Proposed health insurance changes
elicit concern among state employees

Central Management Services, the agency that administers health plans for state employees, last week announced significant changes in insurance options available during the upcoming benefits choice period.

Of particular concern to many NIU employees were CMS plans to drop Health Alliance HMO, a longstanding managed care provider covering more than 1,000 NIU staff and 5,000 of their dependents. Another managed care program CMS chose to drop was OSF Health Plans, a Rockford-based provider covering about 60 NIU employees and their families.

Statewide, the CMS decision raised substantial protest. A special legislative hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. today in Springfield, and state employees from across Illinois are expected to testify. Because the CMS decision must be confirmed by a joint House and Senate committee called the Economic and Fiscal Commission, opponents hold out hope that it might be overruled this week.

Nonetheless, NIU officials have moved quickly to explain the proposed changes and help employees prepare for the scenario described in CMS’s new plan.

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Members of NIU's Board of Trustees approved a tuition plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1 that incorporates one rate for continuing students and a different rate for new students.

To meet the requirements of Illinois’ new “truth in tuition” law, trustees approved an increase for new freshmen and transfer students that will remain in effect for four-and-a-half years – or the average time it takes most full-time students to receive an undergraduate degree.

New students will pay 15 percent more than current tuition rates beginning this fall. Divided by four-and-a-half, that amounts to an increase of just 3.33 percent per year.

Continuing students will face an increase of 7.75 percent next year.

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As announced by President John Peters in response to the continuing condition of the state budget and higher education funding, NIU again will implement a four-day work week for the DeKalb campus during the summer of 2004.

The four-day work week schedule will begin Monday, June 7, and extend through Friday, Aug. 6. The regular five-day schedule will resume as of Monday, Aug. 9.

The operational savings generated from last year’s summer work schedule were sufficient to assist in the funding of significant priorities. However, collapsing the normal five-day schedule of university operations into a four-day summer work week results in substantially longer and more concentrated daily operations.

“We appreciate the dedication of the campus community and staff in adapting to and accepting the inherent hardships of the summer work schedule,” said Steve Cunningham, associate vice president for enterprise planning and human resources.

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NIU faculty members Andrea Bonnicksen in political science, Michael Gonzales in history and Chhiu-Tsu “C.T.” Lin in chemistry have been awarded 2004 Presidential Research Professorships.

Given out annually since 1982, the prize is the university’s top recognition for outstanding research.

“The Presidential Research Professorship is a fitting award for Andrea Bonnicksen, Michael Gonzales and C.T. Lin,” said Rathindra Bose, NIU vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School.

“Their research has gained international attention. While their fields of study vary, they share a common passion for creating new knowledge about the world around us. And they bring that new knowledge into the classroom, providing us with prime examples of the synergy between outstanding research and teaching. It’s no surprise that the three are faculty leaders on campus as well.”

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If NIU had a “hall of fame” for teaching, Mathematics Professor William Blair, English Professor James Giles and Marketing Professor Rick Ridnour would be in it.

The three faculty veterans have been named as NIU’s 2004 Presidential Teaching Professors. The annual recognition is the university’s highest honor for outstanding teaching.

“The aim of any institution of higher education is to teach future generations. At NIU, we pride ourselves in providing students with professors who are both experts in their respective fields and highly skilled in the art of teaching,” NIU Provost Ivan Legg says.

“Bill Blair, Jim Giles and Rick Ridnour fit that mold perfectly,” he adds. “They are top scholars and extraordinarily effective teachers whose passion and commitment to their students often extends even beyond the classroom.”

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Marilyn Frank Stromborg is trading the halls of academia for the halls of justice.

Stromborg, chair of the NIU School of Nursing, begins a new career today as a prosecutor in the Kane County State’s Attorney’s office. Stromborg, who earned her juris doctorate from the NIU College of Law in 1994, will prosecute domestic violence cases, including elder abuse.

Her new calling ends a 37-year association with the School of Nursing, where her mother began teaching in 1967, and her simultaneous 37-year career in nursing.

Nursing Professor Brigid Lusk will serve as acting chair.

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A 12-member search committee made up of faculty, staff, students, coaches, athletes, administrators and community representatives will begin work this week on finding NIU’s next athletics director.

NIU Vice Provost Earl "Gip" Seaver will chair the committee. Seaver said the group’s first order of business – the selection of a search firm to aid in identifying top candidates for the position – will likely be accomplished this week.

Seaver said he and fellow committee members hope to identify NIU’s next AD sometime within the next three months. "I think all of us are very honored to serve on this important committee," said Seaver, who also served on the last AD search committee in 1994, when former Athletics Director Cary Groth was hired.

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PT3 technology showcase
scheduled for Tuesday

The PT3 initiative in the College of Education will host a Spring '04 Technology Showcase from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 4. More than 25 faculty technology integration posters will be on display in the Learning Center, Gabel 01. Try out new technology and handhelds in the electronic playground in Gabel 01D, and learn about available technology resources at NIU.

Visit the PT3 Web site www.cedu.niu.edu/pt3 for more information and to view posters displayed at the March 29 Teaching Projects Poster Session. Many of the same posters will be exhibited Tuesday.

Horatio Alger comes to NIU

“Dash to DeKalb II,” the 2004 Horatio Alger Society convention, will be held at NIU from Thursday, May 13, through Sunday, May 16.

Kyoko Amano, Ph.D., will speak at the Friday evening dinner. Dr. Amano is the first recipient of the Horatio Alger Fellowship award. Nicholas Basbanes, nationally prominent bibliophile and best-selling author (A Gentle Madness, A Splendor of Letters), will provide the keynote address at the Saturday annual meeting and banquet.

All members of the university and the local community are invited to attend the Basbanes presentation in the HSC Clara Sperling Skyroom, free of charge. Approximate start time for his presentation is 7:45 p.m. Please call 753-9802 if you plan to attend.

The registration fee of $85 per person includes the Friday and Saturday dinners, Friday luncheon buffet, and Sunday breakfast, as well as a variety of presentations, book auctions and other activities. On-site accommodations are available at the University Guest Rooms at 753-1444.

See http://www.niulib.niu.edu/rbsc/DashtoDeKalb2.html for convention schedule, registration form, accommodations and more. For additional information, call 753-9802 or e-mail ksherman@niu.edu.

Heating Plant announces
annual steam outages

To perform maintenance and repairs on high pressure steam lines on campus, the Physical Plant and Heating Plant will have its annual steam outage on the following dates:

West Campus: Beginning at 9 p.m. Sunday, May 16, through noon Friday, May 21. This will include Neptune and all buildings west of Carroll Avenue, except Stevenson and various smaller buildings not served by steam. Domestic and heating hot water will not be available.

East Campus: Beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 27, through noon Friday, June 4. This will include all buildings east of Carroll Avenue, except for various smaller buildings not served by steam. Domestic and heating hot water will not be available.

Any questions or concerns can be addressed to Kevin Vines, chief engineer, at 753-6090 or via e-mail at kvines@niu.edu.

Art Attack festival
committee to meet

Do you like to paint? Do you play an instrument? Do you do ceramics? Are you asking what do those have in common?

All that and more will take place Sept. 18 at Sycamore’s “Paint the Pavement” festival. The Art Attack School of Art will team up with the Annual Downtown Sycamore’s Block Party to create an exciting outdoor art festival.

The next organizing meeting for this event is at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 17, at the Art Attack of Sycamore, located at 215 W. Elm Street. Come and bring your input to make this a great art day. Call Susan Edwards, executive director of the Art Attack, at (815) 899-9440 to register or get more information, or visit the Art Attack Web page at www.sycamoreartattack.com.

Theatre and Dance
announces 04-05 season

A foul-mouthed Santa's elf, a phony priest, a love-starved cynic, and a classic beauty are some of the characters that will appear onstage during the NIU School of Theatre and Dance’s upcoming season.

The Jeff Award-winning pre-professional theatre program recently announced its 2004-2005 season, and audiences can expect the nationally renowned school to produce a mix of famous plays, novelists, and playwrights, alongside lesser known little gems in both their Subscription Series and Studio Series production schedules.

An adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic novel "The Grapes of Wrath," and the ballet based on the classic fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty," will head the list of well known theatre productions. Weekday matinees of these two productions will introduce local school children to live theatre and enhance their studies.

A rousing "25th Anniversary Gala Dance Concert" will feature faculty, alumni, and students and dance pieces from the dance program's 25 year history.

Two selections by 17th century French playwright Moliere round out the mainstage season. His bitingly satirical comedies, "Tartuffe" and "The Misanthrope," will be updated to a modern setting.

An exciting selection of new works and old classics will be featured in the smaller Stevens Building venues, Players and Corner Theatres, including: NIU faculty Robert Schneider's new translation of Aristophanes' classic Greek comedy "The Birds," which returns from its world premiere staging by NIU students in Moscow this summer; two one-act plays by Tennessee Williams; Caryl Churchill's eerie fable "Far Away"; David Sedaris' scathing memoir of life as a Macy's elf during Christmastime, "The Santaland Diaries"; and Arthur Giron's "Becoming Memories."

In addition to the productions held at NIU, a student touring company will be performing an adaptation of Dylan Thomas' epic poem "A Child's Christmas in Wales" at schools throughout northern Illinois.

Look for show dates, descriptions, and full details in the coming weeks when the 2004-2005 season brochure is released. For additional information, or to be placed on the mailing list, call the School of Theatre and Dance marketing office at 753-1337.

Competition opens for
Fulbright U.S. Student Program

The Institute of International Education (IIE), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, is launching its 2005-2006 Fulbright U.S. Student Program competition.

The U.S. government-sponsored program provides future American leaders with an unparalleled opportunity to study, teach and conduct research in other nations. Fulbright student grants aim to increase mutual understanding among nations through educational and cultural exchange while serving as a catalyst for long-term leadership development.

The U.S. Student Program awards about 1,000 grants annually and operates in more than 140 countries worldwide. Fulbright full grants generally provide funding for round-trip travel, maintenance for one academic year, health and accident insurance and full or partial tuition. Fulbright travel-only grants are also available.

Applicants to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program must be U.S. citizens at the time of application and hold a bachelor's degree or the equivalent by the beginning of the grant. In the creative and performing arts, four years of professional training and/or experience meets the basic eligibility requirement. (Non-arts applicants lacking a degree but with extensive professional study and/or experience in fields in which they wish to pursue a project may also be considered.)

For more information, applicants can visit the Fulbright U.S. Student Program Web site at www.iie.orq/fulbright. Students enrolled at NIU also can contact International Programs Executive Director Deborah Pierce, who serves as the campus Fulbright Program adviser.

NIU applications must be submitted in full to Sara Clayton in NIU International Programs by Oct. 1.

FY04 cut-off dates

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Project REAL – the federally funded partnership between NIU, Rock Valley College and the Rockford Public Schools to enhance teacher quality – has donated 141 “mimios” to help students become better gatherers of information.

Mimios are portable computers that turn any whiteboard into a “smart board” that instantly transmits handwriting, symbols, graphs and lecture notes to a computer.

The units are at Jefferson High School, Rockford Environmental Science Academy and Rolling Green and Nelson elementary schools. The donor is a community partner in Project REAL – or Rockford Education Alliance – funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant of $4.875 million to NIU, Rock Valley College and District 205.

Project REAL stems from NIU’s significant interest in improving Rockford’s public schools through enhancing teacher quality.

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When the tornadoes of April 20 ravaged downstate Utica – killing eight in the small LaSalle County town south of DeKalb – reporters from Northern Public Radio’s WNIJ newsroom were called on to spread the word nationwide.

Reporter Simone Orendain filed the first account to National Public Radio and was interviewed by the NPR news desk, which used soundbites from that conversation through the evening and the next morning.

News Director Susan Stephens and reporter Chris Lehman, both of whom reported from Utica the day after the fatal storm, also filed reports to the national desk as well as for the “All Things Considered” program.

“During the height of the storms, our newsroom was busy serving our local listeners by getting all of the tornado warnings on all of our stations – WNIJ, WNIU, our three repeaters and NIRIS. That’s when NPR’s news desk called and wanted a story,” Stephens said.

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Jan Bach lowers baton on prolific NIU career – with high note

Jan Bach glimpsed his career destiny at a young age – and it had nothing to do with his last name.

“I started playing piano, and then I was able to play chords. I started rewriting songs my teacher gave me. It just drove her nuts,” Bach says. “The old lady piano teacher wanted me to play what was on the page, and told me Mozart and Beethoven didn’t need improving. Then I started composing my own pieces. I was 8 or 9.”

More than a half-century later, with an impressive resume of symphonies, operas, choral pieces, string quartets and more, Bach is still busy writing music while his own career of teaching music gradually comes to an end.

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Mahedere Solomon, a graduate student in the NIU School of Nursing’s family nurse practitioner program, is among a team of young Americans who will visit Africa this summer to learn more about research ethics – and the work to prevent HIV.

Solomon has received a scholarship from the Minority International Research Training in Nursing Science (MIRT) program, funded by the Fogarty International Center in the Office for Research on Minority Health at the National Institutes of Health.

“This is one of my greatest opportunities to reach my goals of what I want to do. I’m in a position where I really can learn about research, about ethics and about people and cultures,” said Solomon, a native of Ethiopia who, as a young girl, moved to the San Francisco Bay area for political reasons.

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Friends of the Milan Township One-Room Schoolhouse are planning a banquet for Friday, June 11, to celebrate country education and to help build the country school endowment fund.

The banquet and cash bar – from 6 to 11 p.m. in the Regency Room of the Holmes Student Center – will include a silent auction, featuring such items as African art, antiques, a camping weekend, a ride in an antique airplane, a quilt and four tickets for a 2004 Huskies football game.

Organizers also will honor friends of the country school, including Resource Bank, which funded a video on the history of education in DeKalb County, and the DeKalb County Farm Bureau, which has sent hundreds of farmers to the country school to teach children about agriculture in this area.

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NIU’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Minorities (PCSM) at NIU has named university staff members Leroy Mitchell and Monique Bernoudy and law student Michael Kirkwood as recipients of the first Deacon Davis Diversity Award.

Named in honor of Deacon Davis, founder and former director of the CHANCE (Counseling Help & Assistance Necessary for a College Education) program, the award was created to recognize the significant contributions made to the improvement of the status of minorities on campus by members of the university community.

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NIU’s Alumni Association named 11 recipients of its annual awards program for 2004. Recipients are selected based on outstanding professional and personal successes, as well as involvement in civic, cultural or charitable activities.

“NIU alumni have gone on to distinguish themselves and Northern in countless ways,” said Lee McCauley, assistant vice president for alumni relations. “Our Alumni Awards Program seeks to recognize some of these outstanding individuals who have gone out and achieved great success in their personal and professional lives.”

The Alumni Association presented Juan Andrade, Jr., president of the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, with the prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award. Weather Channel on-camera meteorologist Melissa Barrington received the Outstanding Alumni Award.

In addition, nine alumni received an Outstanding College Alumni Award from their respective areas of study.

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Ron Carter, director of jazz studies in the NIU School of Music, and NIU's cheerleaders step in the spotlight.

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