Former NIU president remembered
for strong connection with students, commitment to opportunity

Former NIU President Rhoten A. Smith, who presided over the university during a period of rapid expansion and student unrest, has died in Colorado at the age of 82. Smith served as NIU’s sixth president from 1967 to 1971, presiding over a tumultuous period of rapid campus growth and Vietnam-era protests. The first NIU president to come from a non-teachers-college background, Smith brought a vision for a new, comprehensive university with high academic standards and full integration of teaching, research and public service missions. Among longtime NIU staff and DeKalb-area residents, Smith also is remembered as the president who stopped a campus riot by joining a student sit-in on the Lincoln Highway bridge. FULL STORY

Rhoten A. Smith

Huskie Football scores national acclaim

The Huskies hit the big time Thursday night, exploding on the national football scene with their 20-13 upset of No. 14 Maryland.

Actually, the Huskies burst on the scene much earlier in the day when the USA Today Sports section featured running back Michael “The Burner” Turner as its front page feature story. It was the highlight of a wave of pre-game publicity that included stories in every major newspaper in Chicago, Rockford and the suburbs.

FULL STORY

For years, Sharon Smaldino was happy to follow her audiologist husband as his professional obligations moved them around to several different states.

Trained as a speech pathologist, she later would work with deaf children as a special education teacher. Then, believing she needed experience teaching regular children, she earned a degree in elementary education. She had opportunities to work in elementary classrooms as well as special programs.

But a move to Carbondale – and her treasured Apple IIe – would change everything.

FULL STORY

Nine Japanese dietitians came to NIU last week for a taste of the nutrition and dietetics program in the School of Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences – starting with a spoonful of soup in the Chandelier Room.

The school, in the College of Health and Human Sciences, hosted the Far East visitors Wednesday afternoon as part of a two-week tour of the United States to learn more about diet and nutrition in this country.

“In Japan, dietetics is not as well developed as it is in this country,” said Ellen Parham, professor and coordinator of NIU’s nutrition, dietetics and hospitality administration program.

FULL STORY

Work to replace Gilbert Drive continues to kick up dust, with completion targeted for Oct. 1.

“Had we simply set out to replace the road this summer, we would have been done by now,” said James Bryant, director of NIU Architectural and Engineering Services, “but we are trying to accomplish several objectives at once.”

FULL STORY

If you missed your chance last week to get a good look at Mars – when the planet was closer to Earth than it has been in nearly 60,000 years – it’s still not too late.

“The view of Mars will remain spectacular through mid-October,” says Andrew Morrison, manager of the observatory atop Davis Hall.

The observatory is providing a steady stream of visitors with a telescopic view of the mysterious Red Planet.

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“The future’s so bright” in the College of Education, Dean Chris Sorensen has told faculty, despite continued financial concerns and added demands.

Sorensen delivered an upbeat but realistic picture of the year ahead during her annual all-college meeting, held the Wednesday before classes began.

Familiar trials of fiscal resources, accountability requirements and multiple demands have continued to mount, she said, but the college is “going well” and “moving forward.”

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Move-In Day 2003 might have been the ultimate in warm welcomes for new students, and not just because of the temperatures. With a heat index that soared to 107 degrees, the weather was dangerously hot, NIU staff meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste said.

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Thomas Rossing’s recent visit to the University of Edinburgh resonated with the Scots in ways both big and small.

The NIU physics professor spent five months as a Leverhulme Visiting Professor at the 420-year-old university in Scotland’s capital city. Rossing delivered a series of lectures on the physics of music and conducted research on the physics of bagpipe reeds.

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Pete Sampras and Michael Chang walked away from professional tennis careers last month with more than their memories.

The tennis aces, along with many of their counterparts on the court, know how to eat well thanks to NIU professor Judith M. Lukaszuk.

Lukaszuk, who is director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics in the School of Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences, made her annual trip to the U.S. Open in late August to teach coaches how to feed their star athletes.

FULL STORY

The campus was abuzz with activity throughout the usually quiet months of late May, June July and August. Here are some stories you might have missed.

FIND LINKS

Mortar Board awards three honorary memberships, dance professor Randall Newsom receives a lifetime service award and geologist Ross Powell helps to negotiate a bilateral partnership with New Zealand.

FULL STORY

Save the Date
NIU President John Peters will deliver his annual State of the University Address at 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, in the Carl Sandburg Auditorium of the Holmes Student Center. A reception will follow.

NIU Co-op Program hosts
Fall Internship Career Fair
The NIU Cooperative Education/Internship Program will host its second Fall Internship Career Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, in response to requests from Co-op employers recruiting co-ops and interns.

The fair is held in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center. Deadline to register for table space is Monday, Sept. 22. -- MORE

SPS hosts orientation,
information day
NIU’s Supportive Professional Staff will host an orientation and information day from 8 to 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, in the Heritage Room of the Holmes Student Center.

Sponsors are the SPS Council and Human Resource Services.

“Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About SPS (but Didn’t Know Who to Ask)” will answer questions about who the SPS are, SPS personal processes and perks or NIU, where to go for assistance, employee wellness at NIU and getting connected with SPS around campus.

Information packets are door prizes are included. Join all SPS for an informal lunch after the program at the Blackhawk Café. RSVP at 753-6039.

The 10-week program for children ages 3 to 6 runs from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays from Sept. 15 to Nov. 19. Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis. The program fee is $100 per term and is held in NIU’s Anderson Hall. -- MORE

NIU golf programs announces
Huskie Golf Day
The NIU golf programs announce the merger between the former “Huskie Pro-Am” and “NIU CO-Am” events: HUSKIE GOLF DAY will be held Friday, Sept. 26, at Whisper Creek Golf Club in Huntley.

During the course of the 18-hole scramble, participants will be able to meet and play with all members and staff of the Huskie men’s and women’s golf teams as they rotate through the field. Interested participants can sign up a team of four or leave the pairings to the tournament committee.

The day’s experience will include special NIU welcoming gift, driving range and unlimited practice prior to play, golf, cart, an on-course box lunch and beverages. Upon the conclusion of play, a hearty Italian buffet will be served, prizes awarded and winners of raffle, silent and live auction prizes will be presented. Non-golfers can participate and support the event by attending the dinner and auctions.

Individual HUSKIE GOLF DAY entry is $225. The cost for dinner only is $35, and sponsorship opportunities also are available. For more information on the event, or to register by the Sept. 19 deadline, call the NIU Huskie golf offices at 753-1816 (men’s) or 753-1548 (women’s).

Community School of the Arts
offers fall classes for artists
This fall, the NIU Community School of the Arts offers six great art classes for artists ages 6 to adult. Classes are held in the Art Building (Jack Arends Hall) or Still Hal. All materials are supplied. -- MORE

Community School for the Arts
offers fall classes for musicians
Young musicians interested in playing in a symphony orchestra or a jazz band may audition for the CSA Sinfonia or the CSJazz Band between 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, in the NIU Music Building. Those interested in auditioning must call 753-1450 for an assigned time. -- MORE

The early childhood classes of Prelude, Prelude Plus, Gavotte and Development offer children an opportunity to learn music at an early age. Activities in the classes are progressive, but children can join at any point in the cycle. The music classes are taught by Jodeen Coulter and Kristin Taylor on Saturday mornings and Monday evenings. -- MORE

Community School of the Arts
offers theater classes for children
Children get to act to their hearts’ content in two theatre classes offered this fall by the NIU Community School of the Arts. Imagination Station is for ages 5 to 8 and Theatre Games is for ages 8 to 13. Both classes are taught on the NIU campus. -- MORE

Community School of the Arts
offers steel pan classes
Enjoy a truly different musical experience by joining the CSA Steel Band.

The group will meet in the Music Building on the NIU campus from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Mondays beginning Sept. 15. -- MORE

Community School of the Arts
offers musical speech, language development
Children with special needs between the ages of 18 months and 8 years are invited to join a class specially designed to help speech and language development using music. -- MORE

Community School of the Arts
offers classes in Celtic music
The CSA Celtic Band invites flutists, harpists, guitarists, fiddlers (violinists) and banjo players to join together to experience the lilting, haunting melodies from the Celtic tradition of Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

The band will meet in the Music Building on the NIU campus of Northern Illinois University from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Mondays beginning Sept. 8. Students ages 13 to adult are expected to have at least one year of playing experience. -- MORE

Sponsored by the NIU Community School of the Arts, the classes are taught Mondays in the Music Building on the NIU campus. The workshops are for ages 17 and older. -- MORE

Spring Children’s Literature Conference to focus on innovation, change

The 24th Annual Children’s Literature Conference is scheduled for March 12 and 13. The theme for this year’s conference is “Innovation and Change in Children’s Literature.”

Featured speakers include Eric Rohmann, Will Hobbs, Candace Fleming, Ann Carlson Weeks, Eliza Dresang and Philip Crawford.

Graduate course credit and Illinois CPDUs are available through NIU upon completion.

Call NIU’s College of Education Office of External Programs at 753-6954 or 753-3005 or by e-mail at jklock@niu.edu or jcrotchett@niu.edu for registration information. Check the Web site at http://www.cedu.niu.edu/litconf/ for more information.

Correction
In a previous edition of Northern Today, an article about new NIU banners on Lincoln Highway and Annie Glidden Road incorrectly listed the NIU Foundation as the source of funds for the banners’ purchase. The banners actually were purchased with money generated by the sale of merchandise bearing the Huskie logo.

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