Shorts

DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR ASSESSMENT PANEL
The University Assessment Panel has extended the deadline for the submission of funding requests for portfolio and capstone projects to Friday, March 22. For more information, contact Craig Barnard at 753-7120 or e-mail barnard@niu.edu.

COLLEGE OF LA7S HOSTS TRIP TO ITALY MAY 17-25
NIU is hosting a "Travel with the Professor" trip to Italy from May 17-25. The trip includes visits to Rome, Pisa, Florence and Orvieto. Professor C. Daniel Dillman will lead the trip. For more information, visit http://www3.niu.edu/ext_prog/tuscany.html or call 753-5200.

BUSINESS WRITING WORKSHOP APRIL 9-10
The Department of English is sponsoring a two-day writing workshop titled "Business and Professional Writing: How to Write Effective Letters, Memos, Reports and E-Mail." The workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 9-10, in the Holmes Student Center. Jan Knudsen, from the Department of English, will be the instructor. For more information, visit http://www.niu.edu/ext_prog/rock.html or call 753-5200.

POSTAGE RATES MIGHT INCREASE IN JUNE
The United States Postal Service announced a proposed 10 percent rate increase that might begin this June. Information Technology Services (ITS) and Document Services suggest an early assessment of planned postage expenses for FY03. Under the proposed rate structure, first-class letters will cost 37 cents. Also affected are first-class pre-sorted letters, business reply mail cards and standard bulk mail. Priority mail, express mail and special services rates will not be changed. For more information, call 753-1692 or visit http://www.usps.gov/ratecase/.

SHORT COURSES OFFERED IN MARCH
Customer Support Services is offering free short courses for faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students and annuitants this month. Courses being offered include topics such as GroupWise, SPSS Basics, MS Word 2000 Forms, MS Word 2000 Advanced Formatting, Publishing on the Web and Netscape Composer. For more information or to enroll, call 753-8100 or e-mail shortcourse@niu.edu.

TIME ENTRY AND BENEFIT USAGE CLASS
The hourly time entry and benefit usage reporting class will be offered from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 7, in Human Resources Building room 178. The class, which is for beginners, will introduce participants to the time entry and benefit usage process. Space is limited. For reservations, call 753-6039. The class will be offered again from 3 to 4:30 p.m Thursday, April 4 and Thursday, May 2. For more information, call 753-9191 or e-mail ksmith12@niu.edu.

CALL FOR DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROPOSALS
The Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center (FDIDC) is offering grants of up to $2,500 each annually to regular continuing faculty (tenured and tenure track). The purpose of the grants is to encourage and support faculty development activities that directly benefit the applicants' departments, colleges and/or the university. Equal matching from the applicants' academic units or appropriate external sources is required. Five copies of each proposal, including the proposal cover sheet, accompanying letters of support and other relevant documents must be submitted to the Grant Review Subcommittee, FDIDC, by Friday, April 12, for activities scheduled between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2002. Complete proposal guidelines and cover sheet can be obtained on the Web. Faculty are encouraged to attend the grant writing seminar that will be held from 11:30 am to 12:30 p.m. Friday, April 5. To register, call 753-0595 or e-mail adeegan@niu.edu.

CALL FOR SPS GRANT PROPOSALS
The Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center and the Office of the President are offering grants up to $1,000 each to Supportive Professional Staff (SPS) pursuing professional development activities that benefit the individuals as well as their academic units. Proposal guidelines and other information is available on the Web. Five copies of each proposal must be submitted to the SPS Awards Committee, FDIDC, by Friday, April 19, for activities proposed between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2002. SPS are encouraged to attend the SPS grant writing seminar from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 11. To register, call 753-0595 or e-mail adeegan@niu.edu.

FDIDC WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS HELD IN MARCH
The Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center is hosting a variety of seminars and workshops in March. "Basic Animations with Macromedia Flash™" will be presented from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, March 15. "Creating and Publishing a Narrated Streaming Slide Show with Real SlideShow™" will be held from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 19. Priority for registration will be given to faculty and teaching SPS. Program locations will be made available when you register. Information concerning prerequisite courses is available at http://www.niu.edu/facdev/media/prereq.htm. To register, call 753-0595 or e-mail adeegan@niu.edu.

ITS HOSTS CELEBRATION
The ITS Customer Support Center staff will be hosting a one year celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m Tuesday, March 19, in Swen Parson 120. All are welcome to attend, and cake and beverages will be available.