Academic Affairs Newsletter
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Homecoming is upon us at NIU, and this annual tradition is all about a sense of belonging – something our university strongly values, and something that continues here each day. As alumni come back to campus, they often share the importance of a faculty member, advisor or staff member who made a difference for them.
Perhaps it was the advisor who took the extra time to talk about a student’s concerns about the upcoming semester, the professor who gave personal attention to help a student who was struggling with a difficult concept in class, or the staff member whose smiling face and encouraging words made a new student feel welcome. What we hear time and time again from people who spend time on our campus is how welcoming NIU is. You are a huge part of that, with what you do and how you do it.
Thank you for all you do to support our students and to contribute to their success. Your spirit of collaboration and commitment to teamwork make a difference every day. This does not go unnoticed, and I want to express my gratitude to you for your efforts to make NIU a place that values and encourages belonging.
I’ve worked for Northern Illinois University for many years, 29 to be exact, and one reason I am proud to call NIU my home is our commitment to belonging, opportunity and impact.
So, let’s all celebrate NIU this week as part of Homecoming. Check out some of the festivities and show your Huskie pride.
It’s a great time to be at NIU!
Laurie Elish-Piper, Ph.D. Interim Executive Vice President and Provost
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Women in STEM advisory panel – Pictured: Dean Fred Barnhart (ex-officio), Dr. Warren Montgomery, Dr. Pallavi Singh (chair), Dr. Leslie Kay (speaker last year), Dr. Allison Michaelis, Dr. Heather Bergan-Roller, Dr. Elizabeth R. Gaillard, Dr. Irina Nesterova
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Women in STEM (WoSTEM) Lecture Series The WoSTEM lecture series engages members of the community to share experiences and foster inspiration within fields where women and other gender minorities are historically underrepresented. The lecture series is spearheaded by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and University Libraries with support from Dr. Warren Montgomery, in honor of his late wife, Dr. Carla Montgomery. The Fall 2023 series features talks by Dr. Yvonne Harris (NIU) Thursday, Oct. 12 and Dr. Nancy Freitag (UIC) Thursday, Nov. 9.
Sign up and contact WoSTEM_info@mail.niu.edu for suggestions about future speakers or requests to join this community.
Effective Mentorship Workshop Should mentoring be aligned with a professor’s job? According to Dr. Laura Lunsford, it should be a significant part of a professor’s role. This was one of the key messages communicated to faculty mentors and mentees during a workshop held in September on NIU’s DeKalb campus. Lunsford, a psychologist at Campbell University and expert in mentoring, shared mentoring competencies, strategies and inspiration with participants. “It was an engaging session and I found it helpful, as I am delving into a mentor-mentee relationship for the first time this semester,” said Henna Muzaffar, associate professor, School of Health Studies in the College of Health and Human Sciences.
Outside Consulting, Research and Outside Employment Full-time faculty (tenured/tenure-track faculty, instructors, research faculty, clinical faculty, etc.) and administrative professional employees (Supportive Professional Staff) who wish to engage in outside consulting, research or outside employment activities (even if self-employed) are required to submit a separate request form for each outside entity for each fiscal year and obtain prior approval from their supervisor before engaging in activities with that outside entity.
Find answers to frequently asked questions about this process.
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2023-2024 Newman Civic Fellow Alexandra Alcantar was named NIU’s 2023-2024 Newman Civic Fellow, a yearlong program that recognizes and supports student public problem solvers at Campus Compact member institutions. Alexandra is a first-generation college student, majoring in political science with minors in Latino and Latin American Studies, Spanish and Computer Science and a member of the University Honors Program. This past summer, she participated in NIU’s DC Congressional 2023 Summer Internship Program. Alexandra also represented NIU at the 2023 Campus Compact Convening in Boston.
NIU Launches Transfer Credit Estimator Students who wish to transfer to NIU have a new online tool to help them estimate how many of their earned credits will apply to different degree programs. Prospective transfer students can go to the Transfer Credit Estimator, select up to three majors at a time, and determine how close they are to earning a four-year degree in a particular major. Launched in July 2023, the credit estimator is a product of EAB, designed to assist students with their transfer decision. All estimates are subject to formal review of official transcripts and approval by NIU.
New Director of Student-Athlete Academic Support Services Dr. Randi Napientek, a triple graduate of NIU, has been promoted to Director of Student-Athlete Academic Support Services (SAASS) and Senior Associate Athletic Director. SAASS reports to the Division of Academic Affairs and collaborates with other student success units across campus. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Napientek on her promotion!
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
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The Real Talk Conference: Bridging Race, Identity and Community This is a great opportunity to make new connections while engaging in powerful conversations that promote understanding, increase empathy and facilitate change in our community. Experience dynamic keynote speakers and interactive sessions led by NIU's students, faculty and community members Friday, Oct. 27 at Holmes Student Center. Registration is now open and is free for NIU students, faculty and staff.
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Conversations with Purpose: Breaking Bread and Building Bridges The Division of Student Affairs recently launched "Conversations with Purpose", inviting NIU students to dinner discussions with senior faculty and staff leadership. September’s talk covered NIU's Sustainability Master Plan. Upcoming sessions will celebrate first-generation students, highlighting their support systems. Additional upcoming sessions will engage with international students, student veterans and military-connected students and delve into the revitalization of NIU Greek Life.
At the heart of these dinners is the Division of Student Affairs’ unwavering commitment to fostering a connected, informed and proactive community. We recognize the power of sharing a meal and the deeper power of purposeful conversation. Through Conversations with Purpose, we're not just breaking bread – we're breaking barriers and building bridges. Join us in these transformative sessions, and let’s shape the future of NIU together.
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Affordable Course Materials Leading Impact Program Join the Affordable Course Materials (ACM) Cohort! Participants will learn how to locate, evaluate and integrate affordable course materials, and will receive a $500 stipend upon completion of program requirements. All full-time and adjunct teaching faculty are eligible to apply by Sunday, Oct. 15.
The ACM Awards recognize departments offering the highest percentage of course sections using low or zero-cost course materials in the academic year. Winning departments receive a financial award and recognition on NIU’s website. Individual faculty members also will be recognized for their efforts.
The Course Materials Affordability Task Force (CMAT) is pleased to continue these two new programs, sponsored by University Libraries, to encourage academic departments and faculty to transition to low-cost (total materials cost of under $40) or zero-cost course materials.
Blackboard Ultra Transition Academy If you have not yet made the switch to the Ultra Course View, now is the time to prepare for the Spring 2024 semester. You have until Monday, Oct. 16 to sign up to participate in the final fall offering of the Ultra Transition Academy from Oct. 30 – Nov. 19. Past participants have said the Academy was “incredibly helpful” and “extremely practical” for getting started with the Ultra Course View.
In this three-week online course, you will collaborate with an Ultra Ambassador and learn how to use Ultra Course View, plus best practices for creating an organized and intuitive experience for your students.
Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award Nominations Nominations are due Friday, Nov. 3 for the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, acknowledging and recognizing outstanding graduate teaching assistants for their contributions to the teaching mission of Northern Illinois University. Make your nomination today!
Research and Artistry 2024 Internal Grant Competition Research and Artistry is an annual internal grant competition that provides funds to support faculty research, scholarship and artistry programs. This is a great professional development opportunity, and you are encouraged to submit an application by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6.
The lead applicant must have a tenure-track faculty appointment. Co-applicants must be NIU employees but are not required to have tenure-track faculty appointments.
Fall 2023 Online Learning Trends and Highlights
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- Six in 10 undergraduate students and one in five graduate students took at least one online course.
- 8% of undergraduate students and 28% of graduate students took only online courses.
- 26% of student credit hours were from online courses; 4.5% were from hybrid courses.
- One in three faculty members taught at least one online course; one in 10 taught at least one hybrid course.
- Of the 416 faculty members teaching online courses and 113 teaching hybrid courses, 71% received individualized support and 52% attended online teaching workshops during the past five years.
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Innovative ‘Ideapalooza’ Event Unites Engineering and Business Students In September, Barsema Hall’s De La Vega Innovation Lab hosted “Ideapalooza,” a full-day collaboration event for engineering and business students.
Mechanical engineering students worked through creativity challenges and guided workshops within the cutting-edge lab to better understand the business aspects of their upcoming Senior Design Program projects. In addition, business students offered their insights to the engineering teams.
The De La Vega Innovation Lab will continue to host collaborative interdisciplinary events. If you would like your college to partner with the lab for a collaboration opportunity, please contact Becca Husar at beccahusar@niu.edu.
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Participate in the HLC Accreditation Process As part of the university’s Higher Learning Commission (HLC) reaccreditation process, NIU will host a site visit in March 2024. This fall, faculty, staff and students will have opportunities to participate in the process by reviewing and offering examples for the NIU Assurance Argument, a document speaking to our mission, ethical and responsible conduct, teaching and learning and our effectiveness as an institution.
Watch for opportunities to contribute via email and through other NIU communication vehicles. For more information, visit 2023-2024 HLC Comprehensive Evaluation or contact Amy Buhrow at abuhrow@niu.edu.
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- Northern Illinois University has the longest running homecoming in Illinois. This year marks the 116th edition of Homecoming, here at NIU. The 2023 celebration is underway and includes eight days of activities!
- Our alumni population is massive – more than 251,000 Huskies alums live in 150 countries, including approximately 160,000 alums right here in Illinois.
- This year’s Homecoming Block Party will be unique, with the unveiling of a new Huskie pride statue. Check out the statue unveiling at 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12 at the corner of South Second Street and Lincoln Highway in downtown DeKalb as part of the festivities, which run from 4 to 8 p.m.
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Please email bwilliamsen@niu.edu to submit an item for possible inclusion in the monthly Provost Post newsletter.
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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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