Support Units for Faculty

Many support units are available at NIU to assist new faculty in their teaching, research, scholarship and artistry. This guide provides a quick overview and contact information to the support units that new faculty often connect with for support.

Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ADEI) leads the charge in establishing an equity-minded community that challenges and eliminates exclusionary systems and practices. They offer resources and training on a variety of topics including: inclusivity, culturally responsive teaching, and social justice.

Phone: 815-753-8399

Email: equity@niu.edu

Faculty Toolkit for Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) provides comprehensive programs, services and resources supporting excellent teaching and learning at NIU. The center supports NIU faculty, instructors and graduate teaching assistants as they design, develop and teach course that can be successful in any mode of delivery.

Phone: 815-753-0595

Email: citl@niu.edu

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm CT

Location: Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, Room 107

How to receive support

Counseling and Consultation Services provides comprehensive mental health support for currently enrolled student at NIU. The team is trained professionals committed to improving the mental health of our student body in support of their academic and personal goals.

Phone: 815-753-1206

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm CT

Location: Campus Life Building, Room 200

Refer Students to Speak to a Counselor

The Disability Resource Center (DRC) offers guidance, services and resources to help faculty, staff and students succeed at NIU. They work to provide reasonable and appropriate accommodations including exam and classroom accommodations, accessible materials, and adaptive technologies.

Phone: 815-753-1303

Email: drc@niu.edu

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 pm CT

Location: Campus Life Building, Room 180

Types of Accommodations

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential assistance to employees and their families as they encounter difficulties in their personal lives and careers. They offer counseling, coaching and training services to help achieve professional and personal well-being.

Phone: 815-753-9191

Email: employeeassistance@niu.edu

Location: Holmes Student Center, Room 709

Learn More about Employee Assistance Program

The Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs assists the Provost with faculty-related initiatives including, but not limited to: fostering faculty engagement, facilitating the faculty tenure, promotion and sabbatical processes, establishing faculty development opportunities intended to enhance the faculty life cycle, assisting with faculty-related concerns and needs, providing guidance on faculty personnel matters, collaborating with campus units and serving on committees to address faculty needs, policies and support services and exploring opportunities for recognizing faculty excellence and contributions.

Phone: 815-753-8386

Email: provost@niu.edu

Location: Altgeld Hall, Room 220

Faculty Tenure and Promotion

The faculty mentoring program seeks to support new and junior faculty members; familiarize them with university expectations, practices and resources; maximize satisfaction, productivity and retention; and increase inclusiveness, collegiality and morale across campus.

Learn More About Faculty Mentoring Program

The Faculty Personnel Advisor is a resource person whose services are available to any faculty member (ranked or no-rank faculty) in the university. The advisor's role includes such activities as the following:

  • To advise faculty about the personnel policies and procedures within the university and the courses of action open to faculty;
  • To advise and assist faculty who are experiencing difficulties with the personnel process;
  • To advise and assist faculty dissatisfied with personnel decisions;
  • To observe the workings of the personnel process and to recommend needed changes or clarification;
  • And to serve as grievance officer in cases of faculty pursuing the grievance procedure

Learn More About Faculty Personnel Advisor

The University Constitution establishes a Faculty Senate as the representative body of the faculty. Together with its related councils and committees, the Faculty Senate has the responsibility to establish, direct, and oversee academic matters.

The Faculty Senate serves the following purposes:

  • Make policy decisions related to the faculty personnel system, to the university curriculum and to policy decisions concerning admissions and academic standards;
  • Promote a climate of academic freedom for the university community;
  • Advance the instructional mission of the university by maintaining an optimal learning environment throughout the university;
  • Encourage research and artistry and the appreciation of the intellectual values of the arts, the humanities, the sciences and the professions;
  • Serve as the legitimate representative of faculty concerns vis-a-vis the university administration;
  • Define and establishes standards and procedures of accountability concerning professional faculty ethics and responsibilities, and to promote adherence to those standards and procedures;
  • Encourage an informed, continuing, and academically responsible participation in those faculty governance roles defined in the University Constitution and Bylaws.

Learn More About Faculty Senate

NIU Navigate connects students, advisors and services to promote academic planning and success. It has uses for both students and faculty/staff members. Navigate is offered as part of NIU's membership in the Educational Advisory Board's Student Success Collaborative, which aims to improve student success, retention and graduation rates on college campuses.

Learn More About NIU Navigate

The Office of the Ombudsperson provide confidential and informal assistance for resolving university related concerns, independent of the university’s formal administrative structure, and will consider all sides of an issue in a neutral manner.

Phone: 815-753-1414

Email: ombuds@niu.edu

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm CT (other times by appointment)

Location: Holmes Student Center, 6th Floor

Learn More About Ombudsperson Services

The Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships encourages research, scholarship, artistry and entrepreneurship across our campus, by promoting the professional development of faculty and graduate students, facilitating the submission of grants and contracts, and seeking connections to accelerate the creation, integration and application of new knowledge.

Phone: 815-753-5008

Location: Lowden Hall, Room 301

Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) provides comprehensive services and support to NIU faculty, students and staff in securing and managing sponsored funding for research, instruction, service and artistry activities, from funding development to project completion.

Phone: 815-753-1581

Email (pre-award and proposals): asosp@niu.edu

Email (post-award and award management): GrantsFiscal@niu.edu

Location: Lowden Hall, Room 203

Find Your Research Development Specialist

Student Conduct helps students, staff and faculty maintain a positive learning environment. They coordinate the university student system and handles academic, residential, student conduct and disciplinary conflicts.

Phone: 815-753-1571

Email: conduct@niu.edu

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm CT

Location: Campus Life Building, Room 280

More on Academic Integrity

The Division of Information Technology provides faculty, staff and students with support and resources on the efficient use of information technology for teaching and learning, administration, and research. This central IT division manages administration and academic computing, identity management and security, telecommunications, and the NIU network.

Phone: 815-753-8100

Email: ServiceDesk@niu.edu

More on Learning Technologies

Testing Services offers comprehensive testing services to the NIU community, including managing NIU course and instructor evaluations, as well as assisting with exam processing. Testing Services also provides the campus with resources focused on administering, assessing and analyzing exams. For new or continuing students, testing services also offers placement testing, proficiency exams, foundational studies requirement exams and qualifying exams.

Phone: 815-753-1203

Email: testing@niu.edu

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – Noon; 1:00-4:30pm CT

Location: Campus Life Building, Room 120

More on Testing Services

The University Honors Program provides an enriched and intentional educational experience for students of high intellectual potential who are committed to find and pursue their passion. Through specialized courses, advising, engaged learning opportunities, a living-learning community and extracurricular programming, the Honors Program allows students to chart a personalized course for their academic success.

The Honors Faculty Fellowship Program is an exciting addition to the University Honors Program. Starting in fall 2020, faculty selected to teach Honors Seminars will be Honors Faculty Fellows. As an Honors Faculty Fellow, you'll have the opportunity to teach students from a variety of disciplines in a small seminar setting. You can try out new material, spruce up an existing course or repeat a popular seminar. Course development funds are available, though limited.

Phone: 815-753-0694

Email: honors@niu.edu

More on Honors Faculty Fellowship

The NIU University Libraries include the Founders Memorial Library, the Faraday Library, the Music Library, and the David C Sharpiro Memorial Law Library in the College of Law.

Phone: 815-753-1995 and 815-753-0507 for the law library

Email: lib-admin@niu.edu

Contact Your Subject Specialist Librarian

The University Writing Center helps members of the NIU community to become more skilled writers by providing services and resources to help with a variety of writing related topics and projects. Coaching sessions are scheduled by appointment.

Phone: 815-753-6636

Email: gjacky@niu.edu

Location: Founders Memorial Library, Room 260

More on Writing Center Services for Faculty

See the NIU A-Z Index for a complete listing of all NIU units.

Contact Us

Office of Faculty Affairs

Phone: 815-753-8386
Email: provost@niu.edu

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