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Hello Huskies!

Even as we mark a year of doing life differently, this month reminds us we’re marching onward.

I hope you’ll keep your momentum as we start the second half of the semester next week! Here are some reminders to help you hit your stride:

• Today
is your last chance to attend a Candidate Informational Meeting if you’d like to run in the Student Government Association’s spring elections! You can also get involved by raising your voice in next week’s virtual vote.
• Did you look into the services I shared last week from the Huskie Academic Support Center? For an extra boost as you persist through your remaining assignments for the semester, consider reserving a private Study Room at the Holmes Student Center.
• NIU’s virtual events throughout March celebrate Women’s History Month — with opportunities to learn, lift up the narratives of changemakers and lean in with your own contributions. You can start today by using the #HuskiesThankWomen hashtag!

Savor the thought of our next short administrative break as you keep moving through this term. As activist and academic Angela Davis reminds us, the power we hold is all about our mindset: “You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.”


Forward Together,

Kelly Wesener Michael, Ed.D.
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs
Chief Student Affairs Officer and Dean of Students

 

Week of March 1, 2021

Protecting the Pack Updates

Notices

Events

Huskie Spotlight

Wellness Tip

From NIU Today

Did You Know?

Deadlines

Celebrating our 125th Anniversary

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Protecting the Pack Updates

Today, Monday, March 1, is the Deadline to Enroll in Voluntary COVID-19 Testing Program
We are expanding the free COVID-19 surveillance testing program to allow students who are on campus but not part of the mandatory testing program to opt into regular voluntary COVID-19 testing every four weeks. 

Students who are part of the 
mandatory testing program which includes all students in NIU Housing and students in face-to-face or staggered classes are NOT eligible for this opt-in program. Students who are in hybrid classes or labs and/or live off-campus in the surrounding community may want to enroll in this program.

The COVID-19 surveillance testing program on campus uses the saliva test from SHIELD Illinois and is administered by Northwestern Medicine in the Holmes Student Center. You will usually receive your results within 48 hours of your test.

To opt into the voluntary testing program, please 
complete this form by March 1.

Please note, surveillance testing is only for those who DO NOT have any symptoms of COVID-19. If you opt in, you are committing to testing during the weeks you are assigned. You will be provided with a link to schedule your appointments for your assigned weeks. No special scheduling arrangements will be available.

More information on this voluntary testing opportunity – including FAQs - is available on the 
Protecting the Pack website.

Notices

 

Student Emergency Fund accepting applications
Some federal funds have been provided for limited emergency financial assistance to currently enrolled students who certify that they have exceptional financial need due to loss of income or extraordinary emergency expenses.

To apply, or for more information please visit the Student Emergency Fund website.


Register to attend Winning in Football, Winning in Life: Teaching and Coaching for Success

Join the College of Education’s spring Educator in Residence, P.J. Fleck (B.S.Ed. ’04), head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team, as he shares how he transformed and built on his foundation as an Elementary Education major to become a highly successful coach. Learn how Coach Fleck motivates, develops and supports college athletes as they focus on teamwork and shared goals. The event will be held on Wednesday, March 3, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Zoom and registration is available online.


NIU Wi-Fi Network Changes
The Division of Information Technology made changes to the NIU Wi-Fi network in January 2021. The unencrypted ‘NIUGuest’ network will be phased out and is being replaced by the new ‘NIUVisitor’ network. Below is the information you need to know to keep your devices connected to NIU’s Wi-Fi network while you are on campus.

 

Why?

In this digital era, information and cyber security are essential practices for individuals and institutions. NIU provides multiple methods of Wi-Fi access to students, staff, faculty, and guests, and strongly recommends users use the encrypted ‘NIUwireless’ Wi-Fi network, whenever possible.

 

Open unauthenticated Wi-Fi networks are the most vulnerable to intentional abuse, accidental misuse, and pose other inherent risks to its users. To reduce these risks for the current implementation of the open and unencrypted ‘NIUguest’ Wi-Fi network, NIU is implementing a registration-based guest Wi-Fi where campus visitors will register before gaining access to the internet. 

 

Who is affected and what to do?

These improvements are applicable to all students, staff, faculty, and guests who would like to use the Wi-Fi network services provided by NIU. 

All students, staff and faculty are required to connect to the encrypted ‘NIUwireless’ Wi-Fi network using their NIU username and password on their compatible devices such as phones, tablets, and laptops.

Campus visitors can gain access to the internet by connecting to ‘NIUvisitor’ Wi-Fi network.  This network requires users to register and limits access to the network to 5 days from the date of registration.

Students, staff and faculty with personal devices such as smart TVs, gaming devices and personal assistants that cannot authenticate to the encrypted ‘NIUwireless’ Wi-Fi network can gain access to the unencrypted ‘NIUvisitor’ Wi-Fi network by registering their devices via the MyDevices Portal. The portal can be accessed by visiting https://mydevices.niu.edu/ while connected to the NIU network or VPN.

For NIU owned and managed devices that cannot connect to the encrypted ‘NIUwireless’ Wi-Fi network, DoIT has created a process to register these devices which will allow access the network by connecting to the unencrypted ‘NIUregistered’ Wi-Fi network. Check the details of this process on DoIT's website.

A more detailed explanation of these changes along with the instructions document can be found on DoIT's website.

 

When?

These new additions and improvements were put in place on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. Though, the current open unencrypted ‘NIUguest’ Wi-Fi network will remain available until July 30, 2021, it is highly recommended to move to the applicable networks as explained above, immediately, so that any issues users might face, can be resolved before the ‘NIUguest’ network is taken down.

https://analytics.niu.edu/PoliteMail/images/10_victor_e_pointing_trans_resized.pngFeatured Events

Tuesday, March 2: Hospitality 320 "Ellington's" served at The Depot
Tuesday, March 2:
CAB Presents Speed Sketchers
Tuesday, March 2: Strategies for Negotiating Your First (or Next) Job Offer
Tuesday, March 2: Men's Basketball vs Western Michigan
Tuesday, March 2: Exploring Food and Nutrition Insecurity in the United States
Wednesday, March 3: Huskies Get Hired Tips and Tricks
Wednesday, March 3: Winning in Football, Winning in Life: Teaching and Coaching for Success
Wednesday, March 3: Women's Basketball vs Eastern Michigan
Thursday, March 4: Hospitality 320 "Ellington's" served at The Depot
Thursday, March 4: Innovation Conversation
Thursday, March 4: How to Write a Cover Letter that Gets You Noticed
Thursday, March 4: Why Local Elections Matter
Friday, March 5:
Certified Peer Health Educator Training
Friday, March 5: Men's Basketball at Central Michigan
Saturday, March 6: Women's Basketball at Central Michigan
Wednesday, March 17:
Roger Angell: America's Greatest Living Baseball Writer

View all upcoming events

Huskie Spotlight

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Bliss Eash
Coming back this semester with the COVID-19 pandemic has made it very difficult to make friends, but through some of my child development classes I was able to meet a few new people on campus. I joined NIU's Student Council on Family Relations and made a few additional friends.

Learn more about Bliss.

 

Wellness Tip

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Become a Peer Health Educator
Do you want to connect, help, and inspire fellow Huskies? Become a certified peer health educator! Student Wellness at Counseling and Consultation Services will be training students to join the Wellness Crew, our peer health educator group. Learn more at our informational meeting on Friday, March 5 at 2 p.m.

Learn more.

From NIU Today

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Educator in Residence P.J. Fleck to share lessons of football, life in March 3 talk
P.J. Fleck will never forget his semester as a student-teacher at Clinton Rosette Middle School.

 

It was Spring 2004, and the wide receiver for the NIU Huskies football team had tried to postpone that classroom immersion – he was training for his shot at the NFL, after all – but Professor Pamela Farris put her foot down.

Read more at NIU Today.

 

Did You Know?

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Learn more.

https://analytics.niu.edu/PoliteMail/images/125th-email-banner-final.jpgFeatured Key Moment
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.

 

NIU earns Carnegie Foundation designation as top-tier research university (2000) A second major public recognition of NIU’s growing reputation was its designation by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as one of the nation’s top research institutions. Learn more about NIU's Carnegie Foundation designation.

Deadlines

Monday, March 1: Presidential Commission on Persons with Disabilities Award Nomination Deadline
Friday, March 5: Excellence in Online Teaching Award Nomination Deadline
Monday, March 8: Deadline for Lambda Sigma and Mortar Board Honor Societies New Members

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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.