February 9, 2004, Northern Today Abridged

Accreditation team to visit campus this month

An accreditation team from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools will arrive on campus Monday, Feb. 23.

The team’s 11 members, representing different Midwestern colleges and universities, will spend three days poring over documents and meeting with various constituencies in an effort to verify information reported in NIU’s self-study.

Scheduling of meetings is still taking place, said Virginia Cassidy, associate vice provost for academic planning and development. Key campus leaders have been asked to hold their calendars for those days, she said.

Cassidy compares the team’s relatively short time on campus to a family gathering at Thanksgiving: The preparation – in NIU’s case, two-and-a-half years – takes far longer than the event itself.

“We’re in the final stages,” Cassidy said. “All the materials have been sent to all the members of the team, and we’re in the process now of making arrangements for the visit, such as the transportation of team members to campus. We’re getting the resource room prepared, and we’ve sent out many calls for documentation and information from all across the campus. Getting that final schedule ready is another big step.”

Jan Rintala, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education who headed the self-study steering committee, is looking forward to the visit.

“We’ll have an opportunity throughout the campus community to basically clarify and reinforce the items within the self-study document itself,” Rintala said. “One of the biggest outcomes is that the team members have expertise that may provide guidance for us as we continue to improve and change, which I think all institutions have to do.”

NIU’s self-study, which is more than 300 pages, is available in printed form, on CD and in a PDF file located on the bottom right corner of NIU’s online homepage.

“This is a way of letting the whole university community and other people who are interested in what’s going on at the university, whether it’s alumni or our partners or agencies where we have affiliations, read our self-study,” Cassidy said. “We have lots of good stories to tell.”

It provides a comprehensive review of the entire university organization, from academic programs, facilities and financial solvency to technical support, research and artistry. It also reports on governance structure, university mission, planning that has occurred since the last site visit in February of 1994 and support services for students.

Accreditation, which can be awarded for up to 10 years, provides NIU an outward distinction as a competent, comprehensive university with a clear map for the future. Examiners from accrediting agencies for specific programs also look for NCA accreditation as one of their routine checkpoints.

NIU, which has enjoyed NCA accreditation since 1915, must meet five criteria:

• The institution has a clear and publicly stated purpose consistent with its mission that is appropriate to an institution of higher learning.
• The institution has effectively organized its resources to accomplish its purposes.
• The institution is accomplishing its educational and other purposes.
• The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness.
• The institution demonstrates integrity in its practices and relationships.

NIU announces Black Heritage Month events

The NIU Center for Black Studies also has scheduled a full slate of events for Black Heritage Month.

• Tuesday, Feb. 10, Black Film Festival, 6:30 p.m., Stevenson Towers Multipurpose Room.
• Wednesday, Feb. 11, 27th Black Student Art Show reception, in the Art Gallery of the Holmes Student Center.
• Monday, Feb. 16, Black Unity Day, 8 p.m., Stevenson Towers Multipurpose Room.
• Tuesday, Feb. 17, lecture, “Making it in the College of Business,” 7 p.m., Stevenson Towers Multipurpose Room.
• Wednesday, Feb. 18, Black Film Festival, “The Story of Malcom X,” 7 p.m., Stevenson Towers Multipurpose Room.
• Thursday, Feb. 19, 16th Annual Afrocentric Fashion Show, 8 p.m., in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center.
• Sunday, Feb. 22, Miss Black NIU Pageant, 3 p.m., Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center.
• Monday, Feb. 23, speaker, Rev. Walter Ratliff, 4 to 7 p.m., in the Capitol Room of the Center for Black Studies.
• Tuesday, Feb. 24, panel discussion, “Fact or Fiction: Do Black People Like Chicken?: Exploring Stereotypes,” 7 p.m., Stevenson Towers.
• Thursday, Feb. 26, 19th Annual Soul Bowl Banquet, 5 p.m., Wesley Foundation.
• Friday, Feb. 27, a performance of the play, “A Tribute to Black Prominents,” 7 p.m. in the Regency Room of the Holmes Student Center.
• Friday, Feb. 27-Sunday, Feb. 29, Black Choir Weekend Workshop, 7 p.m. each day in the Music Building.

For more information on any of these events, contact the Center for Black Studies at 753-1709.

Longtime secretary to NIU presidents
makes gift to alumni, visitors center

Serving six presidents over a span of 32 years, Sally Stevens devoted her life to the betterment of NIU. She is still doing so eight years after retirement, this time in a very tangible and generous manner.

Stevens, a DeKalb native, has made a “leadership gift” toward the Alumni and Visitors Center to be built on Annie Glidden Road at Stadium Drive. Leadership gifts are defined as those of more than $100,000. Stevens also has made additional commitments to provide substantial gifts to support a number of other university projects and programs to be announced at a later date.

“I always knew that someday I would leave a legacy to NIU,” Stevens says. “I just decided that it would be more exciting to make that ‘someday’ now. This way I can enjoy seeing the good that can happen with a little help from a friend.”

Those who know her best say they were surprised at the size of the gift, but agreed that it was completely in character for Stevens.

“If you were to take a family portrait of NIU, Sally Stevens would be sitting front-row center,” says NIU President John Peters, the only NIU chief she has not served as secretary in the last 40 years. “We have always known her to be an ardent supporter of the university, but this gift is extremely generous and we are very grateful.”

“Sally has supported several scholarship funds since her retirement, but the magnitude of this was something none of us anticipated. She is justifiably proud, and seems to relish the knowledge that she surprised all of us,” says Mallory Simpson, president of the NIU Foundation.

The Alumni and Visitors Center is expected to become a new crossroads on campus. The centerpiece of the 36,000-square-foot, $6.2 million building will be a great hall dedicated to highlighting the accomplishments of NIU alumni. It also will include a ballroom and a faculty library, and will serve as the stepping-off point for campus tours.

Stevens’ gift helps bring the total amount of money raised for the project to $4.2 million.

In recognition of the gift, the conference suite in the facility will be named in Stevens’ honor. The suite includes three meeting rooms equipped with the latest in audio-visual equipment, suitable for lectures, colloquia and other events.

“I am delighted to see such facilities on campus. There were many times that I wished for something just like this as I organized university events,” says Stevens, whose skill at putting together parties, receptions and other events earned her the unofficial title of “campus hostess” during her years at NIU.

Indeed, while her job description read “secretary,” those who worked closest with her say that hardly begins to describe what she did for NIU.

“She was a presence in the president’s office,” recalls William Monat, who led the university from 1977 until 1985. “She was always very gracious and a constant source of cheer, and she knew everyone - faculty, staff, and members of the community.”

“I loved my job at NIU. I looked forward to work everyday because every day was different,” Stevens says.

Outside of work hours, Stevens made a habit of taking full advantage of all the university had to offer. Plays, concerts and recitals offered by the College of Visual and Performing Arts were among her favorite pastimes, and she has been a holder of season tickets for football and men’s and women’s basketball since she began working at the university.

Though she retired in 1996 (her farewell reception attracted more than 1,000 people), Stevens remains a regular at university events and also maintains a busy volunteer schedule in the community. She serves on the boards of several local organizations, including the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Kishwaukee YMCA and the Sycamore Women’s Club. She is an active member of the Federated Church in Sycamore, serves as editor of the bi-monthly newsletter at the Oak Crest Retirement Center and is an avid bridge player. She also travels extensively, having visited more than 100 countries to date.

While those things are satisfying, few things have brought her as much satisfaction as making this gift.

“I have always had a real commitment and love for the university,” says Stevens. “And it brings me great pleasure to be able to lend a helping hand.”

Presidential hopefuls Clark, Edwards enjoy early boost of good looks

Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark and Sen. John Edwards so far haven’t captured the most votes in the Democratic primaries, but the two presidential hopefuls do hold a distinct advantage over their rivals in at least one area: the looks department.

Researchers James Schubert of NIU and Margaret Curran of Richard Stockton College in New Jersey have compiled years of evidence establishing a link between candidates’ physical appearances and their viability at the ballot box.

According to their most recent findings, Edwards rates as the most attractive candidate in the Democratic primary field. Voters link attractiveness to likeability, the researchers say.

Clark (note the high cheek bones) is a close second, but he also rates first among the candidates in the category of facial dominance, an important feature that voters associate with leadership abilities.

“Simply put, looks count,” said Schubert, a veteran NIU professor of political science.

“Facial characteristics and other non-verbal cues can and do subconsciously sway voters.
“We’re not asserting that a candidate will win or lose based solely on his or her appearances,” he said. “But appearance is a factor that comes into play, especially during crowded primaries, when issues are not yet well-defined. Good looks can help a candidate gain early media attention and raise money.”

Added Curran, “Voters are influenced by appearances because they provide a way to sort through a list of candidates. A voter doesn’t want to waste his or her vote on someone who doesn’t appear to be electable.”

To compile ratings on the Democratic presidential hopefuls, the researchers surveyed more than 80 male and female test subjects in November 2003, presenting them with still and video-clip images of the nine candidates in the race at the time. Largely unfamiliar with the candidates, the test subjects rated each image for such characteristics as attractiveness, dominance, electability, likeability, competence, compassion and leadership ability.

Sen. John Kerry, whose aides recently denied rumors that he was using Botox, wasn’t rated near the top for facial dominance or attractiveness. But his string of early successes isn’t a complete surprise.

“Kerry has done better than we would have predicted, but he was among those we thought would be viable,” Schubert said. “People are beginning to go beyond their initial response to appearances. They’re getting to the issues.”

Politicians can compensate for low scores in the looks department with non-verbal behavior, Schubert added. “The most important behavior for the candidates we’ve studied is whether they maintain eye contact with the camera,” he said. “We interpret that as communicating confidence.”

Back in November, former Vermont governor Howard Dean scored relatively high marks in the looks department, but now he must find ways to compensate for the “Dean scream” during his Iowa concession speech.

“The effect of the so-called scream plays right into our research,” Curran said. “I think voters interpreted it as somebody who was just out of control. Humans have an immense capability for recognizing emotions based on facial appearance alone. You didn’t need to have the sound up to see he was angry.”

While test subjects deemed Edwards the most attractive candidate, he didn’t do well in the facial dominance category. That might or might not be a drawback. “Certainly Edwards is more baby-faced than the other candidates, but that isn’t always a bad thing,” Curran said. “The baby-faced quality can be associated with compassion, and that softness can be appealing, particularly to women.”

Since 1996, Schubert and Curran have been conducting research on the physical appearances of political candidates. In study after study, they demonstrated that symmetrical faces, prominent cheekbones, large jaw lines and pronounced brow ridges – the same dominant facial characteristics that influence mate selection – can help win over voters.

Celebrated artist will visit NIU for premiere of documentary on her work

NIU will welcome internationally acclaimed artist Ruth Weisberg to campus later this month for a weeklong exhibit of her paintings, drawings and monotypes – and the Midwest premiere of a documentary on her life and work.

NIU communication Professor Laura Vazquez wrote, directed and produced the 40-minute documentary “Ruth Weisberg: On the Journey.” It won a gold medal in the 2003 Aurora Awards, an international independent film and video competition.

The video documentary will be screened at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at the NIU Visual Arts Building (Room 100), followed by a question-and-answer session with the artist and filmmaker. A reception for Weisberg will be held later that evening at Congregation Beth Shalom, 820 Russell Road.

More than a dozen of Weisberg’s artworks will be displayed from Feb. 22 through 28 in the Graduate Gallery (Room 214) of the Visual Arts Building. The exhibit and related events are free and open to the public.

The video documentary explores the breadth of Weisberg’s artistry, capturing her working in the studio and discussing her creative processes.

“When we walk into a gallery and view a work of art, it communicates in a certain way, telling us where to look,” Vazquez says. “In the documentary, I intervene. So I wanted to make sure that I did justice to Ruth’s art in a way that both explained it and extended the experience for the documentary viewer.”

For a portion of the documentary, Vazquez trains her lens on the artist’s commissioned work, “The Open Door Haggadah,” exploring Weisberg’s relationship to both Judaism and feminism.

After a national competition, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, representing the Reform Movement of Judaism, selected Weisberg to provide drawings for the new Haggadah – the book containing the story of the Exodus, which is read at the Passover Seder. Once every 30 years the Reform Movement updates its Haggadah, and Weisberg was the first female artist ever chosen to create the illustrations. Copies of the new Haggadah will be available for the artist to sign at the Graduate Gallery one hour in advance of the documentary screening.

The documentary follows the artist as she first photographs live models (including her grown son and daughter), thus placing contemporary people into the historical settings of her paintings and drawings. In this way, she uses the past to talk about the present.

“I wanted to capture the way in which Ruth crosses historical boundaries, taking us backward in history and forward in time,” Vazquez says. “She frequently pays homage to masterpieces of Western art in her works, thereby communicating the continuities in human history.”

Vazquez’s documentary places the Haggadah drawings in the context of other bodies of work by Weisberg. The documentary contains more than 150 of the artist’s images, which vary from room-size installations to intimate explorations of love and desire.

An accomplished filmmaker, Vazquez teaches media theory and production courses at NIU. She is currently working as cinematographer and editor for “Lincoln and the Black Hawk War,” a film directed by NIU Professor Jeff Chown for the Illinois Humanities Council. She also is co-directing a documentary on the NIU campus unrest of 1970.

Weisberg, a Chicago native, serves as dean of the School of Fine Arts at the University of Southern California. Her paintings, drawings and large-scale installations are featured in 60 major museum and university collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the French national library in Paris, the National Institute for Graphics in Rome, the Los Angeles County Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Weisberg’s visit to Illinois also will include a screening of the Vazquez documentary at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, in Room 203 of Columbia College, 623 S. Wabash, Chicago. The documentary also will be shown during an exhibit of Weisberg’s Haggadah work in March at Brandeis University in Massachusetts.

The DeKalb events are co-sponsored by Congregation Beth Shalom and the NIU School of Art, College of Visual and Performing Arts, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Department of Communication.

NIU students on a mission for spring break

While thousands of the nation’s college kids flock to sandy resort beaches, a group of NIU students will travel to some of the country’s poorer regions for spring break.

Instead of making a splash, they’ll be making a difference.

The Newman Catholic Student Center’s annual “alternative spring break” is sending three teams of student volunteers on service trips. The center has been running the alternative trips for more than a decade, and they are as popular as ever.

In all, 42 NIU students (plus four alumni) have signed up for this year’s outings. At sites in Fort Smith, Ark., and Florence, Ala., the NIU crews will help build Habitat for Humanity houses. In the rugged Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, the students will paint houses, repair homes and work with children and the elderly.

“We still get the warm weather, but we also get a sense of fulfillment, knowing that we made someone’s life better,” said Louise Schalasky, a junior mechanical engineering major from Oblong, Ill.

Personal vehicles will be used for the trip, helping defray the cost to students, which is just $75 each. The students leave Saturday, March 6, and return a week later. Registration is now closed.

“We never have problems finding students who want to participate,” said Pat Mulheran, Newman Center campus minister. She estimates that about half of the alternative spring breakers are returnees.

“It’s so much more than pounding a hammer,” Mulheran said. “The students make friendships across geographic lines and across generations. In Arkansas last year, about 150 people worked on one site every day, building three houses. A 70-year-old woman taught some of our kids how to put a roof on. They called her the Roof Mom.”

Brian Yandle, a 21-year accountancy major from Naperville, served as co-leader of the Fort Smith, Ark., group and is returning to the town this spring.

“What appeals most to me is the fact that I am doing something that makes a difference,” Yandle said. “When my week is done I can see results and know I’ve just helped change peoples’ lives. You just don’t get opportunities like this often enough.”

NIU to host third annual Clarinet Cornucopia

Clarinetists and clarinet lovers in the Midwest are invited to NIU’s third annual Clarinet Cornucopia, a day-long celebration of the popular woodwind instrument.

This year’s event, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, focuses on “Sounds of Japan” and will feature performances of Japanese music, a talk on jazz clarinet in Japan and special guest Mituso Sakaba, consul general of the Japanese Consulate at Chicago.

The day also includes a 7:30 p.m. performance of Japanese works by the Clarinet Quartet of the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America. The concert also includes a performance by the clarinet choir from Ironwood High School in Michigan and will end with a clarinet ensemble performance by attendees of the Clarinet Cornucopia.

Master classes in clarinet playing will be given by NIU faculty host Gregory Barrett, who originated the event two years ago, and the world-renowned John Bruce Yeh, assistant principal and solo E-flat clarinetist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Yeh will perform his concert of Japanese music at 11:30 a.m. that Saturday in the Recital Hall of the NIU Music Building. The concert is free and open to the public.

E. Taylor Atkins, associate professor in the NIU Department of History, will lead the 4:15 p.m. talk on jazz clarinet in Japan. Atkins is the author of the award-winning book, “Blue Nippon: Authenticating Jazz in Japan.”

Participants also are invited to bring their clarinets, perform in the Cornucopia Clarinet Choir and browse the display and sale of clarinet products.

Fees are $30 per person for general registration and $20 per person for groups of five or more who register at the same time. The Clarinet Cornucopia is supported by the NIU School of Music, the NIU Music Society and Yamaha Corp. of America.

For more information, call 753-1450 or e-mail rpage@niu.edu.

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 17, 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 1-800-407-4556 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.

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