjw4Pvm64c0u4V/view?u...

    Attached Files: 

  9. Weekly Update: very busy week

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Another doozy of a week. Long wait times for stands, cash offers to “hold” bikes, and my favorite: “When will you get a new shipment of bikes?”

    This week promises to be a little better with more staff on board, and presumably fewer folks coming for their registration sticker. We’ll also have our first Friday Ride of the semester. Weather looks good for it!

    Tonight is the Bike Project Members’ Meeting. I’ll mention it to all the new members we sign-up today.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 142
    Sales: $2,631.38
    Bikes (refurb): 5 for $855
    Bikes (B-a-B): 2 for $100
    Memberships: 28 for $840

    Tires/tubes: 37 for $263

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  10. Family and Graduate Housing outreach event at Orchard Downs Community Center

    Associated Project(s): 
    Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center
    Encourage Bicycle Use

    On 08/26/2023, Sarthak and Hrushikesh were part of a tabling event held in the community center of Family and Graduate Housing at Orchard Downs. Our goal in the event was to spread awareness about the use of bicycles and to give out all the information about bicycles along with free goodies like wrist bands, Keychain, Bike route maps, Bicycle safety rules, and Bike Registration procedure.

    Attached Files: 

  11. Check in meeting from August 23, 2023

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    Please see attached the agenda and documents shared during this meeting. Watch the meeting recording here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gJBM9J-Tc1nGEg5lCEa4uxfQ8NgzOUea/view?u...

     

    Attached Files: 

  12. Weekly Update: Students are back, Illini Frenzy

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, The semester has officially started! People are knocking on the doors at all hours, we’re almost out of sale bikes, the 529 registrations are a near constant, and there’s a wait for stand time by 3p every day. Demand is never higher than this time of year.

    On Saturday, we had the Illini Frenzy, and our spin-a-prize bike wheel was a huge hit. Something Pavlovian about the act of spinning a wheel. Even when we were out of all our freebies, people spun it anyways, and a line formed almost immediately. I’ll need to work out a couple of things with it, but I think it’s a keeper for outreach events and the like.

    On Friday, Daniel and Rick—two experienced volunteers—came by to lend a hand—and boy did we need it! Many thanks to them. Also, thanks to Todd for grabbing scrap over the weekend.

    This week I’ll try to throw some bikes together during our off hours, send out some offer letters for new hires, and do some trainings for our new/returning staff.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 156
    Sales: $3,127.75
    Bikes (refurb): 13 for $1,840

    Bikes (B-a-B): 1 for $50
    Memberships: 21 for $630
    Tires/tubes: 10 for $84

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  13. ISSS newsletter- new academic year! 8/25/23

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles
    Bicycle Registration

    Sarthak sent announcements (to Caitlin Kaparaz) to be added to the ISSS newsletter (publishing on August 25):

    1. Reclaim Your Abandoned Bike
      Every summer, F&S tags and removes all abandoned bikes. If you left your bike and want to reclaim it, email bike@illinois.edu and include where it was located, the make/model, color, and serial number, if possible. Bike registration information or other documentation will be needed to prove ownership (e.g., pictures). Deadline to reclaim your bicycle: Friday, September 22. All unclaimed bicycles will be donated after that date.
    2. Light the Night – Free Bike Light Giveaway
      The 16th annual Light the Night is Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Alma Mater Plaza, Hallene Gateway, and Ikenberry Commons Quad. You MUST bring your bike to get a light set. Approximately 1,000 bike light sets will be available this year. Remember, bike lights are required by Illinois law when riding at night. If you would like to volunteer for this event, please sign up here.
    3. Celebrate Bike to Work Day on September 14 and Receive a Free T-Shirt
      Ride your bike to campus on Thursday, Sept. 14, and get a free t-shirt! Welcome stations will be set up across the area from 7 – 10 a.m., including eight U of I locations. Celebrate Champaign County Bike to Work Day with others by stopping in for refreshments and snacks. You must bring your bicycle and pre-register at https://go.fs.illinois.edu/BiketoWorkDay to get the shirt!

    Optional announcement

    • Register your bicycle
      Bicycle registration is mandatory for all bicycles parked or operated on campus and owned by students, staff, faculty, University departments, and community members. There is a one-time $10 registration fee per bicycle. All bicycle registrants will enter a raffle for a chance to win a U-lock or a Helmet. Learn more about the bicycle registration raffle. Contact bike@illinois.edu if you have questions regarding bicycle registration.

  14. Digital signage added

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bicycle Registration
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles

    Two new digital signs were added to campus buildings

    1. Bike Registration: from 8/21/2023 until 11/20/2023 (https://bike.illinois.edu/register-your-bike/)
    2. Abandoned bicycles retrieval: from 8/21/2023 to 9/22/2023 (https://bike.illinois.edu/resources/bicycle-roundup/
    Attached Files: 

  15. Weekly Udpate: Interviews for CBC

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Short week for me as I was out Wed – Fri last week. My staff covered in my absence.

    In the couple days I did work, we got the rest of the bikes out of the barn and began some Tetris-like work in reorganizing our space and bikes. Got a deluge of applications since I was out, which is great. I’ll schedule interviews for this week.

    Likely will get very busy this week as students return. I’ll build bikes as I can.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 20
    Sales: $1,021
    Bikes (refurb): 3 for $480
    Memberships: 8 for $240
    Tires/tubes: 4 for $52

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  16. Monthly Meeting with Jake

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    On 08/07/2023, Sarthak and Hrushikesh had a monthly meeting with Jake.

    Meeting Notes:

    - Actively promoting Bike Registration to students or commuters visiting and using the Campus Bike Center.

    - Campus Bike Center should have printer QR code sticker/ flyer for Bike Registration.

    - Bike Friendly Application will be submitted on 08/08/2023.

    - Light the Night Event near Ikenberry Hopkins Hall and ARC.

    - Bike Lights including the screw fitting types will be used for the events.

    -  Bike Safety Quiz is recommended to be promoted by the Campus Bike Center.

    - Merchandise purchase order is placed.

    - How to use Outdoor Pumps video can be made by the Campus Recreation marketing team.

    To do for Sarthak:

    - Find out Campus Bike Center Built-up area for UIC recommendation.

    - Try to get the merchandise before August 20th for the Campus Bike Center events.    

  17. Weekly Update: Calm before the storm, getting ready

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, These days feel like the calm before the storm. Starting to get phone calls and emails from families and folks looking for bikes as they plan to come to town. We’ll sell out of our supply of bikes before the semester begins, if past demand is any indication.  We’ll work on getting a few more B-a-Bs prepped and ready to go, as demand looks to increase in the absence of refurbished bikes.

    I’ll be out of the office Wednesday – Friday this week. My staff will cover open hours on those days.

    The numbers:

    Sales: $572
    Bikes (refurb): 2 for $345
    Memberships: 2 for $60
    Tires/tubes: 6 for $43

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  18. Public Functions Estimate for Light the Night and Bike to Work Day

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    Sarthak reached out to Paul Jensen to get an estimate for tables and chairs for our annual Bike to Work Day and Light the Night events. Last year in 2022, the cost for Light the Night event was around $360 (WO #10994257) and for Bike to Work Day, it was $640 (10994256). We are expecting the same amount of work and same number of locations.

    Paul provided the following estimate:

    Light the Night = $600.00

    Bike to Work Day = $900.00

  19. Housing reached out to support Bike to Work Day

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day

    Sarthak Prasad reached out to Bryan Johnson at University Housing for their continued support towards the Bike to Work Day event on campus.

    ---

    Hi Bryan,

    We are planning to hold the Bike to Work Day event on Thursday, September 14, 2022 from 7-10 am (with a rain date of September 15), and I wanted to ask if the Housing department would be able to contribute snacks and refreshments at the University operated Bike to Work Day stations. Similar to last year, there will be 8-9 university operated stations.

    Last year, University Housing had graciously provided snacks and refreshments for all the 8 campus Bike to Work Day welcoming stations:

    1. Alma Mater Plaza
    2. DRES (Stadium and Oak)
    3. CRCE
    4. UI Research Park
    5. Uni High
    6. National Soybean Research Center (NSRC) on Pennsylvania Ave
    7. Campus Bike Center – 51 E Gregory St, Champaign, IL
    8. Orchard Downs

    We are also confirming with Vet Med, if they would like to participate this year, and I will let you know as soon I have confirmation.

    We will also organize our annual Light the Night (a free bike light giveaway) event on Tuesday, September 19, 2022 from 4-7 pm. I would appreciate if University Housing would help promote this event as well.

    Please let me know if University Housing would be able to contribute towards the Bike to Work Day event on September 14, 2023. I greatly appreciate your help! Thank you,
    Sarthak

  20. Vet Med participating and NSRC are not this year

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day

    Since Meredith has left the university Jen confirmed that iSEE cannot manage the station at National Soybean Research Center (NSRC), so they are not participating in the Bike to Work Day event this year.

    Vet Med confirmed that they can participate in this year's event.

    Sarthak communicated the change to University Housing.

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