On campus: University plans to demolish, replace Taft-Van Doren Halls
University Housing plans to demolish Taft-Van Doren Halls and build a new 600 to 800-bed residence hall with a 300-seat dining facility, targeting a Fall 2029 opening.
Alma Sealine, executive director of University Housing, told The Daily Illini the project received preliminary approval from Facilities & Services and the Chancellor Capital Review Committee.
The new residence hall is projected to cost $183 million, and the proposal will go to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees once the design and financial plans are finalized.
The new hall would replace aging buildings that lack air conditioning and are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Housing officials said the proposal is in response to growing student enrollment and suggested housing rates rise 5-6% annually for five years to support the project.
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On campus: UI System ends use of race, gender in financial aid decisions
The UI System has adopted a new financial aid policy removing race, color, national origin and sex from consideration in both merit-based and need-based awards. The change, made in September, brings financial aid practices in line with legal standards, officials say.
A University administrator told The DI that the University is updating scholarship criteria and processes to comply with the system-wide shift. Previously awarded scholarships are not affected, and the Office of Student Financial Aid has updated its website to reflect the policy.
Spokespersons for the University and UI System deny the change is in response to any specific directive by the Trump administration.
On campus: Newman Hall dining room reopens under CUPHD oversight
Dining services at Newman Hall reopened Wednesday after the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District reinspected the kitchen and issued a yellow placard to Upper Crust Food Services — Newman Hall’s food provider — after Upper Crust previously failed an inspection.
The district found no new violations, and a follow-up inspection is due within 10 business days before a green placard is reconsidered. Operations are allowed to resume under a corrective action plan.
Newman Hall staff said service starts with a limited menu as three new prep coolers await CUPHD approval. Presby Hall, another private residence hall on campus, is providing added oversight, and food trucks will remain available to residents during the ramp-up.
In Illinois: Former Sangamon County deputy convicted of murdering Sonya Massey
Former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson was found guilty of second-degree murder Wednesday in the 2024 killing of 26-year-old Sonya Massey, a Black mother of three, in Springfield, Illinois.
Massey had called 911 about a suspected prowler when Grayson shot her inside her home, a moment captured on body camera video shown at trial. Jurors rejected a first-degree murder charge after Grayson claimed he fired in self-defense over a pot of boiling water.
Grayson faces four to 20 years in prison and is eligible for probation, with sentencing set for Jan. 29. The case fueled discussion over police accountability and hiring practices, with lawmakers introducing the Sonya Massey Bill following revelations about Grayson’s prior misconduct and repeated movement between law enforcement agencies.
In C-U, Illinois and the U.S.: Delay expected for SNAP benefits despite court order
Illinois officials and food providers are bracing for delays in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits as the government shutdown continues, though two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to tap contingency funds to keep the program running.
The administration said on Monday that it will partially fund SNAP after the rulings required. The Associated Press reported it’s unclear how much beneficiaries will receive, nor how quickly beneficiaries will see value appear on the debit cards they use to buy groceries.
Illinois has about 1.9 million SNAP recipients, including thousands in Champaign County. Gov. JB Pritzker directed $20 million to food banks, and local groups like Eastern Illinois Food Bank say they are preparing for increased demand. Some businesses, including The Literary in downtown Champaign, have launched community meal programs for SNAP users.
In the U.S.: Government shutdown set to be longest ever
The federal government shutdown has stretched into its sixth week and is on track to become the longest in U.S. history, with no progress in negotiations between Democrats and Republicans.
The longest government shutdown took place during President Donald Trump’s first term, lasting 35 days from Dec. 22, 2018, until Jan. 25, 2019. The current shutdown has, as of Monday, lasted 34 days, beginning on Oct. 1.
Millions of Americans could soon lose food assistance and health insurance subsidies, and federal workers face more missed paychecks.
Trump told CBS’ “60 Minutes” he won’t negotiate until Democrats agree to reopen the government, accusing them of using the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies as leverage. Democrats advocate for the subsidies and say Republicans must return to the table.
In the world: Israel, Hamas continue prisoner exchange
Israel transferred the bodies of 45 Palestinians to Gaza on Monday, a day after Palestinian militants returned the remains of three Israeli soldiers they held in Gaza who were killed in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The exchange is part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that has seen militants release the remains of 20 hostages, while Israel has returned 270 Palestinian bodies since the truce began on Oct. 10. Identification of remains in Gaza continues to move slowly due to limited forensic resources.
The exchange comes as international pressure grows for Israel to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza and support vaccination efforts for young children who missed routine care during the war.
