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SIU Today - January 12, 2026

SIU team gets $170K grant to continue research to stop toxins from harmful algae blooms

A research team led by Scott Hamilton-Brehm, an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences, has received a second grant to continue its work to prevent harmful algae blooms from producing toxins, addressing a problem that occurs in bodies of water throughout the world.

New Student Concern page provides new tools to help support student success

Faculty and staff now have additional tools to support student success through early intervention and timely assistance with the launch of the new Student Concern webpage.

SIU System MLK Day presentations highlight a transformative era in Chicago politics

A special presentation, featuring screenings of a powerful documentary about Black political organizing and influence within the Chicago Democratic political machine, is coming to Carbondale and Springfield on Jan. 19, courtesy of an SIU System Martin Luther King Jr. holiday event.  

Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program to visit campus Jan. 15-16 

Representatives of the Illinois Chiefs of Police Association will hold an on-site assessment of SIU’s Department of Public Safety on Jan. 15-16 as part of the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ILEAP). Trained assessors from peer agencies across the state will conduct inspections and review files and audits of the police department.

Facilities and Energy Management launches service request portal

Facilities and Energy Management (FEM) has launched a service request portal for departments to submit service requests they are responsible for paying for.

Grand opening celebrates new SIU Head Start Murphysboro Center 

A grand opening and open house on Jan. 8 gave families and the community an opportunity to celebrate the new SIU Head Start center and playground in Murphysboro.

Fall 2025 semester graduation, deans’ lists 

The university’s fall 2025 degree candidates and deans’ lists are available on the SIU news website. Commencement ceremonies were held Dec. 13 at SIU’s Banterra Center. 

Annual King Scholarship Breakfast is next Monday

Tickets are available for the 44th Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast hosted by the Carbondale branch of the NAACP on Monday, Jan. 19, in the Student Center. The program, “The Fierce Urgency of Now,” honors King’s legacy as a civil rights leader. Food will be served at 7:30 a.m. with the program starting at 8:30 a.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children, and they are available at the door. There is also a canned food collection for the Southern Table Food Pantry.

Reminder: Faculty and Staff Excellence Award nominations

The nomination deadline for Faculty and Staff Excellence Awards is 4:30 p.m. Jan. 23. 

View this month’s ‘Saluki Watch Dawg’   

The Department of Public Safety’s January 2026 issue of the “Saluki Watch Dawg” is available. In this month’s edition, you can learn ways to safeguard yourself from email tax scams, prepare for winter weather, see who received DPS awards and prepare for the spring semester.

No SIU Today on MLK Day

There will not be an SIU Today issue on Monday, Jan. 19, as the university observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Submission deadlines are the same: 4:30 p.m. tomorrow for Thursday’s edition and 4:30 p.m. Jan. 20 for the Jan. 22 issue.