Inspired by the hit TV show, NIU’s FIT Program is creating a “Biggest Loser” competition.
At stake is a free fall 2009 FIT membership to both the woman and man who lose the most weight, and also a free fall 2009 membership to the team whose members who lose the most weight. Participants can sign up in teams of four or individually for placement on teams of four.
Measurements of girth (arms, waist, hips, thighs) and pounds lost will take place every two weeks, and the competition will conclude the week of April 20. Exercise physiology students will be available to train individuals and teams.
For more information, call (815) 753-0335.
Fourteen contemporary artists utilize the broad spectrum of the fiber medium and a variety of techniques for “Crossing Threads, Crossing Boundaries,” an exhibition opening today at the NIU Art Museum.
In “Crossing Threads, Crossing Boundaries,” artists freely cross back and forth over the old divides between genders, high art vs. low, 2D vs. 3D and fine art vs. craft. Either the process or the material, or its laden history, is critical to the artist’s choice of media.
The show is open through Friday, March 6. An opening reception takes place from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, with an artist talk featuring Yvette Kaiser Smith scheduled for 6 p.m. Curator Ellen Roth Deutsch will speak at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7.
The exhibition features work by Renie Breskin Adams, Mary Bero, Ilse Bolle, Judith Brotman, Sun Choi, Cat Chow, Susan Etcoff Fraerman, Christine LoFaso, Danny Mansmith, Darrel Morris, Lindsay Obermeyer, Smith, Sharon Wright and Betsy Youngquist.
Beaded paintings, crocheted fiberglass, mixed media beadwork, embroidery, weaving, upholstered furniture, stitchery and fiber constructions are just a few examples of the diversity of the exhibition.
The NIU Art Museum is located on the west end of the first floor Altgeld Hall. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and by appointment for group tours. Admission is free, and the museum is open to the public.
For more information, visit www.niu.edu/artmuseum or call (815) 753-1936.
An exhibition of contemporary paintings that opens today at the NIU Art Museum will examine how “surface” comes into play with the use of various techniques and media to create diverse and contrasting results.
“Push, Pull, Scrub, Drip … Drip …” is open through Friday, March 6. An open reception is scheduled from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, with a curator’s talk and a presentation by artist Jim Lutes at 6 p.m.
Paint has physical characteristics that can be exploited for the creation of interesting surfaces. Texture can be implied or actual; sometimes the physical nature of the act of painting itself becomes manifested in the work of art.
Curator Frank Trankina, associate professor of art at NIU, said the exhibition’s title can be taken
semi-literally and metaphorically as it refers to various physical acts and to the residues of paint layered and/or migrating across the two-dimensional picture plane.
“Push, Pull, Scrub, Drip … Drip …” features artists Dan Devening, Tim Doud, Dorothee Joachim, Lutes and Tracy Miller.
The NIU Art Museum is located on the west end of the first floor Altgeld Hall. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and by appointment for group tours. Admission is free, and the museum is open to the public.
For more information, visit www.niu.edu/artmuseum or call (815) 753-1936.
The Civic Leadership Academy’s next workshop, “Managing Personnel and the Human Capital of Your Organization: Part I” is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 29.
This two-part workshop will help leaders better appreciate and understand this strategic component of any service organization: The most expensive and expansive asset of your governmental organization is your human capital – your personnel.
Sessions will explore and explain why the management of governmental employees is somewhat unique. How does employee recruitment, selection and retention actually work? Do these techniques matter? How do you find and select the right people? What are the ramifications if you don’t? Why are management employees different? Are they worth the money?
Leaders also will learn to appreciate the impact of described but misunderstood concepts such as organizational culture and silent leadership.
Greg Kuhn, assistant director and senior research associate for the NIU Center for Governmental Studies, is the presenter.
Registration and more information about CLA and its upcoming workshops is available online.
Adults are invited to dust off long-ago piano skills or start from scratch in a new group piano class offered by the NIU Community School of the Arts. “Group Piano for Adults” is for ages 18 and older. The class meets in the piano lab in the NIU Music Building. Every student works at a piano station.
The class meets for 12 Mondays beginning Feb. 2. Level 1 for beginners meets from 7 to 7:55 p.m. Level 2 meets from 8 to 8:55 p.m. and is for those who have limited playing experience and want to take their skills to the next level.
Teacher Susan Breitner is a long-time piano teacher who has experience teaching children and adults. She teaches Suzuki and traditional piano lessons for the community school.
This class is among many classes, ensembles and lessons offered by the NIU Community School of the Arts this spring. The office is located in Room 132 of the Music Building. For more information, call (815) 753-1450 or visit www.niu.edu/extprograms.
Guitarists have two great opportunities to play in a group this spring at the NIU Community School of the Arts. The Group Guitar Class is for beginners and the CSA Guitar Ensemble is for advanced beginners and intermediate players.
Both classes are for ages 13 and older. The group class is a fundamentals class. Students learn all the basics, including tuning, picking and chords. The ensemble helps guitarists expand their musical horizons.
Both classes meet for 12 Wednesdays beginning Feb. 4. The ensemble meets from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the group class meets from 7:45 to 8:45 p.m.
Teacher Quentin Dover is a graduate of the NIU School of Music, where he studied guitar with Fareed Haque. He has taught guitar lessons for a number of years.
This class is among many classes, ensembles and lessons offered by the NIU Community School of the Arts this spring. The office is located in Room 132 of the Music Building. For more information, call (815) 753-1450 or visit www.niu.edu/extprograms.
The “Picturing Hemingway” lecture has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5.
This lecture will be presented by Redd Griffin, founding director and past chair of the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park. It is offered in conjunction with the “Picturing Hemingway” traveling exhibit, developed by the Ernest Hemingway Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery and on display on the first floor of Founders Memorial Library through the end of January.
This event is free and open to the public. For details, visit the Friends of the NIU Libraries Web site, call (815) 753-9838 or contact Angela Schroeder at aschroeder@niu.edu or Lynne Thomas at lmthomas@niu.edu.
The DeKalb Festival Chorus invites vocalists to join this spring’s exciting performance of Haydn’s “Theresienmesse,” scheduled for Sunday, April 19.
Rehearsals are held from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays in Room 171 of the NIU Music Building. Auditions are required; e-mail the director at festivalchorus@gmail.com to arrange a brief audition.
Rehearsals begin Monday, Jan. 26. Come before 7 p.m. to register. Adult membership costs $30. Full-time student membership is $15.
For more information, visit www.dekalbfestivalchorus.org or call (630) 453-8006.
The Ally Program is a campus-wide program designed to foster a welcoming and supportive campus environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, faculty and staff by creating a visible network of allies.
NIU employees and students interested in volunteering for the Ally Program can learn more and register online. The online form provides the specific workshop dates and times and allows registrants to indicate first, second and third choices.
Training is divided into two two-hour workshops (Part I and Part II). Volunteers must attend both Part I and Part II. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. Multiple dates are available.
Part I:
Thursday, Jan. 29: 2 to 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 4: 2 to 4 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 9: 9 to 11 a.m.
Part II:
Tuesday, Feb. 17: 2 to 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 25: 2 to 4 p.m.
Monday, March 2: 9 to 11 a.m.
The Ally Program is sponsored by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center, Division of Student Affairs.
NIU’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Studies Program is currently accepting nominations for new faculty associates and program affiliates. The program offers undergraduate and graduate certificates of study and serves students in a number of colleges and disciplines across campus.
Faculty associates typically teach and/or research some aspect of LGBT studies whereas program affiliates are employees of the university who support the program but are not necessarily involved in related research or teaching. This visible link with the program hopes to facilitate collaborative programming, instigate grant proposals and foster other research and teaching activities.
To nominate yourself or someone else, contact Diana Swanson at dswanson@niu.edu. The nomination deadline is Friday, Jan. 30.
NIU Prism, the student-led LGBT and Ally social group, will begin an experimental book discussion group on the fourth Monday of each month in the LGBT Resource Center. The center is located on the seventh floor of the Holmes Student Center.
The first meeting of the semester is from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26. Books selected are Lambda Award-winning works that address the issues of the LGBT community.
NIU’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Women is accepting nominations for the 2009 NIU Outstanding Women Student Awards.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, Jan. 23.
This recognition program was created in 1980 and is held annually to encourage the full participation of women students in all facets of the university experience and in their communities; to support their development of corresponding strengths, both cooperative and competitive; and to celebrate their achievements and contributions, including those not usually recognized by other award programs.
Details about eligibility and nomination forms are available online and by calling (815) 753-0320.
The NIU Operating Staff Dependent Scholarship is intended to provide financial assistance to children of NIU Operating Staff (civil service) employees while attending NIU. This award is made possible through funds presented by the NIU Civil Service employees’ fundraising activities.
Eligibility requirements:
The maximum amount that will be awarded to any individual is $2,500 over five academic years.
The award of $250 per semester will be awarded for both fall and spring or for just an individual semester. All scholarship and award requests must be made payable to NIU. This scholarship will be routed through the Office of Student Financial Aid and applied directly to the students’ bursar accounts.
The application deadline is Sunday, Feb. 1, or the first business day thereafter. Send completed applications to Jay Monteiro, president, Operating Staff Council, Human Resources, NIU, DeKalb, Ill., 60115.
Student Involvement & Leadership Development will provide a new alternative for students looking for Spring Break plans: The Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program offers students the opportunity to use their time to complete volunteer work and explore a significant social issue in another part of the country.
ASB 2009, held the week of March 7, will take students to the Houston/Galveston area to help with the continuing relief efforts from Hurricane Ike. Airfare, meals on-site and lodging for participants are included in the $550 fee. Fundraising opportunities are available.
The Alternative Spring Break program is the latest addition to the events and services provided by the Student Involvement & Leadership Development office. Students can use SILD’s resources to explore community service opportunities in the surrounding communities as well as participate in events such as Huskie Paws for a Cause and NIU Cares Day.
SILD administrators hope that the ASB program will grow into an annual event, with participants assisting in locations across the country and learning about a variety of social issues, including homelessness, poverty and literacy.
An application and $150 deposit are required to secure a spot on this year’s ASB trip. The deadline is Friday, February 6. Registration information is available at the Student Involvement & Leadership Development web site, located by clicking on the Volunteerism link at http://www.niu.edu/studentinvolvement.
Interested individuals can contact Becky Harlow, ASB adviser, at rharlow@niu.edu or join the “Alternative Spring Break 2009” group on Facebook.
The Parents’ Association staff welcomes all Huskie fathers and mothers back to NIU this spring to participate in special traditions: Dad’s Weekend and Moms’ Weekend.
Scheduled for Feb. 27 through March 1 (fathers) and March 27 to 29 (mothers), the weekends allow students and their family members the opportunity to enjoy an array of events, both on the campus as well as in the DeKalb community.
Included are Huskie sporting events, theater productions, a Casino Night for dads and exhibitions for moms.
The Parents’ Association also has coordinated several special events especially for Dads’ Weekend participants, including a welcome reception and unlimited bowling and billiards in the Huskies Den. Moms’ Weekend participants can enjoy a jewelry-making session and a “Taste of DeKalb” progressive lunch, allowing students and family to experience a selection of DeKalb’s local restaurants.
First-year students and their parents and families “appreciate the opportunity to spend time with their students in their home away from home,” said Becky Harlow, adviser to the Parents’ Association. “Events like these allow an opportunity for students to ‘show and tell’ about their experiences as NIU students.”
Event and registration information are available at the Parents’ Association Web site, located by clicking on the Parents’ Association link at http://www.niu.edu/studentinvolvement. Registration is due Friday, Feb. 13, for Dads’ Weekend and Friday, March 13, for Moms’ Weekend.
Interested individuals can contact Harlow at www.parents.niu.edu.
NIU’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Women is seeking nominations for three staff awards: the Wilma D. Stricklin Award for Enhancement of the Climate for Women on Campus, the Outstanding Mentor Award and the Women Who Make a Difference Award.
Criteria and nomination information on these three awards is available online or by calling (815) 753-0320. The nomination deadline is Monday, March 2.