Academic Affairs Newsletter
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Dear Colleagues,
I know it’s a busy and stressful time with all that is going on at NIU and beyond, and I hope you are finding time to take care of yourself and enjoy the beautiful fall weather.
We all understand that the success of our students is a top priority at NIU and in support of this important university goal, we recently launched Mission, a new service for undergraduate students.
Mission combines artificial intelligence (AI) with research and tools to meet students where they are and help them succeed. The tools include AI assisted text messages to reach out to students in a conversational, empathetic tone and a chatbot to respond to students’ questions.
Mission will regularly check in with students, with a focus on key areas including academic engagement, financial distress, wellness and engagement. Check out this recent NIU Today story to learn more.
With Thanksgiving approaching, I’d like to take a moment and say thank you for all you do to teach, advise and mentor our students; to ensure our academic programs are strong; and to generate new knowledge through research and artistry. Whatever your role might be, please know your hard work is very much appreciated and noticed. Wishing you an enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday.
Laurie Elish-Piper, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President and Provost
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Save the date!
The 10th Annual Preparing Future Faculty Conference will bring together graduate students of all backgrounds from universities across the state Feb. 21-22 at NIU’s Holmes Student Center.
Preparing future faculty is a national movement focused on transforming the way aspiring faculty are prepared for their careers. Our program is unique in its focus on bringing students of all backgrounds together, to create a pipeline to increase faculty diversity.
Faculty presenters will inform, encourage and inspire graduate students of all backgrounds to consider the professoriate as a career path. The event will include presentations, workshops and a graduate student research poster session.
Registration will begin in early January. Visit the event website to learn more.
EUTA and EUIA awards
Nominations are now open for this year’s Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (EUTA) and Excellence in Undergraduate Instruction (EUIA) awards. These longstanding annual awards recognize outstanding individuals who positively impact NIU’s student learning experience. The EUTA is available to tenured and tenure-track faculty. The EUIA is available to non-tenure track instructors.
Nominations are due to departments Friday, Dec. 13. 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) by Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 for final selections. Nominees may not participate in the selection process.
Nominate someone for EUTA recognition.
Nominate someone for EUIA recognition.
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Newman Civic Fellow applications are open
Each year, one NIU student is selected for the Newman Civic Fellowship Program, which offers students opportunities to expand their learning, make an impact and create meaningful professional connections. The selection is based on demonstrated civic engagement leadership and commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities.
Please submit your nomination for the 2025-26 program! Nominations are due Friday, Dec. 6. Also, take a few moments to meet this year’s Newman Civic Fellow, Alexandra Henriquez, a senior majoring in biological sciences.
Assessment Playbook
Accreditation, Assessment and Evaluation is excited to announce the launch of NIU’s new Assessment Playbook. This comprehensive resource is designed to strengthen student learning and improve assessment practices across our academic and cocurricular programs. It provides a clear and accessible guide to assessment strategies, tools and best practices that align with institutional goals and accreditation standards.
This resource will assist you in fostering meaningful learning outcomes for departments, centers or units looking to refine methods or seek new approaches. We encourage anyone involved in program level assessment to explore it and welcome your feedback, which can be submitted through the survey embedded in the SharePoint site. Please share this resource with your colleagues and contact us at aae@niu.edu for more information.
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
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Upcoming cultural competence professional development events
“Creating Accountable Spaces: Transformative Justice in the Classroom” will be held Friday, Nov. 15. Join Ana Velazquez, Director of Equity and Justice, for an engaging workshop designed to provide practical tools and strategies to foster accountable and transformative spaces in classrooms. Participants will explore how the principles of transformative justice can reshape classroom dynamics, promote equity and enhance student engagement.
“Equity-based Assessment and Growth Mindset Practices” will be held Friday, Dec. 6. In this session led by Stephanie Richter of the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL), participants will examine how to move from a deficit-mindset to a growth-mindset and further consider why this is important for student achievement and producing an equitable classroom. Participants will also consider equity-based approaches toward assessing students.
November is Native American Heritage Month
NIU honors Native American Heritage Month through a series of events and opportunities to learn, support and share. The month is recognized to increase knowledge about Native American and Indigenous peoples and cultures. University resource centers, academic programs and the First Nations Native Alliance (1NNA) invite you to attend programs and events. Contact equity@niu.edu for more information.
Celebrate first-generation students at NIU
Join us from now through Nov. 19 for First-generation College Student Week to celebrate and support our first-gen students! Explore valuable resources to help students navigate their academic journey while mingling with fellow first-gen peers. Visit the NIU website to find out about events and check out the new NIU first-generation Huskie downloadable virtual backgrounds and signature blocks.
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CITL provides support for course design
The Course Design Partnership is a model of ongoing partnership and consultation between a member of the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) and a faculty member, instructor or other individual tasked with developing a course. This provides more support than an individualized consultation.
You can request a partnership for any course: in person, hybrid, staggered attendance or online. The process and resources we provide will be customized to your experience and goals.
Promoting and developing excellence in teaching
22 faculty and staff observed teaching by eight outstanding faculty members during Open Classroom Weeks in October in a variety of course types including general education, large courses, honors seminars and musical ensembles. Observers took away key techniques to try in their own teaching, like active learning, and noted the enthusiasm and passion of the featured faculty.
Thank you to everyone who participated, particularly faculty who opened their classrooms to their colleagues! Stay tuned for information early in the spring 2025 semester for our next event and reach out to us at citl@niu.edu if you are interested in opening your classroom.
Thank a Professor
Students have a new opportunity to say “thank you” to faculty for making a positive impact in their lives. Check out the Thank a Professor website to see what students are saying about faculty here at NIU!
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AVP RIPS candidate open forums
Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation Partnerships (RIPS) candidates will hold an open forum as part of their campus visit. Please join us in Altgeld Hall 225 or via Teams from 11 a.m.-noon Thursday, Nov. 14 and from 10-11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 18. We look forward to hearing the candidates’ visions for research enhancement services at NIU and fielding questions from the NIU community.
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College of Education continues, builds international immersion efforts
The NIU College of Education transports teaching and learning across borders! This summer, 10 pre-service teachers selected for Educate Global (funded through the generosity of the Arthur D. and Florence S. Graffam grant) gained life-changing, hands-on experience in Jogjakarta Indonesia. This fall, the college welcomed 20 Uruguayan teachers for three weeks of co-teaching in local schools, cultural excursions and professional development from professors. Meanwhile, 15 guests from the University of Tetova – six students among them – visited campus for a week of workshops on contemporary practices in teacher preparation and the renewal of an agreement between the two longtime partners.
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Disability Resource Center
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Supporting students during finals
Finals week can be particularly stressful for students with disabilities. In addition to academic pressure, they may face increased anxiety, sensory overload, physical fatigue and challenges coordinating accommodations. By being mindful, we can ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to demonstrate knowledge during this high-pressure time.
Faculty can:
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- Ensure accommodations are in place and provide clear instructions.
- Remind students to engage in self-care and stress management by taking breaks, getting enough sleep and engaging in stress relieving activities.
- Foster an atmosphere where students feel comfortable discussing their needs.
- Encourage students to communicate openly about concerns or barriers and show understanding.
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Community Engagement Brown Bag Lecture
Join Pi-Sui Hsu, Distinguished Engagement and Partnerships Professor in the Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment, for “Journey to Teach Scientific Argumentation: Lessons for Creating Mutually Beneficial Partnerships” at noon Thursday, Nov. 21 in the Holmes Student Center Illinois Room.
Professor Hsu partners with middle school teachers and after-school educators in the U.S. and Taiwan. Her goal is to test and improve methods for teaching scientific argumentation to middle-school students, with a focus on educational technology. She will share the story of her collaborative research journey and insights into how faculty can use field work to build authentic, mutually beneficial partnerships.
Please register for this event and contact jeast@niu.edu with questions.
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- UNIV 301: Braven Leadership Career Accelerator is a great option to recommend to students as a course that will prepare them for the workforce. UNIV 301 will help students learn important career skills, create career readiness materials and get them plugged in with career professionals to get a great job and succeed in the workforce when they graduate. Plus, industry leaders mentor students along the way.
- The President’s Holiday Card Contest is underway! Encourage students to show off their creativity and participate, as they could potentially earn a one-time scholarship if their entry is chosen as one of the top three submissions. The contest is open to all currently enrolled NIU students, and the entry deadline is Monday, Nov. 18.
- Holly Hansen correctly guessed the number of ducks (24) in the vase pictured below as part of Homecoming decorations in the provost’s office. Congratulations, Holly and thank you to everyone who participated in 2024 Homecoming activities. Go Huskies!
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Shout-out to Tori Artman for doing an amazing job transforming the provost’s office for homecoming. Tori created a huge balloon helmet, used her 3-D printer to make football players, painted them and matched their numbers to our football team, made wreaths, and more. It was very well done. She has quite the talent!
Thank you, Tori Artman for doing the heavy lifting to decorate the provost office suite for homecoming! Tori is a talented artist, and we heard many "oohs and aahs" from visitors during homecoming week to see her efforts. We appreciate her ready and willing attitude; she is a very valued member of our team. Go Tori!
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Do you have comments, ideas for future newsletter topics or shout-outs about your colleagues to share? We would love to hear from you. Please complete this form to submit your feedback. Thank you!
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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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