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Projects Updates for theme: all

  1. iCAP Portal Strategic discussion - September 16, 2025

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability iCAP Portal

    Attendees: Tiffany Jolley, Elizabeth Murphy, Miriam Keep, Morgan White, Christina Tran, Michael McKelvey

    Discussion

    • Discuss strategic plan for iCAP Portal content (as opposed to day-to-day discussions)
    • How do we move forward into new branding?
    • Discussed public vs. private information.
    • Discussed iSEE and F&S roles
    • Discussed Christina's power user card sorting activity - scheduled a meeting for a card sorting activity
    • Discussed Google Analytics - Michael added Tiffany to iCAP Portal's Google Analytics

  2. Weekly Update -- Light the Night & Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Light the Night
    Campus Bike Center

    Email from Jacob Benjamin:

    Last Wednesday was Bike To Work Day! It was a success. Had good weather and good turn outs at the stations I visited.

    Light The Night is tomorrow evening. Should be good weather—if warm—for that, too!

     

    We are busy but it’s not mayhem anymore—that’s a plus!

     

    We are low on used tires, as is common this time of year. I’ll roll over to the Urbana shop to see if they have any to spare.

    The numbers:

    Sales: $1,735.35
    Bikes (B-a-B): 1 for $50

    Memberships: 38 for $1140
    Tires/tubes: 31 for $286

  3. iCAP Portal Admin Meeting - September 16, 2025

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability iCAP Portal

    Agenda

    • Discuss webform roles
    • Discuss sending message to current iCAP Portal users
    • Discuss Christina's navigation menu options
    • Discuss items remaining from last meeting

    Discussion

    • Discuss webform roles (e.g. Suggestions)
      • Roles which should have edit access: (iCAP Admins, iCAP Moderators, iCAP Reviewers, iCAP Clerks?)
      • Roles which should have delete access: (iCAP Admins, iCAP Moderators, iCAP Reviewers, iCAP Clerks?)
    • Discuss sending message to current iCAP Portal users informing them to avoid posting emails on the iCAP Portal
      • Define "current users" - e.g. accounts created in past few months + anyone who's made an iCAP Portal addition or edit since the beginning of the calendar year?
      • Send email through website or manually?
    • Navigation menu options Christina shared via email:
      • Content Audit: With this method, I will take inventory of all of iCAP's content types, map how they are currently being used, and suggest a navigation structure based off of my findings. Then, we can review my suggestions as a group!
      • Power User Card-Sorting Workshop: I will set up an online workspace with a list of cards and facilitate a 30-60 minute session for this group to collaboratively organize these cards into categories. The cards will list out all of the iCAP portal's content, but the during the session we can also create new cards if we want to merge or redefine content types/categories.
      • Public User Card-Sorting: I will set up a number of online card-sorting workspaces with instructions to send out to public users. Each public user will organize the cards in a way that makes the most sense to them. Then, I will review their feedback and present a recommended navigation structure based on the public's input.
      • Review Quinn's Recommended Navigation: Since Quinn is already a power user, her ideas are a great starting point! I can review her recommended navigation structure and see if I have any further suggestions based on usability guidelines. I can also facilitate a discussion for this group to review Quinn's ideas, make suggestions, incorporate feedback, and go from there.
    • Discuss metric naming convention (see Discussion about Metrics - May 19, 2025)
    • Discuss 2025 Objectives dashboard (add in September, start displaying in October) - see "Adding Key Objectives" private file under Sustainability iCAP Portal project
    • (Continue discussion) New iCAP Team (Sustainable Buildings) being formed - discuss what that looks like on the iCAP Portal

    TODOs

    • TBD

  4. Beautiful Weather and Lots of Station Locations!

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    • Alma Mater Plaza
    • Campus Bike Center
    • Campus Recreation Center East
    • College of Veterinary Medicine – Lot F27
    • Disability Resources and Educational Services
    • I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center – Intersection of First Street and St. Mary's Road
    • Orchard Downs
    • Siebel Center for Computer Science – Intersection of Main Street and Mathews Avenue

    map of campus showing multiple locations for bike welcome stations

  6. CU Bike to Work Day Email For Alma Mater Attendees

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

    Alma Mater attendees: Bike to Work Day is TOMORROW MORNING!

     

    C-U Bike to Work Day is tomorrow – Wednesday, September 10!  This is a reminder that you pre-registered to stop at the Alma Mater welcome station (southeast corner of Green & Wright Streets), which will be open from 7-10 AM.  Sarthak Prasad is your station manager.

     

    Tell a friend that they can still register for Bike to Work Day today at cuBikeMonth.org or tomorrow on-site – 16 welcome stations will be open across Champaign County!

     

    The weather looks great – dry, and temperatures between 60-75F.  Tag any photos with us on Facebook at “C-U Bike Month.”  Enjoy the ride!

  8. September 2025 Tree Committee meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Tree Campus Higher Education
    Red Oak Rain Garden
    Campus Tree Inventory

    The Tree Campus Advisory Committee met to review the overall program and committee membership. 

    • The new Campus Landscape Architect, Bridgette Moen, joined the committee. 
    • Team members discussed potential additions to the committee, including students, faculty, and staff.
    • Justin Vozzo shared a status update on the tree grant.
      • Picking up several trees - 90 planted total this year
      • Ryan is heading up the F&S side, Stirling is helping to manage the contracts
      • Justin is hosting some tree plantings across the state, Urbana and in Macomb
      • Two events each spring and fall for next tw o years
    • The South Arboretum Woods rehab has several plants being added, and there are student employees funded by the SSC.
    • The Red Oak Rain Garden (RORG) is doing another plant installation this fall, and works with volunteers. They also installed interpretive signage.
    • The Urban Wood Reuse program is going well.  The new mill is here, and they are working to hire more students.
    • The Committee began reviewing the goals in the 2024 Tree Care Plan.
      • The Tree Keeper Inventory is complete for F&S, and it is still in progress for the Arboretum. 
        • There is also the ARC GIS inventory - which pulls from Tree Keeper
        • Ongoing to keep it up to date
        • Tree surgeons are responsible for logging them into the system
        • Assistants are responsible for logging the stump removals - the sub-foreperson goes in to remove it and change it to open or vacant site
        • When it is removed it is no longer counted in the inventory
        • When a new tree is planted - working with the vacant sites and updating those, planning and potential planting spots and adding the new tree in there
        • We need to identify opportunities to update the existing inventory
          • Longer-term - should do an update - including the diameters of the trees - should update that, changes over time
          • Might need to be a tree expert - how to appropriately update it regularly - tree health - arborist or someone who knows a lot about trees
          • Potentially it could be through dendrology - students could potentially do DBH measurements and baseline health questions
          • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Justin is working on developing an arboriculture class, could do some tree inventory as part to that class 
        • ​​​​​​​Set a goal in 2025 Tree Care Plan to develop a comprehensive plan for handling tree inventory updates: get a plan together for how to do a regular update and comprehensive update.

  9. September 2025 CU Bike Announcements

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night
    Evaluation & Planning for Bicycles

    Email from Gabe Lewis:

    Happy September!

     

    Our team has these bike-related announcements to share with you:

     

    #1:  Bike to Work (& Class) Day is this Wednesday, September 10

    If you are not pre-registered for Bike to Work Day yet, do so now and tell a friend to do the same!  cuBikeMonth.org

     

    16 stations will be open across Champaign County, with 8 of them being on the University of Illinois campus.  Each station will have free t-shirts (while supplies last), stickers, breakfast snacks, and bike literature!

     

    #2:  Light the Night returns on Tuesday, September 16

    Bring your bike to one of four on-campus stations to get free bike lights!  You can also sign up to be a volunteer for a partial or full shift – no experience needed!

     

    #3:  Active Transportation Plan (ATP) survey is OPEN

    Calling all bicyclists, pedestrians, and park visitors:  we want to hear your thoughts via this survey and/or comment map on your experiences – good or bad! 

     

    Completing this survey will help the Regional Planning Commission (RPC) develop the Champaign County Active Transportation Plan (ATP).  RPC staff will also be at various events this fall – including Light the Night – with tablets for people to complete this survey.  We want to hear from everyone to work on making Champaign-Urbana a better place to walk and bike!

     

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    #4:  More Bike Month events

    The cuBikeMonth.org calendar has several bike events listed for September and October, including Saturday’s FREE Moonlight Bike Ride from Meadowbrook Park to the Sidney Dairy Barn!  You can also keep up with C-U Bike Month announcements on our Facebook page.

  10. FY26 Charge Letter and Priorities for iCAP Topical Teams

    Associated Project(s): 
    Topical iCAP Teams
    Education iCAP Team
    Energy iCAP Team
    Engagement iCAP Team
    Land and Water iCAP Team
    Transportation iCAP Team
    Zero Waste iCAP Team

    Dear iCAP team members,

     

    Thank you for your service in helping to make the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign a more sustainable campus. On behalf of iSEE Director Madhu Khanna, please find attached the charge letter for the 2025-2026 academic year with an outline of your campus sustainability duties as part of an iCAP team. We look forward to your positive and impactful contributions.

     

    As a reminder, we will also hold an iCAP teams kickoff meeting tomorrow, Sept 9, from 4:30-5:30pm to talk about the contents of the charge letter and what to expect over the upcoming year. It would be great if you are able to join us in person at the National Soybean Research Center in room 337, but a Teams link is also available if you cannot make it in person. A recording will be available if you are not available during that time. Please let me know if you did not receive the calendar invite.

     

    Thank you,

    Miriam Keep

    Sustainable Programs Coordinator

    iSEE

    Attached Files: 

  11. Notes following the Bike Month Planning meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Light the Night

    Here are the assigned roles for Light the Night 2025:

     

     

    Station Name/Location

    Station Manager(s)

    RPC ATP Staff Person

    1

    Alma Mater

    Sarthak Prasad

    JD McClanahan

    2

    Ikenberry Quad

    Jake Benjamin

    Gaby Harpel

    3

    Hallene Gateway

    Kevin Garcia & Gabe Lewis

    Gabe Lewis

    4

    Green & Lincoln

    Abby Kipping & Qiushi Huang

    TBD

     

    Station Notes:

    • Green & Lincoln will also be the MTD Bike on Bus Rack Demonstration Site
    • All stations will have some Project 529 Bike Registration Forms and Stickers

     

    Timeline & Tasks:

    • Event Date:  Tuesday, September 16
      • Rain Date:  Wednesday, September 17
    • U of I personnel will deliver lights, tables, chairs, lawn signs, and sandwich boards to each station.
    • Station Managers should be at their stations by 3:15 PM.
    • First shift volunteers will arrive at 3:30 PM, and second shift volunteers will arrive at 5:15 PM.  Make sure they have a Bike Month t-shirt and light set if they want/need them.  They will also need a brief verbal training on the following:
      • Orientation of the station (where people enter and exit)
      • How to install lights
      • Brief recap of Rules of the Road
        • Ride with traffic
        • Stop at stoplights (and stop signs)
        • USE YOUR LIGHTS AT NIGHT – that’s why we’re installing them!  It is legal and safe.
      • Sending people to take the ATP survey
      • Directing people to other resources
    • Tear down at 7 PM
      • Leave tables and chairs for U of I personnel to pick up
      • Remaining lights, lawn signs, sandwich boards, and Bike Month & ATP materials need to be returned to Sarthak/F&S

  12. Help Celebrate CU Bike Month at Light the Night

    Associated Project(s): 
    Light the Night

    Light the Night - Tuesday, September 16 between 4 and 7 p.m.

    Help Celebrate CU Bike Month at Light the Night
    		 
     

     

    Light the Night is Tuesday, September 16, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Alma Mater Plaza, Hallene Gateway, the Ikenberry Commons Quad, and at the intersection of Green Street and Lincoln Avenue. You MUST bring your bike to get a free light set. Approximately 1,000 bike light sets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

    Remember, Illinois law requires a front light along with a rear reflector/light when riding at night. If your bike is without these items, please take this opportunity to become compliant and enhance your visibility and safety during evening hours.

    Also, volunteers are needed, and no experience is necessary. Individuals will be quickly trained to install the light sets. In case of severe weather, the event will be rescheduled for September 17. 

    Loading Your Bike on the Bus

    In Lot D9 (adjacent to the Green/Lincoln location), there will also be a demonstration of how to load bicycles onto MTD buses, as well as an opportunity for attendees to practice this activity with their own bikes.

     

     

    Register Your Bike
    		 
     
    Keep Your Bike Safe - register it and join the 529 Community
     

    According to the University Bicycle Ordinance, bicycle registration is mandatory for all bicycles parked or operated on campus and owned by students, staff, faculty, university departments, community members, and bike share vendors. Protect your bike by adding a theft deterrent identification shield for $10.

    The U. of I. joined 529 Garage's national database registration system in 2020 to help improve safety and aid in the recovery of stolen bicycles. 

    Volunteers will be able to assist with bike registration at Light the Night, including issuing the 529 Shields (decals). 

    Also, remember to sign up for the upcoming Bike to Work Day on Wednesday, September 10. More information about bike programming will be available there and at other events throughout the semester.

     

    Link to open the newsletter online

  15. Weekly Update -- Build-a-Bike, Staffing Updates, and Sales

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    Email from Jacob Benjamin:

    Busy as all get out. Sold all but one small bike for sale and moving Build-a-Bikes as fast as we can. Hope to have a few more prepped this week as demand for those is always high once we sell out of the refurbs.

    More staff will be available this week, which should help with the craziness.

     

    Returning abandoned bikes and getting some business out of that, which is welcomed. Plenty of folks that are retrieving their bikes are unaware of our space/offerings.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 234
    Sales: $1882.45

    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $250

    Bikes (B-a-B): 2 for $100
    Memberships: 23 for $690
    Tires/tubes: 48 for $351

  16. Celebrate C-U Bike Month by Riding to Work!

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Bike to Work Day - September 10 from 7 to 10 a.m.
     

     
    Celebrate CU Bike Month by Riding to Work!
    		 
     

    Ride your bike to campus on Wednesday, September 10, between 7 and 10 a.m., and get a free T-shirt! Welcome stations featuring drinks and snacks will be available in 16 Champaign County locations. First-time riders are encouraged to join returning participants and learn more about the local bike community. You must preregister and bring your bicycle to get this year's shirt.

    The locations of campus stops can be viewed on the official Bike to Work map. The event will be rescheduled for September 11 should inclement weather arise. 

    Campus Welcome Stations

    • Alma Mater Plaza
    • Campus Bike Center
    • Campus Recreation Center East
    • College of Veterinary Medicine – Lot F27
    • Disability Resources and Educational Services
    • I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center – Intersection of First Street and St. Mary's Road
    • Orchard Downs
    • Siebel Center for Computer Science – Intersection of Main Street and Mathews Avenue

    Bike to Work Day Newsletter Link 

  17. Follow up with Housing on 8/28/2025

    Associated Project(s): 
    Fleet Replacement Plans
    Decrease Emissions from UI Fleet

    Attended By - Aaron Lewis, Matt Brown, Jessica Hauseman, Shawn Patterson, Sarthak

    • Base line for the initial cost -
      • What we have been spending
      • Idling times
      • Fueling
    • Who needs vehicles and why?
      • Evaluating what type of vehicles
      • Want to have 15 year replacement - age of bicycle - overall body condition starts to be an issue
        • Current replacement cycle is about 20 years
    • Where we can, we buy smaller vehicles than bigger trucks
    • Have you identified - who is going to be the primary contact
      • Matt will be the primary contact
      • Aaron and Jess are very highly involved

     

     

    • How many vehicles -
      • Dining
      • IT shared services
      • BSWs
      • Maintenance
        • Subdivision of trade groups
    • Spreadsheet includes - all vehicles
      • Jess will send it to me
    • Sarthak will draft a plan for Housing based on previous meetings.

  20. EV Charging Stations Updates

    Associated Project(s): 
    Use Electric Vehicles (EV)
    Increase use of EVs and other Alternative Service Vehicles

    Email from Phillip Krein:

     

    I wanted to update you on our EV charge infrastructure project. Tim Abrahamson supported us today from about 12:30pm to 2pm to gather circuit information in parking structures C10, C7, and B4. I owe Mike Brown an updated design report for our next-generation boxes, and of course we will not mount any new units until all is approved and Dave can inspect the setups. In the meantime, we learned the following:

     

    In lot C10, four of our boxes can be supported without changes. The most likely plans place one each at the east and west columns on Level 2 and one each on those columns on Level 3.

     

    In lot C7, it appears that five boxes can be supported.

     

    In lot B4, we have chosen about all that are available (six units are in place).

     

    For Krannert, there is one signed space where a unit can be mounted.

     

    In F29 (the fire station and parking), it appears that four units can be supported, including three existing signed spaces.

     

    In lot E15, there are NO receptacles that do not interfere with a walking path or equipment access path, so no units can be mounted there.

     

    The total, including those in place, is 20 units. We are preparing 30 new units. I do have some plans for a few of them.

    Philip Krein

     

    We did observe that nearly all of these structures have potential for additional receptacle circuits, but this would require a project with wire pulls and infrastructure changes. Since we are talking about 120 V receptacles, such a project is routine, but obviously not trivial to set up and fund.

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