C.L. Lindsay: Campus Computing and the Law

On Wednesday, November 12, attorney C.L. Linsday of CO-STAR (Coalition of Student and Academic Rights) spoke to the UIS community about campus computing and the law. Lindsay’s message is not new; in this day and age, who hasn’t heard about internet safety, plagiarism, and illegal downloading? Lindsay even admitted in his interview that “all of this should be common sense.” Yet his unique, lighthearted approach to the topic made it seem to come to life again.

Lindsay illustrated his lecture with scandalous photos depicting action figures getting into exactly the kind of trouble he finds on most college campuses. “Shaggy” and the gang from Scooby Doo showed the dangers of posting what Lindsay later called “dumb pictures” of illegal activities on social networking profiles like Facebook and MySpace. The “creepiest Ken doll ever” portrayed a would-be thief downloading illegal music and videos. And “Frodo” and a few other hobbits were the underage drinkers, because “well, they’re short!”

The sobering reality of C.L. Lindsay’s presentation was the breakdown of actual UIS policy on actions such as underage drinking, drug use, plagiarism and illegal downloading. Though our campus computing policy is “one of the more lenient” that Lindsay has seen, it still leaves very little expectation of privacy. And according to Lindsay, academia is virtually exempt from the 4th amendment “exclusionary rule” of evidence, which covers only government institutions in criminal cases. This means that UIS officials such as Housing and possibly even the campus police could very well use what they find online to incriminate students for anything from a simple policy violation all the way up to a full out expulsion, even if the evidence is not obtained “fairly.”

“Students have a whole different code of ethics when they go online,” Lindsay explained, “but what you do online can affect you later on in the real world.” Recent surveys indicate that a growing number of employers look up candidates on the internet before making a decision about hiring. So before you post your latest party snapshots online, think about how these photos could have a real impact on your career, and ultimately, on your life.

This presentation was sponsored by the Career Development Center, partnering with the UIS Student Government Association, Student Activities Committee, the Office of UIS Alumni Relations, and the ECCE Speaker’s Series program.

Disney College Internships

Now is the time of year to start considering interning, and lucky for you, companies are beginning to recruit interns as well. And what better than a company like Disney which recruits UIS students every year? With Disney, you have the opportunity to have a paid internship at Disneyland. In addition you will be able to earn college credit and enjoy a Disney theme park. It is an opportunity to work in an excellent company within the entertainment industry.

Interested?
Come to the Disney’s presentation on their college internship program on:

Tuesday November 18th
12:00 PM
PAC Conference Room G
Apply Online & Bring Application to Presentation
Disneycollegeprogram.com

Untangling the Job Search: Starting a Career in Illinois Government

Are you planning to live and work in Illinois after you graduate? Have you ever considered working for state government? Join us as Chip Piper, a Recruitment Specialist from the Dept. of Human Services, speaks on the challenges of finding employment with the State of Illinois.

Since Chip Piper works very closely with the application and hiring process, he will be able to offer insider tips on how to successfully apply to State jobs. He will focus on the complicated application process, but there will be plenty of time for you to pick his brain about working for the State of Illinois in a question and answer session.

Untangling the Job Search: Starting a Career in Illinois Government
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
5:00-6:00 p.m.
SAB 50 or online through Elluminate
Register through UIS-SUCCESS
For more info, call (217)206-6508 or visit www.uis.edu/careerservices

Trouble Online: Campus Computing and the Law

Do you have a Facebook, MySpace, or other networking site? Love downloading music off the internet? Are professors, employers, and R.A.’s always telling you to be careful when you do these things?

Come see C.L. Lindsay speak at Trouble Online: Campus Computing and the Law on Wednesday, November 12 at Noon-1:00 or during the second session at 5:00-6:00. This is held in Brookens Auditorium and will really be great! C.L. Lindsay talks about these topics and how Facebook and MySpace can influence your career. Previously a lawyer, C.L. Lindsay knows the ins and outs of the law and helps thousands of college students with their legal problems, free-of-charge, each year!

Topics presented include:

• How your Facebook and MySpace pages can come back to haunt you
• Plagiarism & Intellectual Property Online
• Potential Employers & Online Information- the content of your MySpace page can undermine future job opportunities
• Computing Privacy- the dangers of Internet predators obtaining personal information and how posting underage drinking on the Internet can result in problems

Visit http://www.bass-schuler.com/cllindsay.php4 for a great video clip!

So come down to Brookens Auditorium on November 12, either at Noon or 5:00pm!

2008 Graduate and Professional School Fair

For those of you considering Graduate School, come on out to the 2008 Graduate and Professional School Fair! The event will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2008, from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in the PAC Concourse.
Here are a few quick tips to help you get the most out of this event:

1. Research the programs attending! This will help you target which schools you will be interested in talking to or possibly applying at.
2. Compile a resume or CV to bring along. Feel free to come in during walk-in hours (or schedule an appointment) to make sure yours is up to par.
3. Practice asking and answering questions. Do you know why you want to attend grad school? Have you thought of factors that will determine whether you're interested in a grad program? If you prepare questions and answers ahead of time, you'll learn a lot more about potential programs.
4. Find an outfit to wear! If you're anything like me, you'll spend an hour trying on different clothes before you're finally ready to go out the door. Save yourself the trouble and pick out an appropriate business casual outfit ahead of time.
5. Check out the tips on our website!

Have fun preparing, and we hope to see you there!

For additional information, check out these links:
List of recruiters already registered (word)
Participant information (pdf)
Online participants register through UIS-SUCCESS by October 29th!

Speed Networking Experience

As many of you already know, today (Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008) there will be a Speed Networking Experience in the Sangamon Auditorium Lobby at 6:00 p.m. We had great success last year with this event, and judging by the interest shown by students, alumni, and community professionals, this year should have a great turnout as well! Here are some networking tips to help you get the most out of this event.


Before the Event:

1. Prepare an introductory "elevator pitch" about yourself.
2. Wear appropriate clothing/shoes- it will help give you confidence in yourself, and you'll look more professional as well.
3. Turn off your cell phone!
4. Check out our Networking Etiquette page!

During the Event:

1. Stand up to greet people, especially if you haven't met them before.
2. Remember to smile, and offer a firm handshake.
3. Let others know your name and what you do, to facilitate conversation.
4. Feel free to ask for business cards and offer your own.
5. Keep a positive attitude about yourself and others.
6. Listen to what the other person is saying.

After the Event:

1. Call or email them to keep in touch - a good timeline is three to five days afterward.
2. Return phone calls promptly.
3. Arrange to meet again sometime soon.
4. Follow up on any potential leads- whether you get a job lead, or just the name of someone who works in the field you're looking to enter.