Dear colleagues,
As you know, universities nationwide are navigating a rapidly evolving landscape. In response to these changes, the University of Illinois System has directed its campuses to implement updates to key policies and practices — specifically in the areas of scholarships, hiring, and faculty promotion and tenure processes. These directives apply across all campuses, including Urbana-Champaign and Springfield.
Scholarships and financial aid
UIC will adjust our scholarship practices to align with the new System-wide Financial Aid Policy. This policy is designed to strengthen our ability to support students while ensuring compliance with current legal standards.
Key changes include:
- Eligibility criteria for institutional financial aid must now exclude consideration of “race, color, national origin, and sex/gender.”
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All donor-funded, college-determined and institutionally funded scholarships must be reviewed and, if needed, revised to align with this guidance.
- Scholarships already awarded/approved and communicated to students prior to Oct. 14 will not be impacted. These changes apply only to future awards.
The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Advancement, in partnership with the University of Illinois Foundation, will work with donors to adapt fund agreements, and Legal Counsel will provide guidance. Enrollment Management will lead the implementation of institutional aid scholarships.
Importantly, we will continue our commitment to access and excellence through programs like UIC Aspire, which offers free tuition for Illinois students whose families earn less than $75,000 annually.
Hiring practices
UIC’s hiring practices will remain aligned with its mission and values. We will continue to recruit and retain exceptional talent while ensuring our processes are legally compliant and aligned with System guidance.
The Office for Access and Equity has updated the Academic Hiring practices for academic professional and faculty positions to mitigate potentially unlawful preferential treatment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, and sex.
Key changes include:
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These changes reflect our shared responsibility, in partnership with the System, job postings, candidate evaluation criteria, and other relevant search documentation to verify these tools are not being used as an unlawful proxy for preference based on protected characteristics.
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Recruitment efforts must be broad, and hiring decisions must continue to be made solely based on merit and qualifications.
- While cultivating candidate pools, the Diversity of the Pool reports will not be available while the search is active. Aggregate data may only be reviewed post-search to assess recruitment effectiveness.
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UIC will replace its Affirmative Action Plan with a Nondiscrimination and Merit-Based Hiring Plan. Plans for Individuals with Disabilities (Section 503) and Protected Veterans (VEVRAA) remain in place.
Faculty promotion and tenure
Updates to the promotion and tenure process are forthcoming and will be communicated by Faculty Affairs in the coming days.
These changes reflect our shared responsibility, in partnership with the System, to uphold the law while advancing our mission. We are grateful for your continued dedication to our students, our university, and our broader community.
Please feel free to share this information with colleagues in your department or college. Thank you for your patience and support as we navigate this new guidance.
Sincerely,
Marie Lynn Miranda, PhD
Chancellor
Karen J. Colley, PhD
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Robert Barish, MD, MBA
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
Matt Fajack
Vice Chancellor for Finance
