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Project Updates for Light the Night

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  1. Dates set for Bike Month 2024

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

    The dates for Bike Month 2024 have been set, and noted on the flyers:

    • Wed, Sept 18, 7-10 am:  Bike to Work Day
    • Thu, Sept 19, 4-7 pm:  Light the Night
    • Fri, Sept 20, 7-10 am:  Bike to Work Day rain date
    • Tue, Sept 24, 4-7 pm:  Light the Night rain date

    Register at cubikemonth.org. 

    Attached Files: 

  3. Weekly Update: Busy times, Light the Night, abandoned bikes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Light the Night
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles

    All, Pretty standard week. Busy with some wait time on stands/repairs most days. Had a Build-a-Bike completed—always a good thing. My team and I did Light the Night on Tuesday at the Ikenberry Quad area. First time in a new location always gets us some looks and questions. Not as busy as we hoped but again, it’s not yet familiar to folks. No word yet on numbers. 

    We were dangerously overloaded on scrap by Friday, but Todd pick it up over the weekend—always appreciated.

    This week I’ll do inventory of the abandoned bikes to see what’s worth keeping. Of note: Easily the fewest abandoned bikes in my tenure. I think my first year there were over 500 bikes left over. Maybe bike shares are really helping that issue (and maybe creating others)?

    This week I’ll have two new staffers start. It’s apparently midterms, so reinforcements are paramount.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 62
    Sales: $1,122.50
    Bikes (B-a-B): 1 for $50
    Memberships: 20 for $600
    Tires/tubes: 26 for $192

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Coordinator -- Campus Bike Center

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

     

     

     

     

  8. 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: 

  9. 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: 

  10. 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: 

  11. 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.

  12. 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

  13. Check in meeting from July 26, 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/1oHc_PTO7W515GCCX_SaKH6CsEsF1CJLm/view?u...

    Attached Files: 

  15. Meeting on 2023 Champaign County Bike Month Planning

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

    On 07/12/2023, Sarthak and Hrushikesh were a part of a 2023 Champaign County Bike Month Planning meeting.

    - Confirmed Dates for Upcoming Events:
    September 14th – Bike to Work Day
    September 19th – Light the Night

    Time - 4p.m to 7p.m (Tentative)
    September 21st – Rain Day

    - Budget for Light the Night

    - Suggestion in the meeting: The system of Veo Rides is bringing in more bike riders in the community. 

    -* Contact Lily for availability and confirm the dates for the event.

  17. Final numbers from Bike to Work Day and Light the Night

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

    The Bike Month Planning team organized Bike to Work Day on September 14, 2022 from 7 - 10 am at 16 Champaign County locations, including eight on-campus. There were 893 registered to attend before the event this year and nearly 150 people registered on-site during the event! Champaign County Bikes were also present at Alma Mater and Hallene Gateway during Light the Night event as well as Bike to Market Day on September 17, 2022, to meet attendees who could not attend the Bike to Work Day event. The final number of pre-registered attendees (prior to Bike to Market) was 921, which is a new record for this event!

    Light the Night was organized on September 15, 2022, from 4 - 7 pm at three campus locations - Alma Mater, Hallene Gateway, and Campus Bike Center. This year, we used Planet Bike blinky lights with silicone straps. We distributed and installed nearly 800 bike light sets during this event! Alma Mater was, by far, the most popular location, where nearly 575 lights were distributed.

    Following the event, the Bike Month Plannign team discussed options for next year.

  20. Weekly Update: BTWD, LTN, Build-a-Bike, very busy this week

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

    All, Real busy times last week. Shop was manageably busy, but we had BTWD and LTN on consecutive days. Both events went well. I spent more time at the DRES stop than the Bike Center station, which was a new experience. Lots of folks on that route, and I was able to talk route-planning and commuting strategy with some people new to commuting. Weather cooperated swimmingly.

    We had a deluge of completed B-a-Bs last week. Always good to see the smiling faces of rewarded effort. Marketing folks came by and updated some of our filing cabinets and bins with printed (legible) labels and photos of contents to better help people find and identify parts. We’re still slower on Tue/Thurs as we work to get the word out that we’re now open those days as well.

    We’ll work this week on a couple shop builds we’ve been too busy to finish, prep for the abandoned bike giveaway, and clean shop as we’ve been too busy to do much of any of that in the last two weeks.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 86
    Sales: $1,084.30
    Bikes (B-a-B): 3 for $150

    Memberships: 17 for $510
    Tires/tubes: 10 for $59

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

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