In Brief

Motor development program
offered for young children

A motor development program for children ages 3 to 6 has begun in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education. The program, which includes fitness activities and games, runs from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through April 14.

Children have opportunities to experience the fun of movement, learn movement concepts and develop fundamental motor skills, coordination and rhythmical abilities.

The program is directed by Clersida Garcia, specialist in the field of motor development. The fee is $100 per term. Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Call 753-1400 for more information.

Spring discussion series
to address cultural experiences

Affirmative Action and Diversity Resources is pleased to announce its 2004 Collective Stories and Cultural Experiences (CSCE) Spring Series. These discussions are informative, interactive and focus upon various issues and concerns that impact the working and learning environments on campus.

This first session is “The Legacy of Being a Person of Color,” held from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday in AADR 178. All are welcome. Feel free to bring your lunch to the session. Light refreshments will be provided.

In celebration of Black Heritage Month, this discussion will focus on the experiences, stories and life events related to being a person of color and how these varied journeys impact daily interactions and achievements in the higher education setting. Panelists are LaVerne Gyant, director of the Center for Black Studies; Juletta Patrick, director of the Office of Instructional Assistance, and Promod Vohra, dean of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology.

For more information, please contact Phinette Maszka at 753-6030, (TTY 753-2000) or at pmaszka@niu.edu.

Panelists to discuss
‘Being Black in DeKalb’

In honor of Black Heritage Month, the NIU Center for Black Studies and the DeKalb Interfaith Network for Peace & Justice are sponsoring “Being Black in DeKalb.”

The program takes place at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Heritage Room of the Holmes Student Center. It offers a unique opportunity to learn first-hand what it’s like to be a member of a minority group in DeKalb. Students, faculty and community members will describe their experiences living here, and later address questions from the audience.

Campus food drive
scheduled for Friday

Participate in the fourth annual campus food drive from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. Friday.

Simply bring canned goods on your way to work or class in the morning and drop them off in designated vans stationed in the parking lots listed below:

Campus Life Building
Field House
Parking Deck (both entrances)
Music/Art Building
Campus Child Care (drop off in lobby)
Human Resource Services (drop off in lobby)

Donations will go to various food pantries and agencies in the area, including Safe Passage, Hope Haven, Volunteer Action Center, Salvation Army, Sycamore Food Pantry and New Hope Baptist Church Food Pantry.

Suggested donations include gift cards (will be given directly to agencies), canned goods (tuna in water, beans, peanut butter, hash, stew, chicken, fruit, fruit juice, tomato sauce/paste, whole tomatoes, soup, jelly, vegetables), dry goods (unsweetened cereal, quick oatmeal, pasta, non-instant rice, hot chocolate, instant potatoes, macaroni and cheese, graham crackers, dried fruit or raisins, saltine crackers, Velveeta cheese, powdered milk, spaghetti or chili mix, pudding mix, coffee, tea bags, baby toiletries, disposable diapers in all sizes, Pull-Ups, powder laundry detergents, toiletries, toilet paper) and bulk sizes.

Volunteers are needed. If you are willing to volunteer or have any questions about the food drive, please contact Michelle Bringas, University Programming and Activities Office, at 753-1421 or via e-mail at mbringas@niu.edu.

The drive is sponsored by Student Affairs Staff Development Committee. Vans are donated by Student Housing & Dining Services, the Office of Campus Recreation and Transportation.

NIU play to explore
legendary theater ‘group’

In the summer of 1931, then-unknown actors Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford and Lee Strasburg formed a theatre company that would forever alter the acting profession. They called themselves Group Theatre.

Ronald Rand’s play “The Group!” chronicles the rise of their influential Group Theatre.

Presented by the NIU School of Theatre and Dance, the production will feature playwright Rand, one of three professional actors alongside NIU’s own faculty Deborah Robertson and Phil Timberlake, who will take the stage each night for the final scene of “The Group!”

Kathryn Gately, NIU professor and acting coach for the production’s cast, has her roots in the Group Theatre. Gately studied with Sanford Meisner, one of the original members of the Group Theatre.

The show runs Thursday, Feb. 12, through Sunday, Feb. 15, at NIU’s Corner Theatre, located in the Stevens Building. Show times are 7:30 p.m. weekdays and Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Tickets are $3, and are available only at the door. For tickets or more information, call 753-1600 or stop by the box office in the Stevens Building.

Latino law students host
speakers on ‘Undocumented’

Great efforts have been made to recruit Latinos to universities in recent years. Latinos now are the fastest growing minority on college campus, but many Latinos remain overlooked.

The Latino Law Student Association will host attorneys William B. Schiller and Sarah O’Connor, who will speak on “The Undocumented: What are the options?” The event begins at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at University Resources for Latinos, 515 Garden Road.

Call 753-1986 for more information.

Friends of NIU Libraries
sponsor Bonnicksen talk

The Friends of NIU Libraries invite the public to attend the fourth program of the 2003-04 academic year at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18. NIU political science Professor Andrea Bonnicksen will speak on “Therapeutic Cloning and Public Policy.”

The program will be held in the staff lounge of Founders Memorial Library. There will be an opportunity for discussion and light refreshments following the presentation.

Bonnicksen is the author of three books and numerous articles, and is the co-editor of three books. She serves as a member of the ethics committee for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the ethics and human values committee for Kishwaukee Community Hospital and is a core participant for the Hasting Center’s “Reprogenetics: A Blueprint for Meaningful Moral Debate and Responsible Public Policy.”

Call 753-9394 for more information.

Training offered for
financial management system

The financial management system training staff will offer the following courses to general campus over the next couple of months. Please contact Cindy Kozumplik in Finance and Facilities at 753-8077 to register.

Queries for Business – learn how to run queries in the Financials PeopleSoft System to verify the status of an item. This class requires business manager or departmental approval to attend (Wednesday, Feb. 18, and April 14).

FMS Forms – learn about the different forms for use in Accounting and Procurement offices (March 9 and May 18).

GL Forms & FMS Reports – learn about a few forms related to the monthly reports and how to read and understand your monthly reports (March 11 and May 20).

NIU Women’s Law Caucus hosts
performances of ‘Vagina Monologues’

For the sixth consecutive year, the Women’s Law Caucus of the NIU College of Law will host three benefit performances of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” on campus.

The benefit productions are being held in conjunction with V-Day activities. All members of the NIU community are invited to attend the performances.

Performances begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, through Saturday, Feb. 21, in Cavan Auditorium of Gabel Hall. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $8 for students. All proceeds benefit CASA of DeKalb County, HUGS Chapter of Rockford and Elgin Community Crisis Center. Tickets can be purchased by sending an email to niucolvday04@yahoo.com.

Additional information is available through the e-mail address above or by calling Heather Wier at (815) 762-2629.

Kishwaukee Symphony
celebrates 26th season

Members of the Kishwaukee Symphony Associates invite fans and friends of the orchestra to celebrate its 26th season of “Keeping the Symphony Sound” at a theme dinner Sunday, Feb. 22, at Michael’s Restaurant in Sycamore.

The 5:30 p.m. dinner – “Light Supper with a French Twist” – follows the orchestra’s winter concert. The cost is $30 per person, including tax and tip. Proceeds go to ensure the orchestra’s future.

Reservations are required by Tuesday, Feb. 17. Call Michael’s at (815) 899-3463. Please mention the reservation is part of the Feb. 22 KSO group.

For more information, call (815) 522-2133 or visit www.kishorchestra.org online. Click on “Kishwaukee Symphony Associates.”

University Resources for Women
hosts eating disorders workshops

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is Feb. 23 through 27. University Resources for Women will host daily workshops from noon to 1 p.m. at its 105 Normal Road quarters. Call 753-0320 for more information.

Monday, Feb. 23
“Super-size It!”
Eunice Kim, Counseling & Student Development Center

This workshop will introduce information on binge-eating disorder and strategies for overcoming this problem.

Tuesday, Feb. 24
Miracle Pills and Potions?
Andrea Hein, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education

Do herbal, organic, liquid and other supplements help facilitate or maintain weight loss? This informative program focuses on the safety, effectiveness and short and long-term effects of these weight loss methods.

Wednesday, Feb. 25
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall – Body Distortion Practices
Eunice Kim, Counseling & Student Development Center

This presentation will inform you about some of the unreal ways that women try to change their body in order to attain an unrealistic ideal.

Thursday, Feb. 26
Recognizing and Helping a Family Member or Friend with an Eating Disorder
Kathy Hotelling, Counseling & Student Development Center

This workshop will give pointers on how and when to intervene with someone whom you believe has an eating disorder, how to find appropriate caregivers, and how to live with a family member who has an eating disorder.

Elizabeth Allen Lecture Series
to welcome David Freedberg

David Freedberg will lecture on “Art, Emotion and the Brain: History and Neuroscience” at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, in Room 100 of the Art Building. Freedberg, professor of art history at Columbia University and director of the Italian Academy, comes to NIU as part of the Elizabeth Allen Lecture Series.

Call 753-1474 for more information.

Nominations sought for
Outstanding Service Award

All university employees are reminded that nominations for the 2004 Outstanding Service Award for NIU civil service employees are due in Human Resource Services no later than 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27. All full- or part-time civil service employees who have been continuously employed at NIU since Feb. 1, 2003 are eligible. Nomination forms and guidelines were mailed to all employees in early January and also can be found on the Operating Staff Council Web site at www.niu.edu/osc/osc.htm.

The recipients of this award will be honored at the Annual Operating Staff Service Awards Banquet held April 30, and each will receive a monetary award of $1,500.

NIU Wellness Fair
to teach stroke avoidance

NIU’s Employee Wellness and Assistance Program will host a wellness fair Wednesday, March 24, on the main floor of the Holmes Student Center.

Life Line Screening, a leading provider of quality health screenings, conducts non-invasive and completely painless tests that quickly detect arterial abnormalities which can cause irregular blood flow.

Ninety appointments are available. Pre-registration is required. Call 1-800-407-4557 for registration, or call Karen Smith at 753-9191 for more information.

Proposals sought for
David W. Raymond grant

The David W. Raymond Grant is an annual grant to faculty working on ways to use new technologies in their teaching. The $2,500 grant is awarded to the faculty member with the best proposal for incorporating new technologies into his or her teaching.

Tenured and tenure-track faculty are eligible to apply for the grant. Applicants must describe a project that incorporates instructional technologies in the teaching of a course or the preparation of supporting materials for a course according to the proposal format.

The proposal must include a budget for the project and a letter of support from the chair of the applicant’s department, school or division. Five copies of each proposal should be submitted to the Grant Review Committee, Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center, Gilbert Hall 240, by March 19, 2004.

For proposal format and additional information about the grant, call 753-0595, send e-mail to facdev@niu.edu or check http://www.niu.edu/facdev/development/grants.htm.

Nominations sought
for Eychaner Award

The NIU Presidential Commission on Sexual Orientation and Prism of NIU are seeking nominations for the Eychaner Award, presented annually to recognize individuals affiliated with NIU who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and service on behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender community.

The award is presented in two categories, one recognizing contributions made by an NIU student and one recognizing the contributions of a faculty or staff member or an NIU alum.

A full description of the award, including eligibility and nomination guidelines, is available online at www.niu.edu/lgbt/eychaner.htm. The Web page also includes a list of past recipients and a printable nomination form. Nomination forms also are available at the LGBT Resource Center, Holmes Student Center, seventh floor.

The nomination deadline is noon Friday, March 26. For questions, contact Margie Cook, LGBT coordinator, at 753-LGBT(5428) or via e-mail at lgbt@niu.edu.

Colleges Against Cancer
to host Relay for Life

NIU’s chapter of the American Cancer Society’s Colleges Against Cancer is hosting a Relay for Life April 2 and 3 in the Rec Center.

The relay is the ACS’s major annual national fundraiser, an overnight festive celebration consisting of teams of 10 to 15 people, each of whom has raised at least $100 for the American Cancer Society. Last year, NIU teams raised more than $26,000 for cancer research and programs.

Anyone interested in joining a faculty/staff team or forming one of their own for this year’s celebration should contact Mary Cozad, Department of Foreign Languages at 753-6448 or via e-mail at mcozad@niu.edu.

2-9-04