Nominations now being accepted for new and updated staff awards.
Supportive Professional Staff (SPS) and Operating Staff (OS) have a critical role in NIU’s success. NIU annually recognizes current staff members and staff teams who have demonstrated exemplary performance and service in promoting the goals of the university while demonstrating the core values of excellence, equity and inclusion, integrity, collaboration and service.
The updated staff awards provide an opportunity to acknowledge staff members’ extraordinary effort and exemplary service.
The nomination deadline is Feb. 6, 2023. The nomination process includes providing references. Please submit nominations early, so references have enough time to provide information by the deadline.
Human Resource Services Campus Service Center is moving.
On Tuesday, Jan. 10 the Human Resource Services Campus Service Center is moving from Swen Parson Hall room 110 to Lowden Hall Suite 102. This center is designed to be a key location for campus members to access HR services.
General questions can be directed to humanresources@niu.edu or 815-753-6000.
NIU Password Policy changes beginning spring semester 2023.
The Office of Information Security had an independent third party perform a security assessment for NIU in the spring of 2022. Results indicated that even with the password and account security settings we have today, many NIU account passwords were obtained through various techniques such as brute force and password spraying.
Using these techniques, attackers try to access accounts by guessing common or weak passwords repeatedly. While the brute force technique attempts to gain access to a single account, password spraying uses this same idea to try and access many accounts across a network by guessing a password that might be common to NIU.
NIU password controls have been the same for over 10 years and advances in technology used in this assessment have shown that they are no longer sufficient. Therefore, we are combining several small improvements to greatly improve the security of all NIU’s accounts and passwords.
- We will increase the minimum required length of a password to 12 characters
- We will increase the character complexity requirements to require 4 of the 5-character categories
- We will increase the account lockout time due to successive failed logins from 5 minutes to 10 minutes
- We will block the use of common dictionary words and common permutations of dictionary words in passwords
These changes will take effect at the beginning of spring semester 2023. NIU passwords will expire every 365 days. When your password expires, you will be asked to change your password using these new password complexity improvements. For further details on password requirements, and to make changes before being prompted, visit the NIU Password Reset page. If you have any questions, please contact the NIU Service Desk at ServiceDesk@niu.eduor 815-753-8100.
Register for spring 2023 Community School of the Arts music lessons and classes.
Everyone can experience the arts this semester – registration at the NIU Community School of the Arts is open for spring!
Toddlers ages one to five sing, dance, play and have fun in CSA Prelude and Development children’s music education classes. Sign up today and bring your kids for their first music classes starting Saturday, Feb. 4.
Suzuki music instruction is another popular option for young beginning students of guitar, violin and cello, and their parents.
Students of any age can learn to play a new musical instrument or brush up skills with private music lessons. Sign up today and start learning in January.
Piano group classes for adults make learning music a more fun and affordable experience. Keep your New Year’s resolution – weekly classes begin in late January. Online guitar classes are also available.
CSA Steelband, Art Express class for ages five to 12, Symphonette strings for ages eight to 16, and Sinfonia youth orchestra all begin spring sessions soon.
Please visit our CSA website for details and to register. Call us at 815-753-1450 for more information.
NIH Grants Conference scheduled for Feb. 1-2, 2023.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) will host a free virtual event, 2023 NIH Grants Conference, for anyone new to NIH and looking to understand processes and policies about NIH funding, as well as for those who are experienced and would like to catch up on the latest policies and information offered.
During this live event, NIH and HHS experts will share policies, resources, guidance and case studies in informative and engaging sessions. Registration is free and includes a personal “All Access Pass” to the virtual NIH Grants Conference 2022-2023 season.
Learn more about the conference and how to register by visiting the Sponsored Programs Administration Newsblog.