Academic and Labor Relations

The Academic Employee and Labor Relations office works to support faculty success at NIU. The office conducts negotiations of collective bargaining agreements with faculty unions representing tenure/tenure-track and instructors’ bargaining units. Additional responsibilities include administering agreements, conducting labor-management meetings, fostering effective relationships with union representatives and processing grievances. As needed, the office will assist with investigations of potential disciplinary actions, to ensure they are conducted per collective bargaining agreements. 

Dave DeThorne is the director of Academic and Labor Relations for Northern Illinois University. Faculty members are encouraged to contact ddethorne@niu.edu or 815-753-6871 for questions regarding labor and union matters. 

Visit our Division of Human Resource Services page for additional information about unions at NIU including links to the Tenure and Tenure Track Faculty Agreement, the Instructors Agreement, civil service unions, and answers to frequently asked questions.