Twelve external NIU programs combined into single unit as 'division of university outreach'

New unit adopts 'Extension' model; veteran researcher to lead division

by Melanie Magara

The long arm of Northern Illinois University has touched people, agencies and programs throughout the region for many decades.

Whether by providing classes for working adults in the suburbs, helping city planners assess public opinion on local issues or offering technical assistance to social service agencies with limited resources, NIU has extended its mission into the region in countless ways.

A new initiative called University Outreach is pulling together many of those functions under one umbrella, placing new emphasis on NIU's "extended mission" and creating support services for all campus units that provide services to the region.

"Many people are familiar with the concept at large, land-grant universities of 'extension services,' " explained Anne Kaplan, vice president for administration and university outreach. "NIU has been doing the same thing for years, and now we've simply reorganized to bring some cohesiveness and efficiencies to our outreach presence."

Long-time NIU researcher John Lewis, currently associate director of the Center for Governmental Studies, has been tapped to head the new unit as associate vice president for University Outreach.

"John brings a distinguished record of public service, applied research and public policy development to this position," Kaplan said. "He is in many ways our role model for successful university engagement in the region, as he has headed up a variety of successful economic and community development projects around the state."

For his part, Lewis says his long-term goal is increased visibility for NIU's outreach program.

"Five years from now, I would hope that anyone in the region with a need for research, training, technical assistance or workforce education would think first of Northern Illinois University's outreach program," Lewis said.

"All of the units under outreach already have strong name recognition on their own," Lewis said. "But I think all these programs, as well as the larger institution, benefit from a stronger identification with the single, overriding mission we call university outreach."

Joining Lewis in the new outreach effort are three other current NIU staffers.

Kathy Gilmer, currently director of NIU-Hoffman Estates, will become director of NIU outreach centers, coordinating the work of all four NIU off-campus sites. She will continue in her role at Hoffman Estates as she takes on the additional work of coordinating operations there and in Naperville, Rockford and at the Lorado Taft Field Campus in Oregon.

Greg Petty, currently director of NIU-Rockford, will become director of university outreach shared services. In his new role, Petty will provide support services to all Outreach units, as well as to colleges and departments with outreach programs. He will also continue in his current role for the time being.

Pete Trott, currently director of NIU's Center for Governmental Studies, will act as director for programs and services in the new outreach unit. Trott, who is retiring at the end of the year, will organize the new programs and services unit.

The units making up University Outreach include the Center for Governmental Studies; the four regional campus sites in Rockford, Naperville, Hoffman Estates and Oregon; the Illinois Council on Economic Education; NIU's eLearning Services; the former Continuing Education unit, and the popular Motorcycle Safety program.

In his State of the University address last week, NIU President John Peters said NIU's outreach efforts are key to the institution's long-term future.

"In our current economic and political climate, these activities are more important than ever," Peters said. "We must show legislators and the citizens of northern Illinois a real regional return on the investment they make in higher education, and outreach services do that very effectively."

Kaplan emphasized that NIU's strengthened outreach unit has been created without any new spending, and ultimately will save the university much-needed resources by creating new efficiencies.

"We're taking an historic mission, supporting it more efficiently, and calling new attention to its importance," Kaplan said.

10/21/02