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A pair of longtime faculty members and administrators has stepped up to lead two of NIU's largest colleges while the university mounts national searches to find new deans.
Bill Tallon has been named interim dean of the NIU College of Business following the departure of Dean David Graf, while Joe Grush was tapped as acting dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences upon the death of Dean Frederick Kitterle.
NIU trustees approved both appointments June 16.
“We are truly lucky to have two such outstanding individuals at the ready to guide these colleges through transitional times,” NIU President John Peters said.
Tallon and Grush both have a history with the university that stretches back more than 30 years.
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 An outpouring of strong support for public broadcasting has rescued Northern Public Radio and its brethren from threatened federal budget cuts.
Funding reductions proposed by the House Appropriations Subcommittee in a June 9 vote would have slashed $100 million from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting grant already approved for fiscal year 2006, a rescission that would have erased as much as $130,000 from the spending plan for radio stations WNIU and WNIJ.
However, a successful June 23 amendment to restore the CPB's funding won approval in the House of Representatives.
“We still have some work to do,” said Tim Emmons, director and general manger of Northern Public Radio, “but it certainly looks a lot better than it did a couple weeks ago. We certainly are relieved.”
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 Thirty-two students from Rockford Jefferson High School who spent a week on NIU's campus last month are ready to make good this fall on the spark their teachers saw behind their struggles.
Meanwhile, NIU has gained a better understanding of how to help those teachers stoke sparks into fires.
The teens, all of whom recently completed their freshman years, enjoyed a close-up, hands-on taste of what a college education could bring them.
Now, said Judy Cox-Henderson, coordinator of clinical experiences in the NIU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, they understand the changes necessary to turn from indifference toward focus.
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 A delegation of eight educators from Beijing, China, visited NIU's College of Education Wednesday, June 8, for a look at the past and the future.
They followed in the footsteps of a group that came in spring of 2004, starting their day in the One-Room Schoolhouse to learn about the history of educational partnerships between NIU and China before moving to Gabel Hall for a glimpse of today's educational technology and tomorrow's.
“We hope they took what will be useful to them in designing and redesigning curriculum for different schools in China,” said Diane Jackman, associate dean of the College of Education. “Everyone learns differently, and there are lots of ways to approach subject matter. We all want to improve student learning and find ways to make sure all students are successful.”
The Chinese group included the presidents of the Changping Teacher Education Institute and the Tongzhou Teacher Education Institute.
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 NIU's Board of Trustees voted June 16 to approve several recommendations for faculty promotions, tenure and promotions with tenure.
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 Increased costs for fuel, labor, parts and equipment will necessitate an increase in the rates charged by Transportation during fiscal year 2006.
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 Middle school and high school students in DeKalb and Belvidere learned first-hand last week how the math and science classes they take today can open doors to careers in the future.
Working with faculty and students from the NIU College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, those students constructed and tested balsa wood bridges, built working electronic circuits, used milling machines to create nameplates and tried their hands at using injection molding machinery to make everything from golf tees to foam footballs.
The program, known as SMILE (Science and Mathematic Innovations through Linkages in Engineering), was made possible by a $50,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation.
Nearly 200 students participated in two days of classes at each site.
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 Read good news about – and send congratulations to – George Tarbay.
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The Division of Student Affairs, Department of Student Life-Housing and Dining Services, is seeking an assistant director of residential facilities. Preference is given to candidates who apply by Friday, July 8, but applications are accepted until the position is filled.
Responsibilities include oversight of the Work Request Office operations, maintenance and repairs, including staffing, work requests, inventory asset control, condition assessments, furniture repair, building services, laundry services and storage management.
A bachelor's degree in education, business, facilities/property management or a related field is required, along with three years of full-time experience in university housing, facilities/property management and/or building renovation and construction.
For more information, contact Sandi Carlisle, associate director of residential facilities, at (815) 753-1443.
Please alert callers that NIU is closed on Fridays.
Change the greeting on your voicemail so that callers know not to expect a return call until Monday. This is especially important for main numbers in departments.
For more information, go to www.niutel.niu.edu or call NIUTEL at (815) 753-0963.
Toll-free conferencing is now available through NIUTEL.
In response to requests, NIUTEL offers this new service that also features caller announcement, roll call, participant count, and call locking features. A small per-minute cost is charged to the department reserving the call, but callers dialing in participate at no cost.
For more information, call NIUTEL at (815) 753-0963.
The Division of Public Administration's MPA alumni and friends will host the eighth annual golf play day Thursday, Aug. 11, at Bloomingdale Golf Course, 181 Glen Ellyn Road in Bloomingdale.
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. Lunch is served on the course. The reception is scheduled for 4 p.m., with a dinner and auction beginning at 5 p.m.
All event proceeds benefit NIU's MPA program.
Packages include the “ Mentor for a Day Foursome,” available for $550. Three participants will become “Mentors for a Day” as they enjoy golf, all meals and receive one hole sponsorship while showing support to a current MPA student at NIU. These groups also are recognized in the event program and at the dinner.
Other packages are available for foursomes ($575) and twosomes ($325) – with all meals, hole sponsorship and program and dinner recognition – as well as for individuals ($125 per person), golf/lunch only ($100 per person) and dinner/auction only ($40 per person).
The deadline for registration is Monday, Aug. 1. Reservations received after Aug. 1 are assessed a $25-per-person surcharge. For more information, call (815) 753-6142.
The NIU Art Museum, which returned to Altgeld Hall when it reopened last fall, will reinstate its popular “Art to Lend” program and exhibition.
NIU employees can view available artworks from the museum's permanent collection that can be rented for display in university offices. Visit the Altgeld Gallery, on the west end of the first floor, between Monday, July 18, and Thursday, July 28, to view and make selections from the works on exhibit. Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or by appointment.
As in previous years, works will be assigned by lottery based on preferred selections. The lottery is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday, July 28, in the North and Rotunda galleries of Altgeld Hall.
Works on paper currently on loan to borrowers, and those that have been out for more than the maximum five years, will need to be retrieved by the museum for conservations purposes. Museum staff will contact current borrowers regarding their return. To cause less disruption to offices, a single de-installation of current holdings and installation of new selections can be arranged.
All funds generated from this program are used for the direct care and maintenance of the collection, including matting and framing, which makes new selections available. Fees have risen over the years, but both the initial installation fee and the yearly rental fee cover only part of the museum's incurred costs.
Delivery and installation for signed contracts will begin the week of Aug. 1. Those not at the drawing, or without completed contracts, will be notified by phone Aug. 1 or Aug. 2. A contract/invoice then will be sent.
For more information, or a copy of the “Art to Lend” policy, call (815) 753-1936.
Blues legend B.B. King will return to the NIU Convocation Center this fall as part of the guitarist's “80th Birthday Celebration Tour.”
Tickets are $36.50, $46.50 and $66.50 (additional fees and charges may apply). Tickets are available at the Convocation Center box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling (312) 559-1212 or visiting www.ticketmaster.com.
For more information, visit www.niuconvo.com or call (815) 752-6800.
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