Nominations for the 2027 Board of Trustees and Presidential Professorships are now being accepted. Please consider nominating a colleague for one of these prestigious awards. 

More information about each award and the criteria and procedure for nomination is available by visiting the links below.

All professorships share the same nomination deadline of Monday, October 5, 2026, followed by a Monday, November 9, 2026, deadline for full application materials.

Fall Compliance Training is currently underway. There is a total of four trainings that must be completed by midnight on Oct. 30: 

Each training varies in length – from 45 minutes to one (1) hour. The Mandated Reporter (DCFS) training will be included in the fall compliance training series every 3 years.

Huskie Trek Talks: Ideas in Motion is coming back in 2027 with another exciting opportunity for faculty and staff to showcase innovative research, impactful programs and novel initiatives. Submit your proposal today to start putting your ideas in motion.  

With $100,000 in available grant awards, plus the opportunity to secure a graduate assistantship provided by the Division or Research and Innovation Partnerships, Huskie Trek Talks is a premier forum to inspire our community and secure vital resources that can transform ideas into impact. 

Like TED Talks, Huskie Trek Talks feature concise, powerful stories from NIU faculty and staff shaping NIU as innovators, educators and leaders. The program showcases select presentations and helps prepare all participants for meaningful conversations with partners, alumni and donors, extending the impact well beyond the stage.  

The deadline for proposal submission is 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Finalists will be chosen and notified in December. Presenter coaching will take place from January through early spring in preparation for the Trek Talks event. Submit your proposal today!  

Interested in submitting a proposal but need more information? Faculty and staff are invited to register for “The Anatomy of a Winning Huskie Trek Talks Proposal” lunchtime webinar (noon to 12:45 p.m.) on Wednesday, October 14. This session will be recorded for those who are unable to attend the live session to learn more about the process and the event. Register for the webinar!  

Huskie Trek Talks is coordinated and produced by the NIU Strategic Development Team comprised of the NIU Foundation;, the Office of the Provost;, the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships;, the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development,  and the Division of Academic Affairs.  

Contact Luke Sebby of the NIU Foundation at lsebby@niu.edu for more information.  

Help keep our campus community healthy by getting your annual flu shot. Our campus flu clinic is open to employees, students and the community and will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20 in the Holmes Student Center Ballroom. Enter at the east door of the Ballroom.

To book an appointment, complete the client form and print it out to bring with you to your appointment. Visit our Employee Well-being webpage. The form and additional information is available on our 2026 Flu Booking webpage.

Important: Please read all instructions and information provided on the website before you make an appointment.
Bring your completed and printed client form with you to the clinic.

Nominations for the 2027 Excellence in Online Teaching Award are now being accepted. This award recognizes NIU faculty and instructors who exemplify a commitment to excellence in online teaching, course development and student engagement.

All those who teach online or hybrid courses (tenured and tenure-track faculty members, instructors, and teaching staff) are eligible. There is no limit as to the number of nominees from any department/program or college. Self-nominations are allowed and encouraged.

Award recipients will receive a plaque and $2,000 one-time stipend.

Deadline for nominations is Jan. 31, 2027. Visit the Division of Academic Affairs website for more information and submit a nomination.

GIVE Circles are opportunities for participants, whether students, faculty or staff, to engage in deep listening and conversation of shared experiences related to various topics. They are moments to build connections, understanding and empathy amongst those participating. GIVE Circles can play an important role in bringing the campus community together to explore our common humanity.

As a facilitator, you would be an important part of creating and maintaining spaces on campus for students, faculty and staff to establish self-agency and cultivate a sense of belonging.

Register today for the training on 10/15/26! If you have any questions, please contact agiffin@niu.edu

Imagine strolling into a colleague's class — not as an evaluator, but as a learner. Open Classroom Weeks is your chance to do just that. It's a campus-wide invitation to:

Participation is open to faculty of all classifications and ranks (tenure-track, instructional, clinical), graduate teaching assistants, as well as SPS and civil service staff. Register for one or more sessions on the Open Classroom Weeks website! Opportunities are available to observe both in-person and online teaching.

Two revised policies are open to review and comment for a 30-day period. This provides our NIU community with the opportunity to consider and respond to the policy before it takes effect. The policies are:

To submit a comment, go to our Policy Library website. Click on “Comment on New/Renew Policies.” You’ll be able to review the policies and provide your comments. If you have any questions, please contact the university policy librarian at policy-library@niu.edu.

Help your students explore what’s next! If you have students who are considering graduate or professional school, encourage them to attend the Fall 2026 Graduate and Professional School Fair.

This virtual event gives students the opportunity to connect directly with graduate and professional programs, ask questions, learn about their options, and explore potential next steps.

Thursday, October 15, 2026
6-8 p.m. 
Virtual Event

Important: Students must RSVP in Huskies Get Hired to attend.

Please share this opportunity with students who may be exploring graduate or professional education. A quick reminder from you could help them discover a program or pathway they hadn’t considered! Encourage your students to RSVP in Huskies Get Hired today.

Career Services is offering a variety of workshops throughout October to help students build career readiness skills and explore their options for life after NIU.

Workshops provide practical guidance on topics including:

Please consider sharing these opportunities in your classes, advising appointments, department newsletters, and other communications with students.

View October workshops and upcoming events. 

Thank you for helping students explore opportunities and take meaningful steps toward their future.

National Transfer Student Week Oct. 19-23 celebrates transfer students and the faculty and staff who support their success. The Office of Community College Initiatives and Office of Orientation and First-year Programs invite you to share your connection to the transfer experience – whether as a former transfer student, former community college employee or someone whose current role serves transfer students. Please take a few minutes to share your transfer story and offer your favorite piece of advice for our transfer students. Your experiences and encouragement will help us recognize the many transfer champions across NIU and celebrate the perspectives transfer students bring to our university community.

Nominations are now open for the 2026-2027 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards. Each academic or academic support unit is invited to nominate two outstanding graduate teaching assistants, one at the master’s level and the other at the doctoral level, for the awards. Nominations can be submitted by the department chair/school director or designee.

Nominations are due Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. More information about the award and the nomination process can be found at go.niu.edu/outstanding-ta-award.

Speaker: Tracy Nunnally, professor of Theatre Technology and Technical Director, NIU School of Theatre and Dance

Science, technology and art come together when creating special effects for live entertainment events. Every minute of entertainment represents many hours of work behind the scenes by specialists in engineering, materials science and mathematics. Professor Nunnally will delve into the fascinating details of special effects planning and safety analysis as he walks the audience through the process of moving live theatrical effects from idea to reality. 

Experience the power of storytelling through music, spoken word, and lyrical dialogue in this interactive celebration of Indigenous voices. Featuring the work of Indigenous artists, Poetic Justice explores themes of identity, resistance, community, and belonging while highlighting how creativity can inspire resilience, spark action, and foster meaningful change.

The month of September is closing for all financial reporting activity at noon on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.  Journals not posted at that time will go into October business.  Submit September journals before end of business on Thursday, Oct. 8.  Final September reports are scheduled to be available Monday, Oct. 12, 2026.  In addition, October reports are scheduled to be available Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026.  These dates, and other important dates related to the Controller’s Office can be found on the Controller's Office website.