| Week of Nov. 16, 2020
Contents: | | | NIU Well-Being Tip: Checking In With Yourself
by Counseling and Consultation Services and The Employee Assistance Program.
How are you? Have you been well? When was the last time you asked yourself these questions? As we continue to work from home, manage stressful news and begin to navigate the holiday season, now is a good time to intentionally set time aside to pause, reflect, and connect with yourself by practicing self-care. When you practice self-care you are more able to manage uncertainty and succeed in your goals. Here are some ways you can start to practice self-care: • Define Self-Care. To us, self-care is the intentional act of supporting your wellness. More importantly, how do you define self-care? Everyone has their own definition of what it means to take care of themselves, what does it look like to you? Identifying the ways you practice self-care is a good first step in bringing awareness to how you take care of your wellness. • Find Your Motivation. While we can talk about the importance of self-care all day, it will not be as impactful as you finding the importance of it, yourself. When it comes to making a healthy change in your life, you are more likely to make that change when you are committed; when you have that internal drive to act. So, ask yourself: why is self-care important to me? What is my motivation to take care of myself? If you are unsure, try considering the pros and cons of practicing self-care. Which benefits of practicing self-care would help to outweigh the cons? • Identify your Indicators for Self-Care. When do you know that you need to practice self-care? What are some signs or indicators? Ideally, you want to practice self-care all the time, since daily acts of eating better, sleeping well and moving more can help improve your overall wellness. However, we recognize that everyone is on their own wellness journey and practicing self-care looks different for everyone. With this in mind, begin to identify the physical, behavioral, emotional or cognitive changes in your daily life that would indicate that it’s time to practice self-care. Some indicators may include sleep changes, increased irritability, feeling down or overwhelmed or difficulties concentrating. • Explore Self-Care Strategies. There are many things you can do to practice self-care. First and foremost, take care of your body by eating better, improving your sleep quality, and exercising more. This can be especially helpful in managing stress. Also, if you find yourself noticing those indicators for self-care, start by asking yourself: Have I eaten well today? Did I sleep well or get enough sleep? Did I move at all today? Other self-care strategies include doing things that bring you joy or allow you to feel recharged, meditating or practicing mindfulness, journaling, being creative or talking to others. Want to learn more? Check out these self-care articles found on Psychology Today. |
| | Campus and local community invited to free COVID-19 drive-thru testing event Nov. 16-18, plus opportunity to assist NIU researchers
Free drive-thru COVID-19 testing will be offered 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nov. 16-18, in the Anderson Hall parking lot on the NIU campus. The test is performed with a simple nasal swab administered by a health professional, and results will be communicated by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) via phone within 4 to 7 days. Participants should enter from Kishwaukee Drive off Lucinda Avenue and exit onto Garden Road. Walk ups are welcome as well. This temporary testing opportunity is being offered in partnership by the IDPH, DeKalb County Health Department and NIU. For more information, see https://go.niu.edu/covid-test/.
Also at the three-day testing event, participants will have the opportunity to play a part in helping validate a new COVID-19 test currently in research development at NIU under the leadership of Elizabeth Gaillard, director of the NIU Molecular Analysis Core (MAC) Laboratory and professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and her research team. The new test involves a simple oral rinse. Participation in this second test is optional but important and more information is available online at https://go.niu.edu/drive-thru-research.
The University has authorized release time for employee attendance at this event, including hourly Operating Staff. Employees who wish to participate in this testing event should coordinate with their supervisors, and supervisors are asked to facilitate participation for those planning to attend. |
| |
| Upcoming Events
Please check the calendar for more information and for online-only events as they become available!
• Monday, Nov.16 through Friday, Nov. 20: Progress LGBTQ+ Pride Flags at NIU
• Monday, Nov. 16 through Wednesday, Nov. 18: Free Temporary Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing
• Monday, Nov. 16: Policy Library Committee Meeting
• Tuesday, Nov. 17: Making Art with Nature at Lorado Taft Field Campus
• Tuesday, Nov. 17: Virtual International Recognition Reception
• Tuesday, Nov. 17: 2021-22 Scholarships Workshop
• Tuesday, Nov. 17: State of the University Address
• Wednesday, Nov. 18: STEM Cafe— Board Game Renaissance: Leveraging Virtual Connections in a Time of Physical Distancing
• Wednesday, Nov. 18: Congresswoman Robin Kelly ('04) with Wednesday Night Wisdom
• Wednesday, Nov. 18: NIU Foundation Thousands Strong Opening Night
• Wednesday, Nov. 18 through Thursday, Nov. 19: NIU Foundation Thousands Strong - Day of Giving
• Thursday, Nov. 19: NIU Faculty Authors Book Celebration
• Friday, Nov. 20: Office Hours with the Executive Vice President & Provost
• Saturday, Nov. 21: Fire Building Class at Lorado Taft Field Campus |
|
| Notices
Celebrate International Education Week
The Division of International Affairs is proud to celebrate International Education Week, a federal initiative created in collaboration by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, that promotes internationalization and participation in developing a global community. This celebratory week takes place Nov. 16-20.
The Center for Southeast Asian Studies will be hosting Virtual Language Tables each day along with a Virtual Culture Fest on Thursday. The International Training Office and the Zeta Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society is offering an International Speaker Series Monday through Thursday, featuring a talk by NIU's own Professor Taylor Atkins. The Study Abroad Office and International Student and Scholar Services Office will be hosting a Career Panel on Monday. The Virtual International Recognition Reception on Tuesday will recognize outstanding contributions to international education by faculty, departments, staff and students.
A full list of events is available on the Division of International Affairs website and information on registering for these events is on the NIU calendar.
Provide Your Feedback about Academic Support Services
As part of our continued efforts to enhance the student experience and to provide comprehensive, accessible and well-coordinated academic support services for all NIU students, we are requesting your feedback and ideas. Please take five to 10 minutes to share your thoughts by completing this brief survey by Friday, Nov. 20. Your feedback will inform our approach moving forward. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to let your voice be heard.
Fitness Equipment Rental Available through NIU Recreation
NIU Recreation is now offering fitness equipment rentals! Rent equipment to use while working out at home or during their virtual Group Fitness classes. Equipment can be rented for the winter break or for the entire spring semester! Visit go.niu.edu/fitrental to submit your request. Contact lkulchawik@niu.edu with questions.
Office of Information Security Warns of New Phishing Attempts
Phishing emails that contain links to external documents containing malware and ransomware are typically delivered by commercial mass email delivery services such as google. Spoofed email addresses may also be used.
Email received by a victim will contain a link to an actor-controlled Google Drive document or other free online file hosting solutions such as Box, Drop Box, or even OneDrive. More information is available by visiting the Office of Information Security’s website.
Rebuilding Democracy Speakers Series kicks off Dec. 1 with Eugene Robinson
The NIU Community is invited to join the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 as they kick off their Rebuilding Democracy Speakers Series with Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post columnist and MSNBC Political Analyst Eugene Robinson.
The event, conducted on Zoom, will feature Robinson discussing a variety of topics such as rebuilding democracy and restoring civility, voting rights, the ongoing fight for equity and inclusion, expected action by a new administration regarding the pandemic and the environment and restoring America’s reputation on the global stage with Dean Robert Brinkmann. A moderated question and answer session will follow.
Advanced registration is required. Go to http://go.niu.edu/CLAS-Series-Registration to request a link to the event. Event links will be sent out from the clas-communication@niu.edu mailbox one day prior to the event. |
| | | 
| Free COVID-19 drive-thru testing being offered at NIU
To help protect your home community as well as NIU’s, the Illinois Department of Public Health, the DeKalb County Health Department and NIU are partnering to offer free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing from Monday, Nov. 16, through Wednesday, Nov. 18, for any students, faculty, staff members or DeKalb County residents who want to be tested prior to Thanksgiving.
Nasal swab testing will be available each day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Anderson Hall parking lot, and results will be available in four to seven days. Read more. |
|
| New and improved First-Year Success Series to help new Huskies feel at home
Northern Illinois University has been selected for inclusion on U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best Global Universities for 2021. NIU is one of only 10 institutions selected from the state of Illinois. According to U.S. News, the seventh annual rankings focus specifically on academic research and overall reputation of schools, rather than separating undergraduate or graduate programs. The rankings were created to help students more accurately compare institutions around the world. Nearly 1,500 institutions across 86 countries were ranked. Read more. |
|
| | 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
John E. LaTourette becomes tenth president (1986)
At the same Board of Regents meeting where Clyde Wingfield’s resignation was accepted, John La Tourette was named NIU’s tenth president.
He had been the runner-up in the last search, the board reasoned, and had performed admirably both in five years as provost and in seven months as acting president. After the turmoil surrounding Wingfield, the campus needed stability and not more time lost and money spent on a lengthy search. Learn more about John E. LaTourette > |
|
|
| This message has been approved for distribution by the appropriate NIU party and is distributed by the Division of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications. NIU Mass E-Mail Policy |
|
|  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.
|
|
| |
|
.jpg)
