Illinois Scholars Program Participant Handbook  

Program Overview 

The Illinois Scholars Program is aimed at helping new undergraduate students’ transition to the University of Illinois. The program combines opportunity and access, experiential learning, and support to position students for academic success and personal growth throughout their time at Illinois. 

The Illinois Scholars Program is sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in partnership with all academic Colleges. The Illinois Scholars Program is supported by generous donations from graduates of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

As A Participant of the Illinois Scholar I Program, I agree to:  

1. To check my Illinois email daily, as it will be the primary way that information is communicated to ISP scholars.  

2. To treat my fellow students, mentors, RAs, and other program staff with respect and kindness. 

3. To be an active participant in the program. I will attend all scheduled activities to the best of my ability to get maximum benefits from the program. Because this is an accelerated program, missing one day is like missing a week.  

4. To take responsibility for participation in mandatory activities: scheduled classes, seminars, mentor meetings, math group classes and writing coach appointments. 

5. To inform my instructor, writing coach, tutor, mentor, and ISP coordinators via email as soon as possible if I am unable to attend a class or meeting. I will also reschedule any missed appointments and follow up to identify the course of action for any missed work. 

6. I will adhere to the guidelines and policies of both the University and ISP program. 

7. I commit to actively participating in ISP activities throughout the school year. 

Program Staff 

The Illinois Scholars Program staff collaborate to ensure the success and safety of all Illinois Scholars during the summer bridge program. The staff includes: 

ISP Administrative Staff 

Norma Garcia (ntellez@illinois.edu); 

Nengi Divine Daminabo (divined2@illinois.edu);

Ross Wantland (wantland@illinois.edu; 

ISP Mentors 

Mentors provide day-to-day support and resources for Illinois Scholars. Their role involves assisting the students in navigating campus, serving as individual mentors, and leading program activities. Mentors are current students and ISP alumni.  

ISP Resident Advisors 

• Resident advisors offer community support and serve as overnight staff on duty for the Illinois Scholars Program. Resident advisors assist with resolving community conflicts, maintaining an inclusive community, and responding to afterhours concerns. The RA-on-duty can be contacted after 6pm at their rooms or by calling the ISP Phone Number: 217-265-9004.  

In Case of Incidents 

The front desk and housing staff will be assisting with resolving issues that happen in University Housing, from janitorial concerns, contacting emergency services, or evacuation. 

ISR Front Desk Phone Number  

(217) 333-4640 

The front desk is open 24 hours a day. University may close the area desk if it deems necessary and a phone number will be posted at the area desk.  

Incident Reporting 

When a university code or housing violation or incident that threatens resident safety is encountered, the RA/RA on-duty will write up an incident report to make sure pertinent details about the incident are shared with ISP administrative staff. ISP administrative staff will decide the outcome of the situation. 

Ground for Dismissal from the Program 

The following actions are grounds for dismissal from the summer program without warning.  

• Weapons: Use or possession of dangerous objects (i.e., guns, knives, toys resembling weapons or similar related items)  

• Alcohol & Other Controlled Substances: Use or possession or distribution of alcoholic beverages & other controlled substances 

• Sexual Misconduct (e.g., sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, unwelcome sexual, sex or gender-based conduct, sexual violence, or sexual exploitation). Please see student code of conduct. 

• Theft 

• Physical altercations/fighting 

Room Assignments 

Illinois Scholars Program staff have assigned rooms based on Illinois Scholars preferences. If you are experiencing a roommate conflict, contact your mentor or resident advisor who can assist you in resolving the issue. 

Receiving Mail 

If a letter or package needs to be mailed, there is a U.S. Post Office at 302 E. Green Street in Champaign. 

Mail to participants should be sent to: 

[Your Name] 

c/o Illinois Scholars Program 

URH [Room Number] Wardall Hall Name 

918 W. Illinois St. 

Urbana, IL 61801-3094 

Allow time for shipping. Once the front desk receives the mail, they will post a note on the residence room door and the resident may pick up the item from the area desk. Please bring your I-card. All mail will be returned if it is not picked up by the end of the conference.  

Keys and Conference Cards  

$50 will be charged per lost room or bathroom key. There is no charge for lost conference cards. You must notify the desk staff immediately if your key or conference card is determined to be lost, but no later than 24 hours after checkout if you discover you didn’t return your key upon departure.  

Linen Service & Laundry 

You will be provided with a pillow, pillow case, fitted and flat sheet, and wool blanket. A towel and washcloth are provided and daily towel exchange is available at the area desk. The area desk also has additional blankets and pillows available. 

All washing machines and dryers are complimentary to guests. The laundry room is located in the basement level of Townsend Hall, which can be accessed by room key/ I-card. Participants are responsible for providing their own laundry detergent, baskets, etc. Download the Illinois App (apps.illinois.edu) to check for machine availability, check the time remaining on your current load(s) of laundry, and report an issue with laundry machines.  

Fire Safety 

Whether it is a real alarm, false alarm, or a fire drill, everyone is required by law to vacate the building and remain out until the building is cleared by first responders. 

Severe Weather Policies 

The community alarm is tested at 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. In the case of a tornado warning, sirens will sound and the area desk staff will request that you go to the basement of the building for your safety. The area desk staff has weather radios and means of communication with other halls and will notify you when it is safe to leave the basement area. Residents who fail to follow the directives of fire, police, or residence hall staff during a tornado warning can be referred for judicial action. Informational programs are held during the academic year to familiarize residents with tornado emergency procedures. In the case of fire or inclement weather, do not use the elevators. 

Wireless Access & Technology 

All halls and campus buildings have free Wi-Fi called IllinoisNet. Use the steps below to connect to the internet: 

To begin connecting to IllinoisNet, use your device’s web browser to navigate to https://go.illinois.edu/IllinoisNetSetup 

This site will automatically detect your operating system, and the process will be somewhat different between devices. If you are located in one of the campus residence halls, contact the University Housing Technology group by phone at 217-244-1111, or submit a ticket at https://help.uillinois.edu/TDClient/42/UIUC/Requests/ServiceDet?ID=924 

For further assistance, please refer to:  

https://answers.uillinois.edu/illinois/page.php?id=90281 

Webstore Access  

As a UIUC student, you have access to programs that the University provides at free or decreased cost. These programs include Office 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud. You will need to use your NetID to log into the Webstore. You can access the webstore here: https://webstore.illinois.edu/shop/product.aspx?zpid=2816 

Dining & Dietary Restrictions 

Unless otherwise noted in the schedule, meals will be served at the Illinois Street Residence Hall Dining Facility. You can find the daily menu in the Illinois App. Standard mealtimes are as follows:  

• Breakfast: 7:00am – 8:30am 

• Lunch: 11:30am – 1:00pm 

• Dinner: 4:45pm – 6:15pm 

If you have food allergies or special dietary needs, you should complete the Food Allergies Form provided by ISP staff. This form should be sent to the dieticians in University Housing at the email designated on the form. 

Medical & Emergency Information 

ISP Participants have provided emergency contact information to ISP administrative staff in their initial registration. In the case of a medical emergency, the participant will be transported to a local Emergency Room and the emergency contact will be notified.  

University Housing Hallmarks 

We abide by University Housing Hallmarks to review the entire Hallmarks Handbook, visit this link: https://housing.illinois.edu/MyHousing/Hallmarks 

Community Policies  

1. Community Disruption: Unreasonable actions which disrupt typical living activities of the day are prohibited.  

2. Complicity Policy: Students who are present during a policy violation, even if they are not directly participating, may be seen as complicit or consenting to the violation. If present when a policy violation occurs, students should remove themselves from the area and/or report the violation to University Housing staff immediately. Case Coordinators reserve the right to find students responsible for complicity if they fail to remove themselves from the location of the incident. 

3. Courtesy Hours: Courtesy hours are in effect at all times. Always be considerate of others and comply with a request for quiet. If a person asks another individual to be quieter, residents are asked to be courteous and respect the request. Speakers, TVs, and musical instruments should be operated with regard for the rights of others.  

4. Quiet Hours: It is important that residents respect the rights of others when they study, sleep, listen to music, and socialize. Quiet Hours are 11pm-9am on weekdays (Sun-Th) and 12am-10am on weekends (Fri-Sat) in the undergraduate halls, and 24-hours in the graduate upper-division halls. During quiet hours, noise in any room/suite should not be audible outside that room/suite’s closed door. Quiet Hours are also enforced in the floor lounges and outdoor courtyard areas.  

5. Musical Instruments: Musical instruments, especially amplified musical instruments or particularly loud instruments (e.g., brass instruments or drums), may be played only in designated areas or practice rooms. Check with your hall/area office for specific permissible campus locations.  

6. Damage and/or Vandalism: For additional information on these policies, refer to the Illinois Student Code (https://studentcode.illinois.edu/), 1-302.k: It is expected that you treat University property and the property of others with respect. It violates the Student Code when a person damages or breaks property, intentionally or unintentionally, or defaces or destroys bulletin boards or other displays. 

7. Removal of Lounge Furnishings: All hall and floor lounges, and shared living spaces, are furnished for the use of all residents. Furnishings (chairs, tables, lamps, cushions, couches, etc.) must remain in their original locations. They are not intended for personal use in individual resident rooms. Floor, main lounge, or shared living space furniture found in resident rooms will be removed and the resident(s) will be billed a $40 relocation fee per item. 

8. Use of Public Spaces for Private Purposes: Sleeping or other seemingly private activities in public spaces is prohibited.  

9. Non-Compliance: For additional information on these policies, refer to Illinois Student Code, 1-302.g & 1-302.h: All students need to comply with the reasonable requests of university staff.  

Alcohol and Controlled Substances Policies  

For additional information on these policies, refer to Illinois Student Code, 1-305; 1-306; 1-307, 1-308  

1. Empty alcohol containers: As a practical matter of enforcement and in order to avoid disagreements regarding violations of the alcohol policy and health hazards, empty alcoholic beverage containers are prohibited within the residence halls.  

2. Possession/consumption of alcohol: Underage possession/consumption of alcohol is prohibited. 

3. Public Consumption: No one, even those over the legal drinking age, may consume alcohol in a public space (such as a lounge, hallway or common area).  

4. Presence of Minors (under the age of 18): No one of legal drinking age may possess/consume alcohol in their room with minors present. Anyone under the legal drinking age must immediately vacate any space where alcohol is present. 

5. Controlled substances: Possession/consumption of controlled substances and/or their paraphernalia is prohibited. Sale, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances is grounds for termination of your housing contract. 

6. The consumption of cannabis creates an unsettling odor which creates an unacceptable community disturbance. All residents are responsible for the actions of the guests that they host in their room, especially surrounding cannabis consumption prior to arrival.  

7. Tobacco: All University of Illinois campus facilities and grounds are strictly smoke and tobacco-free. This includes tobacco for smoking and/or chewing. For specifics on this policy, please see the official policy: https://cam.illinois.edu/policies/fo-64/. Effective July 1, 2019, the state of Illinois has raised the legal age to possess and consume tobacco to 21 years of age. This is a complete prohibition of any smoking products and paraphernalia (defined as any device used in the consumption of tobacco). These materials include, but are not limited to: hookahs, electronic or e-cigarettes, vaporizers/vapes, or juuls. 

Fire Safety Policies  

For additional information on these policies, refer to the Illinois Student Code, 1-310. 

1. Tampering with smoke detectors, intentionally causing false fire alarms, hanging items from sprinkler heads, propping fire and smoke doors open, discharging a fire extinguisher, or tampering with other safety equipment can end in personal tragedy and may also result in criminal charges, fines, University disciplinary action, and/or termination of a resident's housing contract.  

2. Actions which could result in fire such as pranks, intentional igniting of materials, or unintended carelessness in which a fire could occur are prohibited.  

3. Fire extinguishers will be charged, available, and operable at all times. Tampering with fire extinguishers is a serious offense and could lead to your dismissal from the University.  

4. Whether it is a real alarm, false alarm, or a fire drill, everyone is required by law to vacate the building and remain out until the building is cleared by first responders.  

5. Appliances with exposed heating elements (such as toasters, toaster---ovens, and electric grills) are prohibited.  

6. Smoke detectors may not be covered, disconnected, or removed. Any tampering will result in a $250 charge per occurrence. 

7. Due to the high risk of fire, halogen lamps are prohibited in the residence halls. 

8. Incense is prohibited in the halls.  

9. Smoke or fog producing devices are prohibited in the halls. 

10. Hanging things from sprinkler heads is prohibited. This could cause unnecessary water discharge and you could be held liable for damage to university/private property.  

11. All room, suite, floor, and outside security doors are fitted with self---closing hinges. These mechanisms help prevent the rapid spread of fire by ensuring doors are properly closed. Residents may not remove these hinges from doors. Security doors are locked at all times. Propping security doors weakens the security for all residents and is prohibited. Security doors are cored to accept room keys if the i-card system is down. 

12. Students should follow these expectations for fire---safe decorations:  

1. Use fire-resistant materials in student room/suites and at social events.  

2. Do not overload electrical outlets or extension cords.  

3. Do not place electrical cords under carpet, through doorways or windows, or behind pillows.  

4. Provide adequate safety lighting at all social events.  

5. Do not obstruct access to exits and fire extinguishers. 

6. Natural, live trees are prohibited.  

7. Decorations may not be hung from ceilings. 

13. Candle Usage at Approved Events 

1. In order to guarantee the safety of all residents and ensure compatibility with existing building fire detection and suppression systems, prior approval by the Director of Residential Life for University Housing is required for ceremonies and events that will utilize candles or other open flames.  

While the University of Illinois is a smoke-free campus and is committed to prompting a smoke and tobacco free environment for all students, employees, and visitors to campus, we must take into consideration the deeply held cultural beliefs of our Native American students, employees, and visitors to University Housing spaces. Reasonable efforts should be taken to reduce or eliminate the community impact of such smoke within the area being smudged whenever possible.  

Appliances  

Residents may use a reasonable number of UL---approved electronic devices in their room/suite so long as they do not present a fire hazard or consume an excess of power. Devices with an exposed heating element are considered a fire hazard. The following appliances are permitted in the residence halls:  

1. Alarm clock  

2. Blender 

3. Computer  

4. Curling iron, electric razor, and hairdryer  

5. Desk/study lamp  

6. Electric blanket  

7. Electric coffee maker/tea maker  

8. Fan  

9. Microwave (up to 800 watts)—one per room  

10. Popcorn popper 

11. Refrigerator (no more than 4.4 cubic feet)—one per room 

12. Video game consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, Wii, etc.)  

13. Stereo system and/or speakers 

14. TV  

Cooking  

Cooking meals is only permitted in designated hall or area kitchens. Hall kitchenettes are not intended for regular meal preparation because they cannot accommodate the number of residents in each hall.  

Use of microwave ovens, popcorn poppers, or other approved electrical appliances is permitted in resident rooms/suites for preparation of snacks. You may not prepare meals in your room/suite, as it is a violation of state health codes. If you do, you may be charged up to $50 per occurrence or lose your housing contract. Small appliances with exposed heating elements (such as toasters, toaster-ovens, and electric grills) are prohibited in resident rooms at any time.  

Extension Cords and Power Strips  

Power strips with surge suppressants are strongly encouraged for all electrical needs, especially large appliances such as refrigerators, computers, and stereos. Power strips must have a minimum rating of ETL and a maximum 15-amp self-contained circuit breaker. This will reduce the risk of a tripped circuit breaker on the floor in the event of a power surge. Do not plug multiple power strips into one another or plug an extension cord into a power strip. 

University Housing Student Conduct System  

The University of Illinois residence halls have specific rules and regulations, as well as general guidelines of good citizenship and responsible behavior. Students should understand that by virtue of enrollment, all students enter into a formal agreement with the University of Illinois that they will abide by the institution's rules and regulations and will observe standards expected of students.  

Living in a University Housing residence hall provides the opportunity to learn first---hand about citizenship and helps students to develop an understanding of and appreciation for life in a democratic society. In order to accomplish this, an atmosphere of civility, cooperation, respect, and open communication is necessary between and among student residents and staff. All residents are expected to:  

1. Abide by all hall and University regulations.  

2. Show respect and sensitivity for the needs of others.  

3. Support open communication that enhances the residence hall living---learning atmosphere. 

4. Provide positive empathy and support for the enforcement of rules and regulations. 

5. Help to sustain community pride and develop a sense of respect for the physical facilities of the hall.  

The primary publication outlining University regulations is the Student Code. For the full policy, please visit https://housing.illinois.edu/Resources/Policies/Hall-Policies  

University Code 

https://studentcode.illinois.edu/  

https://studentcode.illinois.edu/flipbook/2023-Student-Code/#p=1