In Brief

Northern Today ready to add ‘Passages’

Members of the NIU campus community now have a formal mechanism for submitting information on the passing of former colleagues. “Passages” will briefly note deaths of current and formers members of our campus community.

Each item will receive a one-line treatment – “John Public, who worked in the University Libraries from 1947 to 1982, died March 16 in Miami, Fla. He was 78” – and will only be accepted via e-mail.

Those employees who hear of deaths of former colleagues and wish to report them must include the name of a newspaper that printed an obituary or the name of the funeral home for confirmation.

Please contact us at northerntoday@niu.edu. Type “Passages” in the subject line.

Biennial women’s conference
open to NIU women

“The Biennial Conference for Women - Women in Progress” is scheduled for April 8 and April 9 in Urbana. Many employees of NIU have attended this conference in previous years and have found it to be professionally and personally rewarding.

Speakers at this year’s conference include Suze Orman, Star Jones, Soledad O’Brien and David Baldacci. For conference and registration information, visit www.theconferenceforwomen.com.

Employees who choose to reserve bus transportation space to the conference should contact either Barb Rice or Rose Miller in Human Resource Services at 753-0458 or 753-6033 on or before March 19.

NIU Theatre’s ‘Pentecost’
explores value of life, art

NIU’s School of Theatre and Dance launches the spring segment of its 2003-04 season with a timely clash of religion, culture, art and politics in the Tony Award-winning playwright David Edgar’s “Pentecost.”

The play, which received the Evening Standard Award for Best Play of 1995, “confronts the big public issues of our time.”

In “Pentecost,” Edgar uses art as both a symbol of region and history and an arena for nationalist, religious and global debate. In the first act, a painting that anticipates by almost a century the techniques of Giotto, considered by many to be the father of Western art, has been discovered in a small church in a nameless Eastern European country. When international art historians arrive to examine the piece, Edgar asks us to consider where and to whom great works of art belong.

In the second act, a motley group of terrorists seeking asylum, takes hostage both the church and the art therein. The Eastern and Western worlds collide in close quarters, prompting Michael Billington, in his 1994 Guardian review, to call the play “an epic play in a tiny space.”

Production dates are Jan. 29 through Feb. 1 and Feb. 5 to 8 in NIU’s O’Connell Theatre in the Stevens Building. Show times are 7:30 p.m. weekdays, with 2 p.m. matinees Sundays. Tickets are $14 for the general public, $8 for seniors and $7 for students. For tickets or more information, call 753-1600 or visit the Box Office in the Stevens Building.

Nominations sought for
Wilma D. Stricklin Award

The Presidential Commission on the Status of Women is seeking nominations for the Wilma D. Stricklin Award for the Enhancement of the Climate for Women on Campus. This award is given annually to an NIU-affiliated individual who has made university wide, consistent and lasting changes in the university campus climate or university processes.

Finalists for the Stricklin Award will have met all of the following criteria:

• Demonstrated exemplary leadership/service resulting in a more favorable campus climate for women;
• Provided continual leadership/service over an extended period of time;
• Expended efforts beyond expectations and work responsibilities;
• Achieved results and effected lasting change making NIU a better campus for
  women.

An awards committee appointed by the commission will review nominations and select a recipient. The award will be presented at the Outstanding Women Student Awards Ceremony on Honors Day, April 18. A member of the operating staff, supportive professional staff, faculty, student body or alumni must make nominations for this award.

A complete nomination must include the nomination form and accompanying statement and two additional letters of support.

Complete and return your nomination and letters of support marked CONFIDENTIAL to University Resources for Women, 105 Normal Road. All nominations and letters must be received no later than noon March 19. The fax number is 753-0337.

For additional information, please contact University Resources for Women at 753-9614 or http://www.niu.edu/women/pcsw/wds.shtml.

Nominations sought for
women’s writing awards

The Presidential Commission on the Status of Women announces the eighth annual award for outstanding writing on women’s issues at NIU. The purpose of the award is to recognize journalistic effort contributing to greater awareness of women’s issues on campus.

The contest is open to all NIU students and alumni who have written and published about women’s issues at NIU from March 1, 2003, to the present. Eligible entries include news coverage and/or commentary, individual articles or a series of articles on a topic(s) related to NIU women. Entries may have been published in campus publications such as Northern Star and Lifeline, or in other newspapers such as Daily Chronicle, MidWeek, and Chicago Tribune. Entries will be judged by the quality of writing, originality of content, and the significance of coverage.

Applications and criteria are available at the following campus offices: the Northern Star, the Department of Communication, University Resources for Women and Women’s Studies.

The recipient will be presented with $100 and a plaque at the Journalism Awards Banquet in April. In addition, the award winner’s name will be inscribed on the PCSW Journalism Award plaque on permanent display at the Northern Star.

Submission deadline is 4:30 p.m. March 19. Submit entries to James Killam, adviser, Northern Star, Campus Life Building 130 (753-4239), or to University Resources for Women, 105 Normal Road (753-0320).

Faculty Development schedules
February seminars, workshops

NIU’s Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center has scheduled nine seminars and workshops for faculty and supportive professional staff during the month of February.

Please contact Amy Deegan at 753-0595 or e-mail facdev@niu.edu to pre-register. Program locations will be made available when you register. If you register for a program and are unable to attend it, please notify the Center at least two working days in advance so that those on the waiting list could be given the opportunity to attend that program. Contact sponsoring units for more information about their programs.

Blackboard Assessment Features
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 9 a.m. to noon
The survey and testing features in Blackboard offer faculty a variety of useful options for online assessment. In this hands-on workshop, participants will have the opportunity to explore the various testing tools, create quizzes and test pools and practice some short cuts in creating Blackboard quizzes. We will also look at the online grade book functions. Prerequisites: Basic skills; Blackboard Overview, basic Blackboard course or extensive experience using Blackboard. Advanced registration is required.

Short Focused Tutorials
Friday, Feb. 6, 1 to 4:30 p.m.
This hands-on workshop will demonstrate the mechanics of adding voice/video to existing PowerPoint slide presentations that are streamed using broadband connectivity. Faculty may consider using this educational strategy to reinforce a concept presented in their own face-to-face-class session, provide a tutorial on new information, or review material for an upcoming examination. Participants will be using Impatica for PowerPoint. Advance registration is required and seating is very limited. Participants should be familiar with Microsoft PowerPoint and audio capture.

Blackboard Overview
Monday, Feb. 9, 9 a.m. to noon
Learn the basics of creating and developing a course in Blackboard, NIU's web course management system. Participants will get an overview of course layout and navigation and will have an opportunity to place materials in a sample course. Knowledge of web browsing is necessary. Advanced registration is required.

Presidential Teaching Professor Seminar
“Critical Questions about Our Teaching and Student Learning”
Jule Scarborough (Department of Technology)
Thursday, Feb. 12, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Heritage Room, HSC
Jule Scarborough will present the spring Presidential Teaching Professor seminar series on the exciting and courageous adventure of teaching. Her first seminar will address critical questions about teaching and learning. Everyone is invited. No registration necessary. Sponsored by Office of the Provost and Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center.

Copying, Archiving and Recycling Blackboard Courses
Thursday, Feb. 19, 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Blackboard’s version 6.0 offers a wealth of copy and archiving features that can assist faculty with copying among courses and creating back-ups of entire courses. This hands-on workshop will cover the various copy functions and when to use each. We will also review the processes of creating and copying shells and scheduled sections. Participants must have a working knowledge of Blackboard. Advanced registration is required.

Fresh Techniques for Teaching Large Sections of General Education Courses
Friday, Feb. 20, 8 a.m. to noon
In this half-day workshop by Gerard Aloisio (Minnesota State University at Mankato), participants will learn effective teaching techniques to make the most of the large general education course – techniques that will properly educate students, create strong classroom learning experiences, and contribute to departmental health and viability. Participants will develop a plan for the general education course offerings in their departments and identify concrete ways to improve these large general education courses. Advanced registration is required. Registration deadline: Friday, Feb. 13.

Blackboard Gradebook
Thursday, Feb. 26, 2 to 3:30 p.m.
One of the greatest advantages of using Blackboard is the grade book feature. Students can login to Blackboard and check their grades without contacting faculty for the information. In version 6.0, grade book items can be imported as well as exported. This workshop provides hands-on assistance with the various functions of the grade book. Participants must have a working knowledge of Blackboard. Advanced registration is required.

CD/DVD Burner Workshop
Friday, Feb. 27, 9 a.m. to noon
This demonstration and hands-on session will discuss various formats for burning a converted analogue or digital video clip onto CD (700 MB) or DVD (4.7 GB) media. The lecture portion will discuss the reasons/rationale for using this technology, the benefits, and disadvantages. Participants will observe the burning process on both a stand alone DVD burner and a DVD+RW drive in one of the Digital Multimedia Studio computers. Program is limited to 4, advanced registration necessary. Previous experience with video capture is desired, but not required.

Faculty Development Friday: Can We Keep Plagiarism and Cheating in Check?
Friday, Feb. 27, noon to 1 p.m.
Faculty members are continuously facing new and creative forms of cheating among students, not the least of which is the problem of downloadable papers from the Internet. Bring your lunch and join the discussion on how faculty can detect plagiarism and prevent cheating in the college classroom. We will be meeting in Blackhawk East dining room. No advanced registration is necessary.

Useful Links
Check: http://www3.niu.edu/facdev/ for the Teaching Large Classes online flyer.
Check: http://www3.niu.edu/facdev/resources/guide/guideintro.htm for the Instructional Guide for Faculty.
Check: http://www3.niu.edu/facdev/resources/videos.htm for a listing of all Center videos.
Check: http://www3.niu.edu/facdev/resources/listservers.htm for listserv requests.

NIUAA membership protects
future retirement benefits

Current NIU employees are invited to join the NIU Annuitants Association.

Joining the NIUAA – it has a membership of more than 1,000 current (including President and Mrs. Peters) and retired colleagues and their spouses – includes membership in the umbrella organization, the State University Annuitants Association, (SUAA), which speaks and lobbies for more than 10,000 members.

It is important to note that three critical areas of retirement benefits are not guaranteed in the state constitution: the annual cost of living adjustment of 3 percent compounded, the exception from state income tax on annuity payouts (another 3 percent benefit) and the invaluable free health insurance.

Dues are $24 per year. Current employees can this year, for the first time, pay through payroll deduction (see below). Twenty-one dollars of each member's dues are transferred to SUAA to support its intensive lobbying activities, and $3 are retained locally for mailing, printing and other incidental expenses. Local activities are self-supporting, with an invaluable subsidy from the NIU Foundation. Also, officers and board members are volunteers. Local activities include the distribution of a newsletter three times a year (the NIU Annuitant), a holiday luncheon in the early part of December and a business meeting and picnic in June (hosted by President Peters).

Two payment options are available, and forms for executing each are available as follows: To print out forms for joining NIUAA, please visit this Web site: www3.niu.edu/annuitants and click on “2003-2004 dues payment information,” or call Darla Brantley in the Provost’s Office at 753-8380 to receive the forms directly. These options include the convenient payroll deduction plan of $4 over each of six consecutive pay periods (beginning as soon as possible after receipt of the form) or the lump-sum payment option.

For further information, please contact Brantley of the Provost’s Office at 753-8380; Alan Voelker, president, at 756-7447; Larry Sallberg, treasurer, at 753-6061, or Don Buckner, membership chair, at 756-4044.

Heartland encourages donors to
‘turn a negative into a positive’

Heartland Blood Centers officials urge all eligible donors – particularly those individuals with “Rh-Negative” blood – to donate at one of their 10 area centers or at a community blood drive. The blood bank is currently experiencing a shortage in all negative blood types, including O-, A-, B- and AB-.

Donors with O- blood are especially in demand, as people with this blood type are potential universal red blood cell donors. This means that their red blood cells can be transfused to patients with all types of blood. About seven percent of the population has O- blood.

If you are at least 17 (16 with written parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in good health, you may be eligible to donate blood. If you have traveled outside the United States in the last 12 months, call Heartland Blood Centers at 1-800-7TO-GIVE so that they can verify your eligibility. All blood donors must present a photo ID.

Since 1943, Heartland Blood Centers has provided blood and blood products to 34 area hospitals across 13 counties of northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.

The following blood drives in DeKalb are open to the public during the month of February:

• Monday, Feb. 2, Grant North Complex, 2 to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb 3, Immanuel Lutheran Church, 820 N. 7th St; 2 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 12, Kishwaukee Community Hospital, 626 Bethany Road; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 18, Douglas Hall, 3 to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 25, Knights of Columbus, 1336 E. Lincoln Hwy., 3 to 7 p.m.

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