Sept. 5, 2023

The Weekly Scroll of Things to Know.

Connect with your professors.

One of the best things you can do for academic success is connect with your professors by attending their office hours.

Faculty set aside this time for you to ask questions one-on-one and address concerns you may be having about class. Take advantage of it!

Discover five tips that will help you get the most out of this valuable time.

Campus Meets Community Block Party

Wednesday, Sept. 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the MLK Commons

Don’t miss this favorite start of the semester event! Join us in the MLK Commons to learn more about the DeKalb area community - like all the best places to shop, eat and have a great time locally. There will be giveaways, samples, coupons and more. Local businesses and not-for-profits are excited to welcome you to the community. This is a great chance for you to get connected, learn about job and volunteer opportunities, and to see all that the DeKalb area has to offer.

Notices

Be sure to download the NIU Safe App before Sept. 6 testing.

Have you downloaded the NIU Safe App yet? It is available wherever you get apps for your phone and puts a powerful set of safety tools in the palm of your hand, including instant access to safety bulletins. NIU Police will be testing the app at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6 to ensure that subscribers are receiving information via all of their selected channels (voice, text and email). Make your semester safer by downloading the NIU Safe App today.

Provide your feedback about Week of Welcome.

Orientation and First Year programs would like students who participated in Week of Welcome activities to provide feedback about this year's experience to help plan for future WOW programming. Please complete this brief three-minute survey to share your feedback. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at orientation@niu.edu.

Help keep your NIU account and personal information safe from phishing attempts.

The Division of Information Technology's Office of Information Security helps you improve your ability to identify phishing emails. A short, 30-minute phishing training course is available to all students and can be accessed in Blackboard under the "Organizations" tab. The messages in this course regularly list the most recent phishing scams.

Register to exhibit at STEM Fest Sept. 30

With STEM Fest less than five weeks away, now is the time to register your department or student group to exhibit.

We depend on you, your talented and energetic students, and the engaging activities you prepare to make STEM Fest an amazing event drawing thousands of people from across northern Illinois each year.

We know this event has encouraged young people to attend NIU, and it’s a great opportunity to showcase your discipline in a fun way. Register today and mark your calendars for Sept. 30.

BOT and Presidential Professorships nominations now being accepted.

Nominations for the 2024 Board of Trustees and PresidentialProfessorships are now being accepted. Please consider nominating a colleague for one of these prestigious awards.

More information about each award and the criteria and procedure for nomination is available by visiting the links below.

All of the professorships share the same nomination deadline of Monday, Oct. 9, 2023.

Saturday music classes for children ages 1-5 start this week.

Toddlers ages 1 through 5 sing, dance, listen, play and have fun in CSA Prelude and Development children’s music education classes.

Please visit our NIU Community School of the Arts website for details and to register. Call us at 815-753-1450 for more information.

Make your plans for our 116th Homecoming celebration.

Make plans for our 116th Homecoming! Cheer the Huskies all week long with a full schedule of events. Join us October 8-15, 2023.

Get your NIU Homecoming Football tickets.

NIU Huskies Football vs. Ohio University Bobcats Saturday, Oct. 14.

As a student, you get free admission to all Huskie Athletics regular season home events. All student tickets are claimed by the NIU mobile ticket system. We recommend that you download tickets to your phone prior to game day. Before entering the event on game day, simply open the digital wallet on your phone and select the game ticket to be scanned for entry. Get step-by-step instructions on how to add and manage tickets to either your Apple or Android phone.

Homecoming is going to be a bundle of fun.

Begin making plans for our 116th Homecoming! You can save up to $20 when you attend Pizza, Paint and Sip with Chelsea McGhee Studios, Huskie Happy Hour with DeKalb County Bold Spirits, and the Third Annual Brunch with Mission and Victor E. Learn more about the Homecoming Events Bundle and get your discount today.

Book Charge Program open now through Sept. 8, 2023.

If you are receiving financial aid, you have a convenient method of buying books and school supplies at the beginning of each semester. You can use your OneCard ID at Huskie Books and Gear to purchase your books and school supplies using your student bursar account and you will be billed at a later day. Please visit the Bursar's Office website for billing and payment due dates. The book charge program is now open through Sept. 8, 2023.

Purchase your textbooks through Huskie Books and Gear.

For best service levels, order your course materials as soon as you see them posted on the Huskie Books and Gear online store. You can shop for materials one of two ways. If you enter your student ID number, preceded by a zero, the list of materials needed for all your classes will populate. Simply add them to your shopping cart for purchase. You can also shop for materials by course by entering your course information into the dropdown boxes that appear on the website.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, Sept. 5 through Thursday, Sept. 7: Involvement Fair
Tuesday, Sept. 5: Rec Fitness: Small Group Training
Tuesday, Sept. 5: METAS Informational (Mentoring and Engaging Thru Academic Success)
Wednesday, Sept. 6: Outdoor Adventures: Hourly Lagoon Boat Rentals
Wednesday, Sept. 6: Campus Meets Community Block Party
Wednesday, Sept. 6: Food Truck Wednesdays
Wednesday, Sept. 6: Free S’mores Open House at the Adventure Center
Thursday, Sept. 7: Study Abroad 101
Thursday, Sept. 7: "Dialogue" and "The Remaining, Mourn..." Exhibition Opening Reception
Thursday, Sept. 7: Outdoor Adventures: Stand-up Paddleboard Yoga (SUPYO)
Saturday, Sept. 9: Football vs Southern Illinois University
Saturday, Sept. 9: Outdoor Adventures: Day Climb
Sunday, Sept. 10: Outdoor Adventures: Kayak Chicago
Wednesday, Sept. 13: STEM Café: A Recipe for Hearing and Balance Health
Friday, Sept. 15: Call for Papers - Treinta y tres: Celebrating and Contesting Afro-Latinidad

All upcoming events

Huskie Athletics' events

Concerts, exhibits and performances

Equity and inclusion events

Career Services events

Tip from a Huskie

"I believe the best way to meet people and connect with them is getting involved on campus. I have met a lot of my friends in several different organizations. Many of my friends come from the marching band, as it is crucial that we work together as a team to accomplish new goals and put on a show at football games. In addition, I have become close with the other Honors Fellows as we work together to better the Honors Program. Clubs have also been a great way for me to meet people and form relationships."

Emma Walsh

Finance major with a minor in economics

Deadlines

Sunday, Sept. 10: Last day for undergraduates to drop a full-semester course through advisor (Fall 2023)

Sunday, Sept. 10: Last day for undergraduates to add a first-half-semester or full-semester course with approval from the offering department (Fall 2023)

Tuesday, Sept. 12: Last day for undergraduates to make up a grade of Incomplete from the Spring 2023 semester

Friday, Sept. 15: Call for Papers deadline - Treinta y tres: Celebrating and Contesting Afro-Latinidad

Monday, Oct. 9: BOT and Presidential Professorships Nomination Deadline

Tuesday, Oct. 31: 2023-24 New Student Healthy Relationship and Sexual Misconduct Training Deadline

Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Insights

NIU was reaccredited by the Higher Learning Commission in 2014 for 10 years, the maximum period possible. Nearly a decade later, the university is preparing for a 2024 assurance review and site visit March 25 and 26, 2024, toward reaffirmation of accreditation. The HLC site visit is scheduled for March 25-26, 2024.

Learn more about NIU’s preparation for review by the Higher Learning Commission’s (HLC).

Weekly Wellness Tip

Mental Health Support On Campus: What are my options?

College students face immense pressure and stress. It’s essential to prioritize your mental health and seek help when needed. NIU offers a variety of mental health resources to support students. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, traumatic experiences, relationship concerns, or just need someone to talk to, there’s always someone ready to help.

Learn more.

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