Faculty and staff volunteers needed for spring Orientation.
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We are quickly approaching the start of the next cycle of orientation programs and the Orientation and First Year Programs team is recruiting volunteers to help staff our on-campus orientation programs.
We will be offering face-to-face orientation programs for students starting in the 2024 spring semester on Nov. 17 and Dec. 13.
If you are interested in signing up for a volunteer slot, please fill out the Orientation Volunteer Form. You are welcome to share this request to help us fill all volunteer slots.
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Procurement Services and Contract Management to host Virtual Vendor Showcases
Procurement Services and Contract Management is providing a series of opportunities for NIU business partners to connect with potential vendors for possible business solutions and to continue our success in building a diverse portfolio of vendors in support of the Business Enterprise Program (BEP). The next Virtual Vendor Showcase is from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 14, 2023. To learn more about the businesses that will be attending, visit the NIU calendar.
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Blackboard Courses from Fall 2017 to Summer 2018 to be Deleted Beginning Dec. 14, 2023
In accordance with NIU’s course retention guidelines for Blackboard, only the last five years of courses are retained in Blackboard. The Division of Information Technology will begin removing courses from the 2017-2018 academic year. Shells and organizations will not be affected at this time.
Courses to be deleted: All courses from fall 2017, spring 2018 and summer 2018 will be deleted. Courses from fall 2018 to fall 2023 will be retained in Blackboard.
Removal date: The removal process begins on Dec. 14, 2023.
You may save any courses you wish to retain before the course removal process begins by exporting the courses from Blackboard. You can store the exported package (a zip file) on your computer or in OneDrive. Faculty members are responsible for exporting their own courses. Learn more about exporting your Blackboard course.
You may also download the Grade Center if you wish to retain the grades for your records. Learn more about downloading the Grade Center in Original or Ultra Course View.
If you have any questions or concerns about this process, please feel free to contact the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning at 815-753-0595 or citl@niu.edu. If you experience technical issues while exporting a course or downloading your grades, please contact the DoIT Service Desk at it.niu.edu, 815-753-8100 or servicedesk@niu.edu.
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Human Resource Services (HRS) to begin sending pay advice (stub) confirmation emails.
As mentioned in a recent campus communication, HRS will begin to send regular notification emails when pay advices (stubs) are available in MyNIU. These emails will first be sent on Nov. 10, 2023 for the Nov. 15, 2023 pay date. As a reminder:
- These notifications will be sent from HumanResources@niu.edu, will use the usual HRS email template, and will provide instructions on how to view your pay advice.
- These notifications will also provide a link to the HRS News Blog where important HR updates are posted and shared.
- Please be advised that HRS will never ask you to update your banking information through these emails. This notification is simply to alert you that new information is available and that you can log into the secure HR system to view it.
- Given the volume of emails that will be sent, not all employees will receive their confirmation email at exactly the same time. All employees will receive their notification on the same day with sufficient notice before the pay date.
HRS is excited to bring you these upgrades. Please direct any questions to HumanResources@niu.edu.
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Prudential Long Term Disability Coverage open enrollment taking place through Nov. 10.
During this enrollment period, employees will be eligible to enroll in voluntary long term disability coverage without providing the normally required proof of good health. Coverage elected during the open enrollment period will be effective Dec 1. Please visit the HR website for information on the open enrollment opportunity as well as the benefit offered. Employees who chose to enroll in the coverage should complete and sign (electronic signatures are acceptable) the enrollment form and return to HRS either via email to HumanResources@niu.eduor by mail being postmarked by Nov. 10 to:
NIU Human Resource Services
1515 W. Lincoln Highway
DeKalb, IL 60115
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Do you have an event, activity or classroom lesson that could be enriched by alumni volunteers with real-world experience? The NIU Alumni Association Volunteer Engagement is hoping to identify opportunities to both engage a variety of alumni volunteers and provide support to campus partners who would not normally be able to execute activities without volunteer help.
The partnership resulting from acceptance of the proposal includes recruitment and planning support from the NIUAA that is designed to complement your non-volunteer logistics, planning and communication efforts.
Please note that a very limited pool of funds exists to complement volunteer engagement and should not be relied upon to launch activity.
Want to brainstorm before you submit your proposal or have questions? Contact Liz McKee, M.S.Ed. '14 at lmckee1@niu.edu or 815-753-7400. Applications are due Dec. 15.
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Electronic Workflow and Signature solutions.
Electronic Workflow and Signatures will help increase the efficiency and effectiveness of NIU operations which require or request signatures for approval or acknowledgment, they will improve operations by reducing physical document handoffs, as well as lowering our paper waste and physical storage requirements. The Electronic Signature policy was developed in 2020 to help NIU departments transition to electronic signatures in order to replace handwritten signatures on documents.
To further help the University departments and areas in utilizing this policy and move their processes and forms to electronic workflows and signatures, NIU has worked on researching, finalizing, and implementing the solutions which can be embraced by the campus and build efficient forms and workflows depending on the use case. Three solutions were identified and implemented which are best suited in different scenarios. All the information regarding the available solutions, how to select the best solution and policies and guidelines to be followed can be found here.
One time live training sessions available for Kuali Build and Adobe Acrobat Sign which can be signed up below:
- Kuali Build - Wednesday Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. Join for this live training by registering here. This training will be recorded and uploaded to Kuali web page after this date.
- Adobe Acrobat Sign - Wednesday Nov. 14 at 10 a.m. Join for this live training by registering here. This training will be recorded and uploaded to Adobe Sign web page after this date.
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Nominations open for 2023 EUTA and EUIA awards.
This is a great opportunity to recognize an outstanding instructor. Nominations are now open for the 2023 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (EUTA) and Excellence in Undergraduate Instruction (EUIA) awards. The EUTA is available to tenured and tenure-track faculty. The EUIA is available to nontenure track instructors. These longstanding annual awards recognize outstanding individuals who positively impact NIU’s student learning experience.
Nominations are due to departments Friday, Dec. 15. From there, departments will select nominees and send materials to colleges for review and, ultimately, submission to the Committee for the Improvement of the Undergraduate Academic Experience (CIUAE) for final selections. Nominees may not participate in the selection process.
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Applaud a Colleague is a show of appreciation for those coworkers who go above and beyond. These are just a few of the employees throughout the university that go the extra mile:
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Ann Kenney
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Kathleen Hughes-James
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Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Insights
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On-site visits from the Higher Learning Commission occur after the peer review team reviews the institutional report and student survey results. The team will work with NIU to create the agenda, which typically includes meetings with university leadership and board members as well as open forums with students, faculty and staff.
The HLC site visit is scheduled for March 25-26, 2024.
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Financial Month End Close
The month of October is closing for all financial reporting activity at noon Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. Journals not posted at that time will go into November business. Submit October journals before end of business Wednesday, Nov. 8. Final October reports are scheduled to be available Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. In addition, November reports are scheduled to be available Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. These dates and other important dates related to the Controller’s Office can be found on the Calendars and Important Dates - NIU - Controller's Office webpage.
Research and Artistry 2024 internal grant competition open
Our 2024 Research and Artistry competition is accepting applications. This annual internal grant competition provides funding support for faculty research, scholarship and artistry activities. More information, including the 2024 request for proposals containing full details and application instructions, is available on the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships Research and Artistry website. Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023, via our NIU InfoReady application portal.
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024: Nomination Deadline for the Excellence in Online Teaching Award
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NIU to host Sustainable Food Systems Innovation Challenge for college students
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NIU will host a Sustainable Food Systems Innovation Challenge event for college students age 18 and older on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 11 and 12, with a focus on food justice. Read more.
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SEM Plan 2.0 working groups restructured with laser focus on retention and student success
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The Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Plan 2.0, which, in response to the pandemic, ramped up emphasis on student retention and success, has already helped produce positive results in student reenrollment and will continue to unfold under a shared equity leadership (SEL) structure. Read more.
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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 Email Policy.
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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.
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