COVID-19 testing for employees and students with symptoms or exposure to COVID-19

Employees and students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 may test on campus at a new testing location at the Student Health Center using the free SHIELD Illinois saliva-based PCR test. This is available to all NIU employees and students; not just those currently participating the fall surveillance testing program.

 

Testing for those with symptoms is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. An advance appointment is required. You must schedule your appointment through the SHIELD Illinois portal and choose the “NIU ‘Sick Only’ Student Health Center” location. Prior to your appointment, please complete the COVID-19 Screening Checklist. At your appointment time, go to the west side entrance of the Student Health Center (near the parked police vehicles) and present your QR code from the SHIELD portal to check in. This is not an appointment with a health care provider at the Student Health Center.

 

If you have been exposed to COVID-19 but do not have symptoms, any NIU employee or student can make an appointment for the “NIU Grant South” testing location in the SHIELD portal. When you first arrive at your appointment, inform the staff at the testing location that you have been exposed. Do not eat, drink or smoke for 60 minutes before you test. Also avoid brushing your teeth, using mouthwash, chewing gum and artificially colored energy drinks for at least one hour before submitting your saliva sample at the test location.

 

If you have any questions, please contact CampusClear@niu.edu.

PeopleSoft HR System maintenance scheduled

The PeopleSoft HR system will be unavailable on Saturday, Oct. 16, from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the Oracle 19c Database upgrade/migration.

 

STEMFest is Oct. 23, 2021
Join us for free family fun celebrating science, technology, engineering and math.

Science demo shows, interactive activities and expert speakers help you learn about many things including weather, chemistry, electricity and biology. Explore robots, witness a live weather balloon launch, try out VR technology and more!

This year, we’re in person in the heart of NIU’s DeKalb campus. Join us in the Holmes Student Center, Founders Memorial Library, MLK Commons and other nearby buildings.

 

Sick Leave Bank Donation for Temporary Faculty and SPS

NIU has established a Sick Leave Bank program in which temporary Faculty and Supportive Professional Staff are eligible to participate.

 

Participation in the Sick Leave Bank program requires an employee to donate at least one day of sick leave.  For employees on less than 100% appointment, one day is determined on the basis of their appointment percentage.  Donations will be taken from the 25 days of non-accumulative sick leave granted at the beginning of the academic year.  Participation in the program is then established for the current academic year.  Consistent with the Illinois Sick Leave Bank Act, the Sick Leave Bank program is designed to assist NIU employees who face major health crises and who have exhausted all other available benefits.

 

To register for the NIU Sick Leave Bank program for FY2022, please complete the enrollment form, which must be submitted to the Payroll Department by October 31, 2021.  

 

If you have questions regarding the NIU Sick Leave Bank program contact Payroll at payroll@niu.edu.

 

Prioritizing Your Health and Well-being

Recreation staff understands that prioritizing your health and well-being is more important now than ever before. We’re looking to partner with you to help you have fun, live well and feel your best. For a limited time only, we’re offering bonus time to any annual memberships purchased through Oct. 29, 2021. The annual memberships purchased will not expire until Jan. 1, 2023!

 

Do you want to try before you buy? Try out NIU Recreation for a first-time visit at no cost. This one-time offer includes access to any Recreation facilities available on the day of use, including the Recreation Center, Anderson Swimming Pool and the Outdoor Recreation Sports Complex. Visit the Recreation Center or call 815-753-0231 to redeem your one-day membership on the day of use. To speed up the process, create an account at myrec.niu.edu ahead of time. Once you have an account and activate your pass, you can book a swim time or group fitness class online. Visit go.niu.edu/join to sign up today, or email recreation@niu.edu with any questions. 

 

Research and Artistry 2022 internal grant competition now open

The Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships is pleased to announce the Research and Artistry 2022 competition. This annual internal grant competition provides funding support for faculty research, scholarship, and artistry activities. More information, including the 2022 request for proposals containing full details and application instructions is available on the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships website Faculty Resources page. Applications are due November 17, 2021. Tenure-track teaching and research faculty are eligible to apply.

 

Faculty Regalia Exhibit Q& A scheduled for Oct. 20 and 21 
John Mahoney of Oak Hall, NIU’s official regalia vendor, will be on campus on Wednesday, Oct. 20 and Thursday, Oct. 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Altgeld Hall, room 203 to answer faculty questions about purchasing regalia, and will have samples of faculty regalia for review. Faculty will be able to order custom regalia with Oak Hall at a discount during this event.  This is a drop-in event for faculty and staff only. Graduating students with questions about regalia should watch their official student email for more information, or visit the NIU Commencement website.

 

Free NIH Virtual Grants Seminar Nov. 1-4, 2021
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be offering a free virtual seminar on program funding and grants administration on Nov. 1 through 4, 2021. The seminar is designed to provide faculty and staff with a unique opportunity to learn about the NIH grants process, programs and policies directly from NIH and Health and Human Science experts. Learn more about the seminar by visiting the Sponsored Programs Administration Newsblog.  

• Through Oct. 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month Virtual Exhibit
• Through Nov. 5: Ethics Annual Online Training and Information Security Awareness Training
• Tuesday, Oct. 12: Hospitality 320 "Ellington's" served at The Depot
• Tuesday, Oct. 12: Diversity Career Panel - Virtual via MS Teams
• Tuesday, Oct. 12: Bike Service at the Adventure Center 
• Wednesday, Oct. 13: Everything you need to know about Faculty Mentors
• Wednesday, Oct. 13: Managing Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) 
• Wednesday, Oct. 13: NIU Communiversity Gardens - Weeding Wednesdays
• Wednesday, Oct. 13: Outdoor Adventures: Hourly Lagoon Night Paddles
• Wednesday, Oct. 13: "Learning to be Latino: How Colleges Shape Identity Politics," Daisy Verduzco Reyes, Ph.D.
• Wednesday, Oct. 13: STEM Café: The Science Behind the COVID-19 Vaccines
• Thursday, Oct. 14: Land of Hope, Living Together in the U.S.
• Thursday, Oct. 14: Hospitality 320 "Ellington's" served at The Depot
• Friday, Oct. 15: Outdoor Adventures: Beginner Backpacking
• Tuesday, Oct. 19: Outdoor Adventures: SUP Yoga Classes
• Wednesday, Oct. 20: Financial Checkup 101 
• Wednesday, Oct. 20: STEM Café: Plastic Predicament: How Microplastics Affect Groundwater
• Wednesday, Oct. 20: "The Politics of Care: Puerto Ricans, Citizenship and Migration after 1917" Emma Amador, Ph.D.
• Friday, Oct. 22: Outdoor Adventures: Campfire Series
• Sunday, Oct. 24: Outdoor Adventures Bike the Local Trails
• Wednesday, Oct. 27: Food Fight: Win Your Inner Battle with Intuitive Eating
• Thursday, Oct. 28: Huskie Refugees at NIU
• Thursday, Oct. 28: Sones de Mexico presents A Musical Geography of Mexico, with Banda NIU
• Wednesday, Nov. 3: Food Fight: Win Your Inner Battle with Intuitive Eating

Financial Month End Close
The month of September is closing for all financial reporting activity at noon Monday, Oct. 11, 2021. Journals not posted at that time will go into October business. Submit September journals before end of business Friday, Oct. 8. Final September reports are scheduled to be available Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021. In addition, October reports are scheduled to be available Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. These dates, and other important dates related to the Controller’s Office can be found on our website.

Monday, Oct. 18: Presidential Professorships nomination deadline

Monday, Oct. 18: Outstanding International Educators, Staff and Student Nomination Deadline

Friday, Oct. 29: Honorary Doctoral Degree nominations deadline