Peters: NIU to make 'every possible effort'
to protect employee benefit pension programs

NIU President John Peters released the following statement earlier this month in response to Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s budget address.

Dear Colleagues,

Due to the significant amount of concern generated recently as a result of Governor Blagojevich’s budget address to the General Assembly outlining his proposals for state pension system reforms, I wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with a summary of the governor’s proposals. Let me emphasize that these ideas are proposals, not law at this time, and are encountering significant obstacles in the General Assembly. As always, I will keep you up to date as to the progress of legislative discourse related to the pension reforms throughout the spring session.

Governor Blagojevich recently submitted for General Assembly consideration, a set of far reaching pension benefit/funding plan revisions designed to reduce future unfunded liabilities and utilize part of these savings to reduce funding requirements in the current state budget. The governor’s budget proposal outlined six changes concerning the Illinois public retirement systems. All of these (except for one related to the State Employees Retirement System), significantly impact benefit programs under the SURS.

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Public schools can succeed no matter the odds or obstacles, says a Northern Illinois University researcher.

Of course, it’s not easy.

The obstacles can include a high percentage of children from low-income homes, parents who themselves fell short at school, a disinterested community, an inadequate curriculum and – perhaps the most difficult challenge to overcome – a culture that accepts failure.

But ultimate triumph starts with a dynamic principal who steps outside the office and creates a positive environment where everyone truly believes that success is possible for all students. It takes a winning team of teachers that puts students first and dedicates itself to continuous improvement and, if necessary, change. It flourishes with teachers, administrators, students and parents who work as active partners.

Penny Billman’s study, “Mission Possible: Achieving and Maintaining Academic Improvement,” identifies six critical ingredients to keep good schools on track and to help struggling schools turn around.

The report was released March 3 in conjunction with the Illinois State Board of Education’s unveiling of the Illinois Honor Roll – www.ilhonorroll.niu.edu – a joint project with NIU that recognizes schools making the grade.

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A professor from NIU’s Department of Teaching and Learning will spend part of April in the African country of Namibia to help enhance environmental lessons given by “non-formal educators” outside the school system.

Bora Simmons is among a team of educators who will spend April 11 to 22 with about 20 Namibians who work at places such as zoos, parks and nature centers where they lead instructional tours for visitors of all ages.

The workshop trip is sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution, Environmental Education and Conservation Global, the Cheetah Conservation Fund and the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

“As a developing nation, Namibia has real challenges," said Simmons, who came to NIU in 1987. "They have a growing tourist trade, and that is a real opportunity, but it also puts pressure on the country and its resources.”

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On this day, NIU’s veteran forensics coach was left speechless.

During the March 5 Illinois Inter-Collegiate Forensics League Tournament hosted by NIU, coach Judy Santacaterina ended up on the receiving end of the event’s most heartfelt award.

Before a packed assembly in Cole Hall, Santacaterina was surprised with a special recognition and tribute from team members and about 20 returning NIU alumni. They raised nearly $3,000 to be donated to the university in her name.

“They completely blindsided me,” Santacaterina said. “It was the most memorable and profound moment of my professional career.”

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The Manufacturing Systems Research Group of NIU’s College of Engineering and Engineering Technology has partnered with Ingersoll Cutting Tools Corp. to study the effectiveness of dry and semi-dry machining and reduce the use of metal working fluids.

More than 100 million gallons of metal working fluids are used in the United States each year, exposing about 1.2 million employees to potential health hazards.

The research, which is being directed by Professor Nourredine Boubekri, is of particular importance in Illinois, where metal-cutting industries account for about 37 percent of the state’s manufacturing sector, but also could have implications in the metal-cutting industry worldwide.

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The Frontier Physics program at NIU has won a competitive grant to expand its outreach efforts, particularly to rural areas.

In conjunction with the World Year of Physics 2005, the American Physical Society awarded grants of $10,000 to Frontier Physics and 15 other “physics on the road” programs nationwide. The grants can be used for supplies and other costs associated with performing physics demonstrations.

The celebration coincides with the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein’s “miraculous year,” during which he published three now-legendary articles that provide the basis for quantum theory, the theory of relativity and the theory of Brownian motion.

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In 1999, Dan Turner dipped his toe in the online revolution to transform the walking campus tour into a virtual experience for Internet users.

Industrial Engineering students in NIU’s College of Engineering and Engineering Technology will get a head start on their professional careers this spring.

For the first time in the history of the college, all senior capstone projects for students in industrial engineering will be sponsored by area manufacturers. Companies providing capstone projects for students are Motorola, United Parcel Service, Philips, Elgin Industries, Wahl Clipper Corp. and steel maker Raynor.

“These projects are powerful examples of the real-life based experiential learning that is at the core of all of our engineering and technology programs,” said Dean Promod Vohra. “They are part of the practical, functional curriculum that has put our graduates in demand with potential employers.”

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Membership in the Northern Star Hall of Fame grew to 47 last month with the induction of nine new alums, including two who later returned to work for NIU.

Thomas Woodstrup, editor of the campus newspaper in 1949, became director of alumni relations for the university in 1966. Chuck Shriver, news editor in 1962, served as associate athletic director for marketing in the mid-1980s.

Woodstrup and Shriver are among a class that includes the author of more than 80 books, a New York City-based consumer journalist and a dot-com pioneer and survivor.

The induction ceremony was held Saturday, Feb. 26, in Altgeld Hall.

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Geneticist and author John Avise will visit NIU to present the inaugural installment of the Layman Lecture Series.

Endowed by David Layman, an NIU alumnus who taught high school biology in Chicago public schools for nearly 40 years, the lecture series invites speakers to campus to discuss timely and compelling topics in biology.

Avise, a research professor at the University of Georgia, is well known as a pioneer in the field of phylogeography, a branch of evolutionary biology that seeks to understand patterns and processes governing the geographic distribution of genetic lineages.

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Read good news about – and send congratulations to – Sean Farrell, Michelle Crase, Phil Voorhis and, maybe, yourself.

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BREAKING NEWS: Meet NIU's new
Head Women's Basketball Coach!

All members of the NIU campus community are invited to attend Tuesday afternoon's announcement and introduction event for the new Head Women's Basketball Coach.

Director of Athletics Jim Phillips will introduce the new coach at 3 p.m. in the main lobby of the Convocation Center.

Refeshments will be served, and a new era in Huskie Athletics begun. Join the excitement!

University Bookstore
to close for inventory

The University Bookstore will close for inventory today through Wednesday. Regular store hours resume Thursday.

Bullying support group
continues through May

Anyone experiencing or witnessing abuse in the workplace or at home are invited to join a safe and confidential support group offered through the Women’s Resource Center.

The group meets from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesdays through May 11 in the Douglas Room on the second floor of the Holmes Student Center. Participants find personal and educational support for dealing with repeated emotional, verbal and physical abuse.

Call 753-0320 for more information.

NIU seeks host families
for brief international exchange

NIU is seeking families in DeKalb and Sycamore to host Muslim and Christian high school students and adult leaders from the Southern Philippines for two weeks in April.

The visitors will be participating in a training institute led by the university’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies and International Training Office. Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the institute is designed to promote conflict resolution and interethnic and interfaith dialogue. Participants were selected through a competitive application process, have outstanding academic credentials and are fluent in English.

The training institute will introduce participants to American institutions that promote tolerance and will expose them to the religious and ethnic diversity of the United States. NIU hopes to place the high school students with local families who have students of the same age if possible.

The Filipino students and adult leaders will stay with their host families from April 17 to May 1.

Host families will be required to attend an orientation session where past host families will share their experiences from a similar program held last year.

Interested families should contact Julie Lamb, outreach coordinator for the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at (815) 753-1595 or jlamb@niu.edu. More information is available online here. -- MORE

Clarinetist Karl Leister
to perform Sunday

Karl Leister, one of the world’s foremost clarinetists, appears at the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 20.

Leister, who is making his only Illinois appearance while on a U.S. tour, will play the works of Schumann, Brahms, Mendelssohn and Allgulin. His appearance is sponsored by the NIU School of Music, the NIU Music Society and the German Consulate in Chicago.

A reception follows the concert. The cost is $15 for the general public; NIU students are admitted at no charge with student ID. For more information, call (815) 753-1450.

HSC to host mobile
driver’s license facility

NIU and Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White are proud to announce that NIU students, faculty and staff can renew their driver’s licenses or state IDs and purchase annual vehicle sticker on campus.

White will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:15 a.m. Monday, March 21, in the Diversions Lounge of the Holmes Student Center. All NIU students, faculty and staff are invited to attend and meet White.

This new program, in conjunction with the student center, will bring the Secretary of State’s Mobile Unit to the NIU campus on a regular monthly basis with the necessary equipment, technology and staff to operate a “mini facility.”

The mini facility will be open for business in Diversions from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on March 21, April 4 and 18, May 9 and 23, June 27, July 25, Aug. 15 and 29, Sept. 12 and 26, Oct. 11 and 24, Nov. 7 and 21 and Dec. 5 and 19. -- MORE

Panel to offer advice
on Fulbright program

International Programs will hold a Fulbright Interest Day for students and faculty who would like to learn more about the prestigious international exchange program.

The event will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24, in the Heritage Room of Holmes Student Center.

“We’re hoping to get more NIU faculty and students to take advantage of these outstanding Fulbright opportunities,” said Deborah Pierce, executive director of the Division of International Programs.

“For example, students can apply to teach conversational English in France – there are as many as 50 openings. Last year there were also English-teaching opportunities for students in Korea, Spain, Hungary, Chile, Argentina and the Czech Republic. Additionally, funding opportunities are available for dissertation research in other countries." -- MORE

AADR to offer
mediation program

The Office of Affirmative Action and Diversity Resources presents a new program that will allow supervisors, administrators, employees and students to address workplace concerns through the voluntary process of mediation.

The sessions are held Wednesday, March 30, Tuesday, April 12, and Wednesday, April 27. Supervisors and administrators are invited from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Employees and students are welcome from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

All sessions are held in Room 305 of the Holmes Student Center. Call (815) 753-6030 for more information.

Campus Child Care
hosts open house

The NIU Campus Child Care Center is hosting an open house Friday, April 8, in celebration of the Week of the Young Child.

Tours, refreshments, a slide show and early childhood materials will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The facility is located in a white stone building between Annie Glidden Road and Gabel Hall.

The Center is now welcoming community families into its preschool program. Part-time and full-time enrollment options are available. Enrollment for NIU students, faculty, and staff includes care for children ages 2 months to 5 years, and ages 6 to 8 years during the summer.

For more information, please call (815) 753-0125, e-mail cherrmann@niu.edu or visit www.ccc.niu.edu.

NIU’s Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center is offering grants of up to $2,500 each annually to regular, continuing tenured or tenure track faculty.

The purpose of the grants is to encourage and support faculty development activities that directly benefit the applicants’ departments, colleges and/or the university. Equal matching from the applicants’ academic units or appropriate external sources is required.

Five copies of each proposal, including the proposal cover sheet, accompanying letters of support and other relevant documents must be submitted by Friday, April 8, to the Grant Review Subcommittee, Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center, for activities scheduled between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2005.

Complete proposal guidelines and cover sheet can be obtained here. Faculty who plan to submit proposals by the April 8 deadline and need more information are encouraged to register and attend the grant writing seminar held from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, April 1. To register, call (815) 753-0595 or e-mail facdev@niu.edu.

Country stars Brooks & Dunn, with special guest Gary Allan, visit NIU's Convocation Center at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 30.

Ticket prices are $51.25 and $31.25. 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, call (815) 752-6800 or visit www.niuconvo.com online.

NIU spring Elderhostel
seeks senior citizens

NIU will offer a one-week Elderhostel this spring – “The Mississippi River” – from May 8 to 13 for people 55 and older.

Join NIU’s most popular Elderhostel on a Mississippi riverboat dinner cruise and explore the river’s exciting and transforming history. Experience the geological and cultural aspects of the Mississippi River Valley. Study the physical aspects of the river from prehistoric to modern times. Feel the vibes of the valley through the music that originated there, from jazz to blues to rock. Rediscover Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn.”

To register or for more information, call (815) 753-5200, e-mail LASEP@niu.edu or click here. Elderhostellers may choose to stay on campus in NIU’s Holmes Student Center guest rooms or register as commuters.

NIU sponsors trip
to Vietnam, Cambodia

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies will sponsor a trip to Southeast Asia from Aug. 16 to 30.

A repeat of past popular trips to Southeast Asia, this trip is led by NIU Professor Emeritus Clark D. Neher. Neher, retired from the Department of Political Science, already has spent 75 days in Southeast Asia this year.

The group size is limited to 20, and reservations are being taken now. For more information or to make reservations, calling 753-5200 (or toll free at 1-800-345-9472) or e-mail LASEP@niu.edu. The fee covers housing, most meals, guided tours in each city and air transportation from Chicago. -- MORE

Annual disclosure of
economic interests

FY05 cut-off dates

--CLICK HERE