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Jan. 17, 2023

The Weekly Scroll of Things to Know.

 

City increasing bus service to/from Elburn Metra Station.

Headed to Chicago or the western suburbs? The City of DeKalb has increased the frequency of weekday bus trips to and from the Elburn Metra Station. Arrival and departure times have also been adjusted to better align with Metra’s schedule for the Union Pacific West line that runs from Elburn to Chicago. The shuttle conveniently stops on the NIU campus, in downtown DeKalb and in Cortland on its way to and from Elburn. Review the new Route 12 schedule and stops on the City of DeKalb public transit website. Fares for students and employees with an NIU OneCard are $4 each way and can be purchased online in advance or with cash when boarding.

 

MyScholarships application deadline approaching.

MyScholarships is NIU's campus-wide scholarship application system that allows you to apply for multiple competitive scholarships. These scholarships are usually awarded for the following academic year.  Some scholarships may have later deadlines, however, you are encouraged to complete a general application prior to Jan. 31 each year to be considered for the majority of NIU scholarships.

Learn more about MyScholarships.
Learn more about MyScholarships.
 

Notices

The Grill at the Huskie Den offering new menu items.

The Grill at the Huskie Den is excited to announce that we have expanded our menu. In addition to all your fall favorites, you can now also enjoy a Philly cheesesteak, bacon grilled cheese, patty melt, chicken and waffles, strawberry mango salad, sliders and more. The Grill is open weekdays with a full menu available from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., with meal exchange available after 7 p.m. The Bar is open weekdays from 4 to 9 p.m. with the starters menu available from 4 to 7 p.m.

 

In a hurry? No worries! Avoid the lines with the Grubhub Campus Dining App. For a list of all campus dining locations and hours, visit our Where to Eat page.

 

NIU Password Policy changes beginning spring semester 2023.

The Office of Information Security had an independent third party perform a security assessment for NIU in the spring of 2022. Results indicated that even with the password and account security settings we have today, many NIU account passwords were obtained through various techniques such as brute force and password spraying.

 

Using these techniques, attackers try to access accounts by guessing common or weak passwords repeatedly. While the brute force technique attempts to gain access to a single account, password spraying uses this same idea to try and access many accounts across a network by guessing a password that might be common to NIU.

 

NIU password controls have been the same for over 10 years and advances in technology used in this assessment have shown that they are no longer sufficient. Therefore, we are combining several small improvements to greatly improve the security of all NIU’s accounts and passwords.

  1. We will increase the minimum required length of a password to 12 characters
  2. We will increase the character complexity requirements to require 4 of the 5-character categories
  3. We will increase the account lockout time due to successive failed logins from 5 minutes to 10 minutes
  4. We will block the use of common dictionary words and common permutations of dictionary words in passwords

These changes will take effect at the beginning of spring semester 2023. NIU passwords will expire every 365 days. When your password expires, you will be asked to change your password using these new password complexity improvements. For further details on password requirements, and to make changes before being prompted, visit the NIU Password Reset page.  If you have any questions, please contact the NIU Service Desk at ServiceDesk@niu.eduor 815-753-8100.

 

Huskie Fresh serving NIU for a fourth semester.

Thanks to your continued support, Huskie Fresh is proud to serve NIU and the surrounding community for a fourth semester. Predominately a student-run program, Huskie Fresh is our on-campus meal kit service dedicated to promoting sustainability and nutrition. Created with the end user in mind, meal kits come partially prepared, premeasured and pre-portioned for your convenience. They include
easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions with educational nutrition information designed to foster mindful eating.

 

This spring, create flavorful nutritious meals in the comfort of your own home for you and your friends and family to enjoy. Ordering is quick, simple and all online. We accept debit/credit cards, Huskie Bucks and Dining Dollars through the Grubhub Campus Dining App. Meal kit pickup is at The Depot C-store located on the ground level of Holmes Student Center. To access on-campus parking, please visit the Parking Services website. For more information, as well as to view our exciting, upcoming spring schedule, visit the Campus Dining website. 

 

With your Huskie Fresh purchase, you support the academic growth of our student Huskies.

Questions can be directed to dining@niu.edu

 

Thanks again for the continued support. Go Huskies!

 

Parking reminder for vehicles associated with your parking permit.

As we start a new semester, Parking Services sends a friendly reminder to all permit holders regarding the vehicles that are listed on your virtual parking permit. Below are a few key items to keep in mind when registering for your virtual parking permit and parking on campus: You cannot register a vehicle that belongs to another current student or employee. Exceptions are made for family vehicles; however, the vehicle cannot be registered to more than one virtual parking permit.

 

If you have more than one vehicle registered, please remember that you cannot have them both parked on campus at the same time. Doing so could result in both vehicles being fined.

 

The opportunity to register two vehicles under a single virtual permit is meant to provide convenience for using different vehicles at different times, not for both vehicles to be used at the same time. For more information on Parking Services policies, please visit our website or contact Parking via phone at 815-753-1045 or by email at parking@niu.edu.

 

Register for spring 2023 Community School of the Arts music lessons and classes.

Everyone can experience the arts this semester – registration at the NIU Community School of the Arts is open for spring! 

 

Toddlers ages one to five sing, dance, play and have fun in CSA Prelude and Development children’s music education classes. Sign up today and bring your kids for their first music classes starting Saturday, Feb. 4.

 

Suzuki music instruction is another popular option for young beginning students of guitar, violin and cello, and their parents.  

 

Students of any age can learn to play a new musical instrument or brush up skills with private music lessons. Sign up today and start learning in January.

 

Piano group classes for adults make learning music a more fun and affordable experience. Keep your New Year’s resolution – weekly classes begin in late January. Online guitar classes are also available.

CSA Steelband, Art Express class for ages five to 12, Symphonette strings for ages eight to 16, and Sinfonia youth orchestra all begin spring sessions soon.

 

Please visit our CSA website for details and to register. Call us at 815-753-1450 for more information.

 

Have you renewed your FAFSA? 

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available for the 2023-2024 academic year. Renew yours as soon as possible. The FAFSA is your application for federal financial aid such as grants, work-study and student loans. Some funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, so the sooner you submit your completed FAFSA, the more likely you are to receive assistance if you are eligible. 

Learn more about filing your FAFSA.
Complete your FAFSA.
 
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Upcoming Events

  • Through Monday, Jan. 23: Food Drive to benefit Huskie Food Pantry
  • Tuesday, Jan. 17: AARC OHANA Series: Welcome Back - Bollywood Zumba
  • Tuesday, Jan. 17: Movie Night at the LRC
  • Wednesday, Jan. 18: Women's Basketball vs Miami
  • Wednesday, Jan. 18: Outdoor Adventures: S'mores Open House
  • Wednesday, Jan. 18: STEM Café: Wastewater Surveillance Testing for Public Health
  • Wednesday, Jan. 18: Scholarship Opportunities for Current Students
  • Friday, Jan. 20: Student Government Association Senate Meeting
  • Friday, Jan. 20: Outdoor Adventures Ice Skate Nights
  • Saturday, Jan. 21: School of Theatre and Dance Presents the original film: "The $30,000 Bequest"
  • Monday, Jan. 23: Huskie Fresh: Italian Wedding Soup order deadline
  • Saturday, Jan. 28: Outdoor Adventures: Cross-country Ski Trip
  • Wednesday, Feb. 1: Video Screening: "Picture a Scientist"
  • Thursday, Feb. 2: The History of the Book: “A Page from Paris”
  • Thursday, Feb. 9: Professor Elizabeth Schwall "Revolutions around Cuba: Dance, Politics, and Migration."
  • Wednesday, March 22: Professor José M. Alamillo: "Sporting Moments and Movements in the Mexican Diaspora"
  • Wednesday, April 5: The Latinx Guide to Graduate School 
All upcoming events
Huskie Athletics' events
Concerts, exhibits and performances
Equity and inclusion events
Career Services events
 
Arianna Alba

Tip from a Huskie

"I have a merit scholarship, and I was recently awarded the Noyce Scholarship. I have received both of these scholarships due to my academic achievements. I was awarded the Noyce Scholarship for demonstrating my passion to teach and showing potential to be successful in my career. Without this scholarship, I would not have been able to afford my last two years at NIU, and it has helped significantly with other living expenses."

 

Arianna Alba

Chemistry Major

 

Deadlines

  • Sunday, Jan. 22: Last day for undergraduates to add or drop a first-half-semester or full-semester course(s) via self-service in MyNIU (Spring 2023)
  • Sunday, Jan. 22: Last day for undergraduates to drop a first-half-semester course through advisor (Spring 2023)
  • Sunday, Jan. 29: Last day for undergraduates to add a first-half-semester or full-semester course with approval from the offering department (Spring 2023)
 
Changing Habits

Weekly Wellness Tip

How to actually change your habits (it’s easier than you think)

Exam season is one of the most stressful parts of Want to break a bad habit that’s not working for you? Want to substitute a new habit that will help you be happier, healthier, or more productive? 

Learn more.

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