Recent Events: UIC, CBOT Sponsors Interest Rate Swap Futures Seminar Mission: The mission of the Center for Financial Research and Services (CFRS) at the University of Illinois at Chicago is to undertake research and consulting, develop educational programs, sponsor professional seminars, and serve as the clearinghouse for activities related to the financial services industry. Currently, the financial services industry is subject to massive changes brought on by technological and legislative developments. The center's goal is to effectively interact with leading practitioners for the purpose of developing educational programs and research supportive of industry needs. To meet the needs of the financial services industry, the center offers the expertise of leading scholars in all areas of business management. At present, the center is considering a number of applied consulting assignments ranging from branding and marketing work for a portfolio manager to information technology solutions for a banking firm. The center was officially established in 2000; however, its life dates back to 1995 when the Municipal Issuer Research and Analysis Center (MIRAC) was launched by the CFRS's current director. MIRAC was initially focused on the municipal market, but as time passed its activities became less municipal specific. Therefore, the renaming was a logical outcome of a change in direction and a strong desire to reach out to all aspects of the financial services industry.