 NIU President John Peters sent a welcome-back letter to faculty and staff last week. The letter is reprinted in this week's Northern Today:
Dear Colleagues,
It is once again my distinct pleasure to welcome all faculty, staff and students to a new academic year at Northern Illinois University. As is my custom, I want to begin the fall semester by sharing a few thoughts on issues and opportunities well be exploring in the weeks and months ahead.
On Thursday, Aug. 24, we welcomed yet another new class of students to our campus.
Along with their stereos, computers and boxes of clothes, nearly 6,000 freshmen and transfer students brought what new students always bring to NIU: the hopes, dreams and aspirations of their families. Each fall, we remember anew the trust these families have placed in us, and we pledge to do our best by these young people and the communities that sent them here.
FULL LETTER
 Eric Johnson’s eight years leading NIU’s choral programs tell him that a singing trip abroad sparks an amazing fire beneath his students.
Good thing, too: This fall brings a unique and exciting challenge that will require every drop of dedication and enthusiasm he and the choir can muster.
NIU’s Chamber Choir recently returned from a week’s residency at the historic Worcester Cathedral in Worcester, England, where 18 students performed Evensong services nightly from Aug. 7 through 13 and the Sunday morning service.
Come November, the group will perform as one of only eight choirs in the United States selected to sing at the National Collegiate Choral Organization’s national conference in San Antonio, Texas.
FULL STORY
 Despite what the scoreboard and the standings say, NIU still came out a winner in Saturday’s match-up against Ohio State University in Columbus.
The Huskies 35-12 loss to the nation’s top ranked team started the team’s season off 0-1, but it provided a stage that placed NIU in the spotlight in a way few other events can.
The ABC Sports broadcast of the game was available on 47 percent of the televisions in the nation, in an area that spanned from Texas to North Dakota and Colorado to Pennsylvania. Millions more Midwesterners were able to tune in to the broadcast of the game on WSCR Radio in Chicago.
Football fans nationwide who caught the pre-game show also learned all about outstanding Huskie tailback Garrett Wolfe.
FULL STORY
 NIU has become the place of work for dozens of new professors, administrators and other supportive professionals.
Here's a look at just a few, including Ana Colomb, Marc Falkoff, Gina Nicolosi, Mira Reisberg, Kurt Thurmaier and Tao Xu.
FULL STORY
 Second-year Athletics Director Jim Phillips can add a new title to his business card: associate vice president for intercollegiate athletics.
Phillips’ new title took effect July 1 and reflects “the confidence we have in him and the commitment he’s shown to NIU,” NIU President John Peters said.
“There is a trend toward greater integration of athletic, academic and student life programs at the nation’s top campuses,” Peters said, “and Jim has certainly brought that movement to life here at NIU. His promotion into the general administrative ranks is meant to underscore those connections.”
Phillips’ accomplishments in athletic administration are well-known: lucrative broadcast deals, high-profile coaching hires, fundraising success and game dates with big-name teams.
FULL STORY
 Faculty and staff in the NIU College of Education can neither run nor hide from the charge of evaluation and assessment, Dean Chris Sorensen told them during her annual fall All-College Meeting speech.
In her fifth fall speech as dean, Sorensen deviated from her traditional emphasis on overcoming financial challenges to focus more on the college’s recent past and its long-term future.
She predicts higher education will concentrate on accountability and assessment, access and affordability and global competition and lifelong learning to earn the blessing of popular approval.
These coming changes – “The refrain is getting louder and stronger,” Sorensen said – mean colleges and universities must turn their attention toward the big picture and how their small parts fit into the whole.
FULL STORY
 Looking at the world through a child’s eyes is nearly impossible for most adults, whose once-innocent curiosity and fascination has become jaded by age and experience.
But an exhibition of photography coming to NIU in October can help.
“Voices of Children: Exploring Childhood and Culture through Visual Literacy” showcases photographs taken by elementary school children, some from Illinois and others from far-away lands overseas. All were given cameras and a simple instruction: “Show us your world.”
The photos will occupy the Gallery Lounge of the Holmes Student Center from Oct. 16 through Oct. 28.
FULL STORY
 Zhili Xiao stands at the forefront of something really big – and something unimaginably small.
The NIU physicist is making major advances in the world of nanoscience, where researchers are developing materials, electronics and machines so small they approach atomic scale.
R&D Magazine has named an ultra-fast hydrogen sensor developed by Xiao’s research team at Argonne National Laboratory as one of the world’s top 100 scientific and technological innovations of 2005. Based on nanotechnology, the sensors could be made smaller than a grain of sand and will greatly increase safety for future hydrogen-powered vehicles.
FULL STORY
 NIU's Rhonda Robinson is one of 30 recipients of the 2006 Inspired Teacher Scholarship for Visual Learning from Inspiration Software.
Robinson is a Distinguished Teaching Professor in the College of Education’s Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment.
The scholarship program supports professional development activities for educators in K-12 schools, colleges and universities who champion the integration of visual learning and technology into the curriculum.
FULL STORY
 It’s safe to call NIU graduate student Edward Nissen a physics whiz.
The 23-year-old from north-suburban Lake Bluff recently won a $10,000 scholarship from the Directed Energy Professional Society.
Nissen earned his bachelor’s degree in physics at Johns Hopkins University and enrolled last fall in the NIU Graduate School. Within six months, he had passed both the master’s-level and Ph.D.-qualifying exams in physics, a feat that astounded NIU faculty.
“In this department, he’s the only one I know of who has done that,” NIU Presidential Research Professor Court Bohn says. “Usually students need extensive graduate-level instruction in order to even have a chance of passing the Ph.D.-qualifying exam. And normally it takes several tries to pass all four sections of the test.”
FULL STORY
 The annual migration of underclassmen to campus residence halls Aug. 24 was one of the smoothest ever, organizers said.
“There were no backups, no gridlock and nothing but positive reviews,” said Kelly Wesener, executive director of Housing and Dining, who experienced her first NIU Move-in Day.
Wesener, who has been part of that process at a half-dozen colleges and universities during her career, admitted she had never seen anything quite like the way NIU welcomes students to campus.
FULL STORY & PHOTO ALBUM
If you were off campus this summer, here's what you missed in Northern Today.
LINKS TO SUMMER STORIES
 Read good news about – and send congratulations to – Nader B. Ebrahimi and Jerry Wright.
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An outstanding undergraduate senior from each of the four-year degree-granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois is chosen annually to receive the Lincoln Academy Student Laureate Award. The University Scholarships Committee asks your assistance in identifying the student, graduating during 2006 (August 2006, December 2006 or May 2007), who will be NIU’s recipient of this year’s award.
Lincoln Student Laureates are honored for their overall excellence in both curricular and co-curricular activities. The NIU Student Laureate should have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and should have demonstrated leadership in extra-curricular activities.
The person selected will represent the university at one of the most distinguished gatherings in the state, a special ceremony held Oct. 28 in the House of Representatives of the Illinois State Capitol. Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich (or his designee) will present each Student Laureate with a Lincoln Academy Medallion and a check for $150. The ceremony will be followed by a luncheon. Nominator(s) of the recipient will be asked to represent the university at this event.
The person selected from NIU to receive this award should be our most outstanding undergraduate senior student. Please be selective in your nomination. Nominations are due to the Office of the Scholarship Coordination, 344 Williston Hall, by noon Monday, Sept. 11, for consideration.
Nomination forms are available online.
Questions should be directed to Michele Niedermeier at 753-4829 or mniederm@niu.edu.
The Greater Kishwaukee Area Concert Band will resume rehearsals at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, in the band room at Huntley Middle School, located at the corner of S. 7th and Taylor Streets in DeKalb.
Rehearsals are held from 7:30 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday.
The band is open to anyone 18 and older who has played a wind or percussion instrument in the past and wants to play again. No auditions are needed. Clarinets and percussion are especially needed. John Hansen, the retired band director from Malta, is the director.
The first concert of this season is sponsored by Kishwaukee Community Hospital, and will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, at the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall inside the NIU Music Building.
For more information, call (815) 899-4867 or (815) 825-2350.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s mobile drivers facility will return to the NIU campus for its third consecutive year. Officials will set up a “mini facility” once a month outside Diversions Show Lounge.
The facility allows students, faculty and staff of NIU, along with the public, to get driver’s licenses or state IDs. This would include new, renewals and replacements. In addition, staff will renew license plate stickers, register applicants to vote and sign interested parties up for the new Organ Donor Registry.
September’s date is Monday, Sept. 11. The hours of operation are 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Community Dance School at NIU, sponsored by the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, begins its fall 12-week session Monday, Sept. 11. Classes taught are creative movement, ballet, tap, Irish step dancing, jazz/hip-hop, ballroom, Latin and swing.
The cost of the session is $85. For more information, call Outreach Services at (815) 753-0277 or e-mail outreachregistration@niu.edu.
The long-awaited U.S. Department of Education’s National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard has been published and is in effect.
This is an important step toward standardization for instructional materials, especially when uploaded to a Web site or included in a Blackboard course. It should greatly improve future e-text offerings.
NIU’s Information Technology Services has posted the standards and other related materials.
NIU has entered into an AppleCare contract with Apple Computer, Inc. The agreement allows the HelpDesk to access additional Apple support resources.
Several ITS HelpDesk frontline and second-level personnel now have access to the AppleCare Global Service Exchange resource site which includes enhanced knowledge base for Apple products, technical references such as service manuals, a diagnostic matrix of error codes and self-paced courses on the Tiger operating system (Mac OS X 10.4).
This will lead to Apple hardware certification for ITS staff, and Macintosh self-support documentation will be added to the ITS Web site this fall. Watch for more information!
For more information, visit www.its.niu.edu and search for “Mac.”
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 and transgender resources, contact the LGBT Resource Center at (815) 753-LGBT or lgbt@niu.edu.
A calendar of events is available at www.niu.edu/lgbt.
NIU’s Presidential Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity has limited travel funds available to help support faculty, staff and students who wish to attend conferences, workshops or seminars for the purpose of learning about or presenting scholarship on lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender topics.
Individuals requesting funds will be asked to submit a PCSOGI Request for Travel Support form, including a breakdown of costs and other sources of funding support. All travel must take place in the current fiscal year (July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007). The travel support form is available online and should be submitted via e-mail.
To apply for funds or for more information, contact Patricia Liberty Baczek at (815) 753-5428 or e-mail plb@niu.edu.
The Secretarial Advisory Council (SAC) is an advisory group of secretaries whose mission is to identify issues and/or concerns that impact the secretarial workforce at NIU.
The SAC is looking for someone to serve on the council to assist in developing ideas to support and promote the vital role of secretaries in the NIU community. Interested secretaries should contact Rose Miller in Human Resource Services at (815) 753-6033.
The University Women’s Club hosts its fall reception from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, at the home of NIU President John and Mrs. Barbara Peters, 901 Woodlawn Drive.
The reception offers a chance to meet and greet women of the NIU community as the new academic year begins. Membership in the University Women’s Club is open to women who are employed at the university, the spouse of an employee, retirees or the spouse of a retiree.
All letters of nomination for the 2007 Presidential Teaching Professorships should be submitted to Earl Seaver, Vice Provost, Office of the Provost, Altgeld Hall 215, no later than Monday, Oct. 9.
Following receipt of a letter of nomination, the selection committee will invite each nominated faculty member to prepare materials in accordance with the published procedure. Only full professors with tenure and at least six years service at NIU are eligible for the award.
The Presidential Teaching Professorships were established in 1990 to recognize those outstanding teachers who have demonstrated over time that they
- instill and develop in students an intensity of interest in, and an appreciation for, the value of the subject;
- apply rigorous standards to student performance, inspire students to become the best that they can be, and stimulate student growth;
- command respect and esteem as a teacher rather than merely being popular;
- demonstrate extraordinary commitment to students and their welfare, not only that the nominee is knowledgeable and prepared for class but is available to them outside of class for help with materials, for advising them, for listening to their concerns, and for assisting them with extra-class projects or activities;
- explore and develop effective instructional methods and technologies;
- work actively with students, faculty, and administrators to improve undergraduate and/or graduate education at NIU, and other activities directed toward the improvement of instruction.
The procedure calls for a rigorous and thorough portfolio review including contacting former students. Recipients will be announced next spring.
NIU’s Alumni Association is offering a New Year’s trip to Sicily and Rome from Dec. 27 through Jan. 5.
Celebrate the New Year in the “Eternal City” of the West and capital of Italy: Rome. With its mighty ruins, superb art and amazing Italian cuisine, Rome has attracted the world’s people for centuries. Visit the Vatican Museums, the Basilica of San Pietro, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, or relax at one of many luxurious cafes.
Optional side trips include St. Peter’s Basilica and Vatican Museums, Assisi and Cefalu.
The cost is $2,599 per person, double occupancy; single supplement available. Optional side trips are an additional cost. For more information, or to place your reservation, call Pat Anderson at (815) 753-1512.
NIU staff, faculty and students are invited to send their children to Art Express for free.
This class begins Saturday, Sept. 9, and runs for five weeks from 1 to 3 p.m. This innovative class encourages creative thinking through fun hands-on art projects and is for children ages 4 to 12. Teachers are students in an advanced art education class working under School of Art faculty supervision.
The registration form is available online at www.niu.edu/extprograms or call (815) 753-1450. Indicate at the top of the form that you are a student or employee of NIU. The form and a $15 program registration fee – the class cost $30 for non-NIU children – should be sent to the NIU Community School of the Arts in Room 132 of the Music Building.
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NIU enjoys busy summer months
