Week of October 5, 2020
Contents:

Protecting the Pack Updates	Resources for teaching and working remotely	Applaud a Colleague
Upcoming Events	Notices	Deadlines
From NIU Today	Celebrating NIU’s 125^th Anniversary	View Student Announcements

Protecting the Pack (COVID-19) updates We continue to closely monitor activities and developments related to the spread and management of coronavirus (COVID-19) in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Illinois Department of Public Health and the DeKalb County Public Health Department. The resource links below are meant to support the health and wellness of our university community. Please check them frequently.
Frequently Asked Questions	Communications	Human Resource Services FAQs

University Response to new Region 1 Requirements
As of Saturday, Oct. 3, the Illinois Department of Public Health instituted new COVID-19 mitigation efforts for Region 1, which includes DeKalb County, to address the region’s increasing positivity rate. In consultation with the DeKalb County Health Department, the university has implemented revisions to our current guidelines. Please take the time to become familiar with these important updates.

COVID-19 Screening Checklist replaces Helpline
The COVID-19 Helpline has been converted into a customized, web-based checklist that is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you test positive for COVID-19 or are exposed to or experience symptoms of COVID-19, you must complete the checklist at go.niu.edu/covid-checklist. Login to the checklist using your NIU credentials. After completing the checklist, you will receive immediate guidance via email with important next steps. The Protecting the Pack website and the #CampusClear app have been updated to reflect this change.

Resources for Teaching and Working Remotely
Keep Working website	Keep Teaching website	Keep Learning website	Keep Engaging website

Applaud a Colleague

Applaud a colleague is a show of appreciation for those co-workers who go above and beyond. These are just a few of the employees throughout the university that go the extra mile:

• Renata Catlett

Read recent applause and take the time to applaud a colleague for a job well done >

Upcoming Events
Please check the calendar for more information and for more events as they become available!

• Monday, Oct. 5 through Sunday, Oct. 11: NIU Homecoming 2020
• Monday, Oct. 5: STEMFest Maker Mondays: Studying Stink Bugs and Exploring Insects
• Tuesday, Oct. 6: Behind the Post: Relationships Don't Just Live on Social Media Virtual Workshop
• Tuesday, Oct. 6: Madam C.J. Walker and Heritage of African American Philanthropy
• Tuesday, Oct. 6: Diversity Dialogues: Breaking New Ground
• Tuesday, Oct. 6: Outdoor Adventures: Yoga at the Lagoon
• Wednesday, Oct. 7: Latino Center Virtual Open House
• Wednesday, Oct. 7: STEMFest — Not So Creepy Critters: Exploring Reptiles and Amphibians
• Wednesday, Oct. 7: Outdoor Adventures: Weekly Wednesday Hourly Boat Rentals at the East Lagoon
• Thursday, Oct. 8: SPS Council Meeting (Virtual)
• Thursday, Oct. 8: Social Justice Town Hall: Whiteness and the Construction of Race
• Saturday, Oct. 10: Engineering Open House - Virtual
• Saturday, Oct. 10: STEM Fest — Paper Circuits
• Saturday, Oct. 10: STEMFest — Build-a-Blinky Soldering Workshops — In Person
• Sunday, Oct. 11: Outdoor Adventures: Bike the Local Trails

Notices

PeopleSoft HR system maintenance scheduled
The PeopleSoft HR System will be unavailable on Friday, Oct. 9, from 4:30-8 p.m. due to system maintenance.

Annual ethics and cybersecurity trainings now available
The annual ethics training and cybersecurity training are now available in Blackboard. Access the trainings by logging in to Blackboard using your official NIU credentials. The trainings are accessible under Organizations in the left navigation.

The deadline for annual ethics training is Friday, Oct. 30 and the deadline for cybersecurity training is Saturday, Oct. 31.

Ellington’s meals available at The Depot
The HOSP 320 teams are working incredibly hard to bring Ellington’s to The Depot. As part of their course requirements, students are responsible for planning, preparing and serving prepackaged meals, each centered on a unique theme. Students are dedicated to providing high-quality, nutritious food, as well as compliance with the highest safety and sanitation standards. Meals will be made available for purchase Tuesdays and Thursdays around noon for the price of $7.99. Your support is very much appreciated!

Deadlines

Financial Month End Close
The month of September is closing for all financial reporting activity at noon on Friday, Oct. 9, 2020.  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, 2020.  In addition, October reports are scheduled to be available Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020.  These dates, and other important dates related to the Controller’s Office can be found on the FMS Reports Calendar.

Nominations for outstanding international educators, staff and students are due Oct. 9
The NIU Division of International Affairs invites nominations for the 2020 awards to recognize outstanding practice in international education.

Recognition is planned for:
• Outstanding international educator.
• Outstanding department contribution to international education at NIU.
• Outstanding student contribution to international education at NIU (for a domestic student and a non-immigrant student).
• Outstanding staff contribution to international education at NIU.

International Education Week begins Monday, Nov. 16. The awards will be presented virtually during the Virtual International Recognition Presentation from noon to 1 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 17. For more information on any of these awards, please visit our Awards, Grants and Scholarships webpage, or contact Sarah Lindell at 815-753-9526.

Monday, Oct. 12: Nomination Deadline for BOT and Presidential Professorships
Friday, Oct. 30: Nominations for Honorary Doctoral Degrees Deadline
Monday, Nov. 30: Deadline for 2021-2022 Honors Faculty Felllowship proposals

From NIU Today

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic violence affects both women and men, of every race, religion, socio-economic status, culture and sexual identity. And it happens right here, right now, in communities and college campuses throughout the world.

Let’s do something about it. Read more.

STEM Fest goes virtual with free online events throughout October
For more than 10 years, Northern Illinois University’s STEM Fest has introduced thousands of visitors of all ages to the wonders of science, technology, engineering and math. After last year’s record-breaking 8,200 visitors, the NIU STEAM team is looking forward to making STEM Fest 2020 better than ever. Read more.

Read more stories at niutoday.info

Celebrating our amazing history
America’s most enduring institutions are those created to meet specific needs and allowed to evolve as those needs change. Such is the story of Northern Illinois University, which this year celebrates its 125th anniversary.

Featured Key Moment
Term “home-coming” first appears in campus newspaper (1906)
Dating back to a series of 11 football games against alumni teams that began in 1903, Northern Illinois University’s Homecoming tradition evolved into the oldest major-college tradition in the state and one of the longest in the country. In 2019, NIU hosted its 113th Homecoming. Learn more about NIU's tradition of Homecoming >

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Northern Illinois University's vision is to be an engine for innovation to advance social mobility; promote personal, professional and intellectual growth; and transform the world through research, artistry, teaching and outreach.
Learn more about NIU’s vision, mission and values.