NIU unveils plan for
ultra-high-speed,regional network

NIU today announced plans to create an ultra-fast, fiber-optic communications network that will extend next-generation technology currently available only at elite research facilities in Chicago to the rest of the region.

Dubbed “NIUNet,” the roughly 175-mile fiber optic loop is being touted as a huge boon to research and economic development efforts throughout the western suburbs and greater northern Illinois region. Officials say the network can also advance state-of-the art health care technology, benefit area schools and help keep much-sought-after high tech jobs from leaving the region for more “connected” communities on either coast.

NIU officials unveiled plans for the regional network during an informational meeting this morning at the university’s Naperville campus.

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An NIU initiative to bring peace to the developing island republic of Sri Lanka has attracted widespread attention by tapping a vast and largely overlooked resource: women.

Known as Project GROW, for Grassroots Organizing by Women, the initiative aims to foster democratic leadership skills in Sri Lankan women. The project this summer produced a formal appeal to Sri Lankan leaders to increase levels of political representation by women, who hold less than 5 percent of the country’s political offices.

Officials in the highest reaches of government in both the United States and Sri Lanka are singing the praises of NIU effort, so much so that the U.S. Department of State is providing $200,000 for a two-year extension of the project.

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NIU’s School of Music welcomed a new member to the family over the summer, one with three legs and 88 keys.

The brand new Steinway grand piano in the Recital Hall was delivered on the first Friday morning of June, tuned later that afternoon and put to use the next day.

It replaces an aging warhorse, which has been moved to a different location in the Music Building for lighter duty. Each year since 1974, the old piano averaged around 100 performances along with hundreds of rehearsals.

“The old piano was original equipment to the building, and it’s the instrument which sees the most daily rehearsal and performance use,” said Harold Kafer, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and a member of the school’s piano faculty. “The piano was just simply worn out.”

“Generally, getting 15 years out of a performance piano is pretty good,” added Paul Bauer, director of the School of Music. “The fact that we got 30 years out of it by rebuilding it 15 years ago – we had stretched it.”

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Pity the poor student who walked into Askari “Cary” Kizilbash’s marketing class unprepared.

Kizilbash, who taught marketing at NIU from 1971 until 2001, was notorious for zeroing in on the student who hadn’t read an assignment and calling upon him or her to answer a question. When they didn’t know the answer, he made no secret of his displeasure.

Students rarely made that mistake more than once, and it was a lesson that stuck with them.

When word spread of that Kizilbash, 64, had died of cancer Aug. 31, the Marketing Department offices received a flood of phone calls from alumni sharing similar stories and wishing to donate toward memorials to a man that many described as one of their best and favorite professors.

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Three rising literary talents at NIU have been invited to participate in the upcoming Midwest Literary Festival in Aurora.

Poet Amy Newman, nonfiction writer Joe Bonomo and novelist Keith Gandal will read from their works at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, in Room A of the Meyer Ballroom at North Island Center. The three writers, all faculty members in the NIU Department of English, also will hold a panel discussion on the intersection of imagination and reality in the art of writing.

The festival showcases some of the country’s best and brightest authors with an aim toward promoting reading, writing, the book arts and the region’s literary heritage.

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Margarite “Peg” Ortega once swore she never would become a marching band director.

That was during her college days at the University of Illinois, when the clarinetist from Lombard planned to teach band at the middle-school level and told her professor so.

Now in her sixth year with NIU’s Huskie Band – and her second non-consecutive year as interim director – the thought leaves her laughing.

“You should always be prepared, because you never know what’s going to happen to you,” said Ortega, who is filling the marching shoes vacated over the summer by Larry Stoffel. “I love it. It’s quite fun. The students provide so much enthusiasm."

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Forget the research, camera angles and hundreds of hours of editing.

One of the biggest challenges for students in the documentary video production course taught by Professor Laura Vazquez is finding an audience for their works.

Despite the limited market for independent short films – you won’t find them in Blockbuster – NIU filmmakers are successfully screening their documentaries in venues near and far. This past summer, three short films each produced by NIU students swept the top awards at the Rock River Film Festival in Rockford.

“It’s becoming a little embarrassing,” says Vazquez, a professor in the Department of Communication.

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Candace Gingrich, youth outreach coordinator for the Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights Campaign, will urge Northern Illinois University students to become involved in the political process during a Monday, Sept. 13, stop on campus.

Gingrich, whose half-brother is former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, will hold a “conversation” from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Holmes Student Center Room 305.

Everyone is welcome. Visitors also can register to vote while at the event.

Gingrich also will attend a reception from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in Reavis Hall 211, hosted by the Women’s Studies Program and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Studies.

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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman has presented NIU Professor Long Mao with a 2004 United States Department of Agriculture Group Honor Award for Excellence.

Stamp machine moves

The DeKalb Post Office has moved one of its stamp vending machines on campus from the Student Recreation Center to Gabel Hall. Other stamp machines on campus are located at Grant South and at the self-service vending center outside of Neptune East and the Holmes Student Center.

NIU faculty, alumni
exhibit in arts show

NIU faculty and alumni will join more than a dozen artists and writers exhibiting their work in “Art is Forever,” a collaboration of the visual and literary arts on display during September at the DeKalb Area Women’s Center.

An artists reception will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, with poetry reading, music and refreshments.

Please call ahead to arrange for the use of the lift. For further information, contact the DAWC at (815) 758-1351. -- MORE

NIU Community School
seeks young musicians

The NIU Community School of the Arts is looking for a few good high school players.

CSA Sinfonia seeks players of percussion, trombone, bassoon, tuba, and strings who are middle school through age 20. CSJazz Band has an opening for a baritone saxophone.

Interested players should call 753-1450 to arrange for an audition. -- MORE

Career Planning and Placement
offers volunteer opportunities

Looking to volunteer?

NIU’s Career Planning and Placement Center is hosting the annual Community Volunteer Drive from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, on the MLK Commons. For information, contact Karen Castelein via e-mail at kcastelein@niu.edu. -- MORE

Northern Pride hosts weekly lunches

Northern Pride, a social support network for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender faculty and staff, invites interested LGBT and Ally individuals to join them for a weekly lunch.

The group meets at noon Thursdays in the Blackhawk East room of the Blackhawk Dining Room in the Holmes Student Center. For more information about Northern Pride, or other lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender resources, contact the LGBT Resource Center at 753-LGBT or lgbt@niu.edu. A calendar of events is available at www.niu.edu/lgbt.

Friends of NIU Libraries
announces first program

Friends of the NIU Libraries invite the public to the first program of the 2004-2005 academic year at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14.

Barbara Burrell will discuss how different the voters are from the red, blue or purple states.

The program will be held in the staff lounge located on the lower level of Founders Memorial Library.

There will be an opportunity for discussion and light refreshments following the presentation. For more information, call 753-9394 or e-mail cditzler@niu.edu. -- MORE

University Women’s Club
plans fall reception

The Annual Fall Reception, hosted by the University Women’s Club, takes place from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, at the home of Barbara Peters, 901 Woodlawn Drive.

Peters and members of the board of the club will greet and meet women of the university community as the new academic year begins. The reception is a wine and cheese event.

Membership in the club is open to women who are employed at NIU, spouses of employees, retirees or the spouses of retirees.

For more information, call Nancy Norris at (815) 756-3292 or Sally Stevens at (815) 756-2343. -- MORE

Kishwaukee Band resumes rehearsals

The Greater Kishwaukee Area Symphonic Band will resume rehearsals at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15. Rehearsals are held in the band room at Clinton Rosette Middle School on N. 1st Street in DeKalb.

This is the third season, and Sunday concerts are presented Oct. 17, Nov. 14 and Dec. 12.

The band is open to all people age 18 and older who have played a wind or percussion instrument in the past, and who would like to play on a regular basis again. No auditions are needed. Especially needed are percussionists and clarinet players.

For more information, call Sue Huhta at (815) 899-4867 or Elli McLaughlin at (815) 758-5098. -- MORE

Community School offers
Pilates class for adults

Imagine an exercise program that you enjoy and that leaves you feeling and looking great: Join Beginning Pilates, a 12-week class offered by the NIU Community School of the Arts and Pilates trainer Judy Chitwood.

The class meets from 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 14. For more information, call Renee Page at 753-1450 or check out the Web site at www.niu.edu/extprograms. -- MORE

FIT presents program
on osteoarthritis

NIU’s FIT Program and the Arthritis Foundation present “The Role of Physical Therapy and Exercise in Osteoarthrtis” from noon to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15, in Anderson Hall 247.

Physical therapist Kathy Kendrick will discuss dealing with osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, and the value of physical therapy and exercise in its treatment.

The cost is $5 per person, and snacks will be served. For details or to register, contact the FIT staff at 753-0335 or via e-mail at jkieronski@niu.edu. -- MORE

MCTI to host roundtable discussions

NIU’s Multicultural Curriculum Transformation Institute will host two roundtable discussions with past participants of its summer institutes who want to talk about multicultural curriculum transformation.

The roundtable discussions are scheduled from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15, and from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21, in Holmes Student Center Room 306.

For more information, call Tara McDonald at 753-8557 or e-mail mcti@niu.edu.

Lifelong Learning Institute begins Sept. 21

There is still time to register for NIU’s Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI).

Study courses begin Tuesday, Sept. 21, and run for eight weeks. All study groups meet in the Holmes Student Center.

To renew membership in the LLI, or to become a new member, call (800) 345-9472 or (815) 753-0277, e-mail LASEP@niu.edu or visit the Web site at http://www.niu.edu/LLI. LLI is sponsored in part by a grant from the DeKalb Community Foundation. -- MORE

Olson Gallery hosts
trio of programs

The NIU School of Art’s Olson Gallery has announced three programs for the fall, involving guest speakers and visiting artists: Germaine Koh (Wednesday, Sept. 22), Karen Keifer-Boyd (Monday, Sept. 27) and Hazma Walker (Wednesday, Oct. 27).

For more information, call Ann O’Brien at 753-4521. -- MORE

‘Progressive’ magazine editor
to speak on Bush, Kerry, war

Matthew Rothschild, editor of “The Progressive” magazine, will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, in the Lincoln Room of the Holmes Student Center.

Rothschild also will speak to NIU Professor Orayb Najjar’s class on international relations at 12:30 p.m. that day. (Call Najjar at 753-7017 to arrange attendance.)

Call Jenny Tomkins at (815) 895-7026 for more information. -- MORE

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