Financial Services

Accounting Office

This department is responsible for the accounting of all financial records and transactions of the University, and maintaining individual cost centers and accounts for approximately 1,000 University departments, auxiliary service units, and local fund activities.

Billing/Accounts Receivable Office

This department is comprised of two areas: Student Receivables which services and maintains NIU student accounts, and Commercial Receivables which services and maintains our commercial customer accounts. Both areas issue bills and monthly account statements, process refunds, and respond to account and billing inquiries for their respective NIU customer base.

Budget and Planning Office

This department is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the University's operating budget and reporting on the status of the budget to the administration, reviewing requests for revisions to unit budgets, and assisting in preparation of the University's operating budget request.

Bursar, Office of

This department provides services and support related to student/commercial accounts receivable, billing, and collections related to student, departmental, and commercial accounts. Principle areas of Bursar operations include accounts receivable, cashiering, account counseling, and the University OneCard program.

Capital Budget and Space Planning

This department is responsible for the management and planning of the University’s operating and capital budgets, information management and policy analysis, and strategic planning.

Computer Support Services

This department is responsible for providing assistance for a variety of software and desktop maintenance and repair problems, including software installations, hardware upgrades and installations, virus scanning and troubleshooting, data file back-ups and transfers, and diagnosing and fixing operating problems.

Controller, Office of

This department is responsible for providing support services in the areas of payroll, accounts payable, general accounting, and grants and contracts management. It is also responsible for developing, teaching, and communicating fiscal policies and procedures, maintaining financial accounting and reporting systems, complying with regulatory requirements, tracking funds, and issuing the University’s financial reports.

Grants Fiscal Administration

This department is responsible for ensuring compliance with the terms of various grant contracts, state, and University regulations in the procurement of all supplies, equipment, and services required by the contract award; maintaining revenue and expenditure records for federal, state, and local grants; preparing financial reports and statements for all external grant awards; and cash management of the federal and state financial aid programs.

Institutional Research

This department is responsible for supporting short- and long-range planning, budgeting, and management within the University and at the governing board level by conducting research, preparing analytical studies and reports, and by gathering, summarizing, and analyzing data.

One Card

NIU’s OneCard is a multipurpose, campus identification for students, faculty, staff, and annuitants, and can be used to access various privileges on campus.

Procurement Services

This department administers purchasing activities for the University organization. Procurement transactions include commodities, equipment, software, furnishings, construction/renovation, and professional/artistic services. Procurement operations also include administration of the commercial credit card (P-card) program, rules and procedures of the Illinois Procurement Code, the Minority and Female Business Enterprise Act, and coordination of purchases with the Illinois Procurement Policies Board.

Treasury Operations

This department is responsible for the University’s cash management and investment program administration. Specific areas of responsibility include reviewing daily cash needs, earning income through the investment of available cash, providing oversight of campus credit card services, coordinating international exchange transactions, facilitating electronic payments via the banking system, compiling reports on status of cash and investments, recording and reconciling accounting entries, and serving as the liaison to financial partners who offer an array of services to NIU.