Share Tweet Share Email

‘With someone beside you, you don’t feel lost’

Sandra Cox, NIU’s new ombudsperson.

As NIU’s new ombudsperson, Sandra Cox views herself as a navigator.

She’s here to help Huskies navigate the many resources and support they have at NIU.

A lover of travel and the outdoors, Cox enjoys the wandering aspect of getting lost once in awhile. But being truly lost and alone is a different story.

“When you feel lost, that’s a terrible situation to be in,” she said. “With someone beside you, you don’t feel lost. That’s the way I’ve been viewing this position. I’m just trying to be the navigator for whatever resources and support people need so they don’t feel lost.”

Cox joined NIU July 16 after serving as the director of the Counseling Center at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, since 2014. A Kankakee native, she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and her master’s degree in educational psychology and counseling from Eastern Illinois University.

In her new position as NIU’s ombudsperson she draws upon more than 25 years of professional experience characterized by leadership and service education.

The position pairs her passions for service and wellness with a commitment to providing opportunity for all on campus. She sought out the position to expand her experience beyond the field of counseling.

“I really just felt like I haven’t tapped this part of me yet, this part that could help on a more global scale,” she said. “The ombudsperson position just spoke to all of my experience and all of what I wanted to do next. It just kind of came all together.”

What is an ombudsperson? Reporting to the Office of the President, Cox provides students, faculty and staff with guidance to help solve a variety of university-related issues or conflicts. She facilitates communication and offers assistance that is “neutral, informal, independent and confidential to the extent permissible under the law.”

“I am delighted to have Sandy as part of the NIU Huskie team,” President Lisa Freeman said. “Her experience working with stakeholders across higher education institutions has prepared her to help faculty, staff and students navigate the processes and procedures at the university.”

As Cox puts it, she’s a “lead navigator.”

And, as someone who’s enjoyed traveling the world, she’s found a home at NIU.

“I just connected with people immediately here,” she said. “That really let me know this was the right place for me. It was just such an organic fit.”

Cox didn’t start her role with any set goals or an agenda, wanting to first gain a deep understanding of the work being done and the needs to be met at NIU.

“I know one goal is to really try to reach out to students, faculty and staff more, just to really try to be present and have the office be a well-known entity that can help others navigate through various challenges,” she said. “Trying to build off of a great foundation is an exciting thing.”

Cox doesn’t come to NIU alone. Huskies likely will spot her and Leo—the campus therapy dog she brought with her from Wisconsin—wandering around campus. A rescued 6-year-old Lhasa Apso, Leo has been with Cox for the past couple years. She’s had different therapy dogs for at least 12 years, believing in the tremendous impact they have on the people they meet.

 

 

Date posted: August 9, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on New ombudsperson eager to help Huskies

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Students

‘Honoring the collective wisdom that students bring’

Clint-Michael Reneau, vice president for Student Affairs.

Clint-Michael Reneau believes all people want answers to three questions.

Do you hear me?

Do you see me?

Does what I say matter?

At NIU, he said, Huskies should know that the answer to all those questions is yes.

That principle of validation and intention has guided him throughout his career and into his new role as the vice president for Student Affairs.

“I believe that we have a responsibility to create a culture of care for our students,” he said. “That culture of care takes into consideration the ideas of mattering and marginalization, trying to ensure we help students understand they matter. We must be very aware and do the necessary work of understanding which students are in the margins and how can we center them and create a space where they feel they belong.”

Appointed to the position on June 16, Reneau comes to DeKalb with two decades of work and innovation in higher education and secondary education at a diverse variety of institutional contexts.

His successful career has brought him across the country and beyond as he’s held leadership roles in Washington, California, Texas, London and elsewhere.

In the roughly two months since joining the Huskie family, he said he’s found a home at NIU and in DeKalb.

“I’m incredibly impressed with the dedication and determination of the NIU community,” he said. “What’s apparent to me is the Huskie community strives to center the student experience, and they strive to lead in ways that are equitable and just. What I appreciate about that is that it also considers honoring the collective wisdom that students bring to NIU from the respective communities from which they come.”

A consultant for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Reneau provides the association specialized services in numerous areas, including diversity, equity and inclusion, strategy and transformation, leadership effectiveness and institutional capacity.

Earning a Ph.D. in Adult, Professional and Community Education from Texas State University, he’s also worked as associate vice president for Student Affairs at California State University, Fullerton, where he helped create a formal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan and worked to successfully close equity gaps.

Along with his Student Affairs role at NIU, he’s serving as a clinical associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Higher Education. Raised by his mother, a special education teacher, and influenced by his aunt, a school counselor, Reneau is passionate about education—and honoring his calling. Whether it’s through teaching in a classroom or leading workshops with students, he wants to help Huskies “live to the realization of their highest, truest versions of themselves.”

Along with the collective wisdom of students, he said he aims to honor the intersecting identities of all Huskies.

Believing that any leadership role must be grounded in self-work and healing, the self-described “higher ed nerd” who enjoys podcasts about leadership has been on a LOL (Listening, Observing and Learning) tour the past couple months at NIU.

“I’m the only vice president that has the word ‘student’ in their title,” he said. “I take that very seriously. I think it’s a great honor. I truly want to reflect that work and serve as an ambassador, an advocate, and as a voice for students.”

Student Affairs plays a pivotal role in student retention and belonging, he said, and entails working with colleagues across campus in a collaborative spirit.

“We are all responsible for the retention of our students and should be intentional with creating programming that is evidence based and data informed in order to have the most significant impact on student success,” he said.

“We are working with students in a time when this country and the world is so highly polarized. A large intention of what I try to do is work with helping student to understand how to disagree, while also honoring and asserting the realization of human dignity.”

Reneau consistently tells students NIU offers the opportunity to find and define yourself. He can be heard telling the teams he leads, “We are facilitators of people in process.”

Among his priorities, he said he aims to amplify the university’s commitment to revitalizing Fraternity and Sorority Life on campus and reimagine new, meaningful ways to center health and well-being at NIU.

Additionally, Reneau is eager to introduce a new Code of Student Conduct and explore opportunities for engagement with students, while continuing to support and strategically plan how Student Affairs can provide deliverables for the University Goals.

“Our work is committed to a student’s growth, development and achievement,” Reneau said.

“We know a degree from NIU not only changes the life of the student graduating, but it changes the trajectory of the community from which they come. It’s mission critical to do all we can to be about the business of student success which gets the student across the stage to receive that diploma.”

Date posted: August 8, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on New Student Affairs leader on LOL (Listening, Observing, Learning) Tour

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Students

NIU staff members have been named winners of the Catalyst Award for Leading Change, honoring institutions at the forefront of educational innovation.

Founded in 2005, the annual Catalyst Awards recognize and honor innovation and excellence in the Anthology global community of practice, where millions of educators and learners work every day to redefine what is possible when leveraging technology. Winners are selected by a cross-functional team of Anthology experts and represent the very best in their field. The Catalyst Awards were expanded when Anthology and Blackboard combined in 2021.

The Catalyst Award for Leading Change recognizes institutions that have used Blackboard and/or Anthology solutions to implement transformational initiatives generating change on campus and in their academic ecosystems, with measurable results. Winners champion active collaboration with others, cooperation, and sharing.

Specifically, NIU was recognized for its comprehensive Learning Management System (LMS) review during the 2020-2021 academic year.

NIU’s LMS, Blackboard, is one of the university’s most-used information technology systems. While faculty usage and overall satisfaction with Blackboard was high, the university had not formally evaluated the LMS in a number of years.

The LMS is one of the most critical applications for most institutions of higher education, and selecting an LMS is a complex, time-consuming and challenging project. NIU’s LMS review was jointly coordinated by the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) and the Division of Information Technology (DOiT), with a task force that included executive, technical and advisory committees.

Jason Rhode, associate vice provost for teaching, learning, and digital education, and Matthew Parks, associate vice president for IT and Chief Information Officer, served as the project’s co-chairs, with Susan Smith of Institutional Effectiveness serving as project coordinator.

Of the three LMS platforms reviewed, Blackboard Learn received the highest review score and was recommended for renewal for another five-year contract term, through August 2026.

“The review was a thorough, comprehensive effort to evaluate the leading learning management systems in the higher education market,” Rhode said.

“The systematic evaluation included extensive input from faculty, staff and students on not only their current satisfaction with Blackboard but also what features are desired in a modern LMS to support innovative teaching and learning,” Rhode added. “Throughout, we frequently heard from participants, leadership and vendors that it was among the most robust and rigorous reviews they had seen.”

Each vendor provided virtual demonstrations for faculty, staff and students. The technical committee then built sample courses in each system with identical content and conducted focus-group sessions with the advisory committee and other NIU constituent groups. Focus groups rated the systems’ functionality.

“When the LMS review began in October 2020, faculty, staff and students were already dealing with the rapid transition to remote delivery and the uncertainty that continued through the summer and fall due to the pandemic,” Parks said. “We needed our process to be thorough and provide ample opportunity for representation and feedback to justify a change of this magnitude. To that end, we conducted the review based on five key principles: open and transparent, inclusive, ethical and compliant, future-proofed, and grounded in institutional culture and context.”

Members of the executive committee published an article about the review in a journal (the Community College Enterprise) and presented at six conferences in the summer and fall of 2021 and spring of 2022. At each presentation, NIU shared its toolkit of resources with a Creative Commons license for other institutions to use and adapt; the toolkit has been accessed nearly 100 times. The university also consulted with six universities on conducting a successful learning management system review.

“Most importantly, we’re providing a world-class learning management system for our faculty and students,” said Stephanie Richter, an advisory committee co-chair and director of teaching excellence and support for CITL.

“As a result of the review, and with the endorsement of NIU’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities, NIU implemented Blackboard Ally in a matter of weeks. After a successful pilot in Fall 2021, Blackboard Ally was enabled for all courses at the institution. At the time of the nomination, NIU had seen 30,410 downloads of alternative formats in 1,505 courses. In addition, faculty had made 246 accessibility fixes in 53 courses.”

Richter said the success of the LMS review has also established a foundation for the change management needed to fully migrate to the Blackboard Ultra Course View, a completely redesigned teaching and learning environment that is modern, intuitive, and mobile-friendly. NIU has officially set a Dec. 31, 2023 timeline for faculty to transition all courses to the Ultra Course View.

“While this is still stressful for faculty, given how critical the LMS is to teaching and learning, the process of conducting an LMS review and selecting Blackboard has instilled confidence in faculty that Ultra Course View provides the tools and features they need,” Richter said.

NIU’s team was announced alongside other Catalyst Award winners during Anthology Together, Anthology’s annual user conference held July 11-14 in Orlando, Florida.

“We’re pleased to honor this year’s Catalyst Award winners for their commitment to improving the educational experience for all learners through EdTech and sharing these insights with the broader community,” said Jim Milton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Anthology. “We’re proud to partner with institutions who are innovating to advance student success.”

Date posted: August 5, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on NIU team wins Catalyst Award for Leading Change

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Uncategorized

As a NIU undergraduate, Ariel Owens had questions.

Hailing from Kenosha, Wis., the English major who is biracial was unsure of where – if anywhere – she most belonged on campus.

Ariel Owens

“Specifically, I’m white and Black, but no one thinks I’m white when they see me. They don’t know if I’m Latina, or if I’m Black, but they do know I’m not monoracial white,” says Owens, who graduated in 2016 and returned two years later as assistant director for Women and Gender Programs in the NIU Gender and Sexuality Resource Center.

“When I got to college, I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t really fit in anywhere. We don’t have any organizations for mixed people here,’ ” she adds. “I never really utilized the Center for Black Studies because I didn’t know if that was a space for me. I kind of had to pick one: ‘Am I ‘enough’ for this space? Am I ‘enough’ for this space?’ ”

Conversations with current Huskies have shown her that she’s not alone.

Members of the Women and Gender Advocacy Alliance, for example, “will casually mention, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m mixed, too,’ and they’ll say it in a way where I can tell they’ve not had the chance to explore,” says Owens, the organization’s adviser.

“They say it like, ‘Oh, by the way’ – like it’s not a big deal – and, to me, that says because they’re only being viewed as maybe one of their races, they don’t feel like it’s relevant or like that’s not cared about here at NIU,” she adds. “We have these really great race and ethnicity centers, but the mixed people are falling through the gap. There are mixed people all over campus within our centers, but they may not be talking about their identities.”

No longer.

Realization of the need for such intentional advocacy has produced a new title with expanded responsibilities at NIU: associate director for Women, Gender and Multiracial Support.

In alignment with the university’s strategic enrollment plan to deepen initiatives for students with multiple and intersecting identities, development of this role received collaborative support from NIU senior leadership and leaders within Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ADEI).

Vernese Edghill-Walden, vice president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at NIU, says that ADEI is excited to offer more coordinated programming and resources for multiracial students.

“We value all of our students and want to provide opportunities for them to see themselves and for them to know that they are seen, heard and valued,” Edghill-Walden says. “Ariel has been a passionate advocate for multiracial students. Her professional knowledge and expertise, as well as her lived experience as a student leader at NIU, has prepared her for this role, and we are excited to offer intentional support and programs for our students to learn, grow and engage.”

“This new role comes not only at the right time, but it wouldn’t be possible without the right person: Ari Owens,” says Molly Holmes, director of the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center.

“Her experience and passion for multiracial students’ development began at NIU and has continued through her professional career,” Holmes adds. “Ari values opportunities to give students space to be heard and feel whole, particularly those who feel unsure about their place at NIU. She makes a point to connect with students, listen to their needs, and reflect those needs in programs and resources offered.”

Owens plans to begin by simply listening.

During the next year, she will gather and document anecdotal evidence by conducting focus groups of students and by talking directly with NIU colleagues.

“I’m just one person. I graduated in 2016. How are people who are biracial or multiracial feeling today on campus?” Owens says. “I also plan to have a lot of meetings. I want to get on everybody’s calendars and figure out what they currently doing to support multiracial students, if anything.”

Next, she says, is educating the campus on multiracial identity.

That work will include workshops, presentations, guest speakers and panel discussions along with personalized assistance for NIU faculty and staff to better understand the experiences of students who are multiracial and how they can provide appropriate support.

Ultimately, she says, that knowledge then should generate the creation of spaces that are more inclusive.

“I want to do as much as possible: The information is here. The resources are here,” Owens says. “I would just love for people to be curious and enthusiastic; to connect with me so that I can share that with them; and to being open to how they can be more inclusive in general.”

Such awareness can prevent cultural microaggressions and misunderstandings, she says, and enrich the diversity of campus with students who bring a special and different insight regarding people, identity and how those systems can work together.

For Owens, the former includes comments that she’s either “not white enough” or “not Black enough” – or, in white spaces, that “I don’t really see you as that kind of Black person.”

“What does that mean?” she asks now. “Being a young college student, without the language to say why that’s wrong and harmful, being told these things doesn’t feel good. I’m hoping that with more education on campus, people won’t say that – and, if students are hearing things like that, that they’ll have the language to challenge it and really feel empowered to be proud of their identity.”

That conviction is part of her DNA, as are its benefits.

“I spent a lot of time growing up around white people, so white culture is something that I understand very well. I know what it’s like to see privilege in action. And having the experience of seeing my family members have certain privileges, but then also having a whole other side of my family, and being immersed in Black culture, gives me a unique perspective,” she says.

“These dynamics that many people have to study about, or learn about, or hear about from a friend – being biracial, you just see these things unfold,” she adds. “And being biracial has given me the ability to really connect with all kinds of people because I know what it’s like to not fit in.”

Owens already has glimpsed the possibilities of what’s in store for NIU.

During her time at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where in 2018 she earned her master’s degree in Higher Education, she found an organization for students who are multiracial.

“I’ve seen how empowering it can be,” she says. “People would say things like, ‘This is the first time I’ve ever felt comfortable in a space,’ and that’s really powerful. Students can do amazing things when they feel like they belong. I’m so excited.”

Date posted: August 2, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Ariel Owens expands role to provide multiracial support

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Students Uncategorized

Every penny counts, and that’s exactly what members of NIU’s Human Resource Services (HRS) were counting on when they started a coin drive in fall 2021.

“It is important to give back to the community and running a coin drive within the department seemed to be uplifting to folks,” said Shay Hanlon, HRS administrative assistant who was part of the team that helped organize the fundraiser. “It was a nice break to stop by the jar, drop off coins, and see the progress we’d made.”

They called it “Change for Change,” and decided that the Civil Service Emergency Fund (CSEF) would be the beneficiary of their effort. Hanlon said a jar was placed in their office’s service center – a high traffic area – for people to drop off coins, and they used a newsletter and monthly staff meetings to remind employees to get involved.

The Civil Service Emergency Fund (CSEF) was established to assist civil service employees who are facing economic crisis. The fund is overseen by a committee that works together to solicit donations, evaluate applications and distribute the funds.

By March, members of the Human Resource team had raised more than $107 for the CSEF. Their philanthropic efforts inspired other NIU employees to do the same, and the Physical Plant is currently hosting a coin drive.

“Taking care of one another is part of the Huskie Spirit,” said Holly Nicholson, assistant director of Web Communications and president of the Operating Staff Council (OSC). “Economic struggles hit us all differently at different times; if you find yourself in a time in which you are blessed more than others around you, donating to the emergency fund is a great opportunity to help.”

The emergency fund has been established to assist civil service employees who are facing economic crisis. The fund is overseen by a committee that works together to solicit donations for the fund, evaluate applications and distribute funds.

How can you help?

Host a drive:
If a department wants assistance in starting a coin drive or has funds to drop off they can contact cs-fund@niu.edu.

Volunteer:
There is currently a need for a member to join the committee to evaluate applications and discuss marketing and events. Please contact lyates@niu.edu and fmitchell@niu.edu.

Donate:

Please consider helping your fellow Huskies. You can give online on the NIU Foundation website by selecting the Civil Service Emergency Fund in the “available designations” dropdown. You can also contribute by sending a check, with Civil Service Emergency Fund written on the memo line, to:

Northern Illinois University Foundation
Altgeld Hall 135
DeKalb, IL 60115-2882

Learn more about the Civil Service Emergency Fund or contact cs-fund@niu.edu.

Date posted: August 2, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Every penny counts

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Uncategorized

Short Video from President Freeman Previews Excitement of this Year’s Events

While we continue to enjoy the summer, we’re just two short months away from NIU’s 115th Homecoming. Dozens of staff, faculty and alumni are hard at work on the week’s events, which will celebrate the Huskie Nation. Festivities begin on Monday, Oct. 3 and run all week through Sunday, Oct. 9. This year’s Homecoming includes long-time traditions along with new events and activities for the entire NIU community.  One long-time tradition is Huskie football—single-game tickets are now on sale so make sure to reserve your seats for the Homecoming game versus Toledo on Saturday, Oct. 8.

Date posted: August 1, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Something for everyone October 3-9 at 115th NIU Homecoming

Categories: Alumni Faculty & Staff Homepage Students

The State of Illinois has announced it will begin the design phase of the planned Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability (NICCS), essentially green-lighting the $23 million project.

The Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability will be built on NIU’s west campus, near this site where a study on prairie restoration is already underway.

The state’s agency in charge of project construction, the Capital Development Board, is seeking formal bids from architectural and engineering firms for the planned sustainability research center.

Announced in October 2018, NICCS is part of the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN), a group of state-funded research and innovation hubs that are under development and aimed at driving economic growth in Illinois while addressing critical global issues.

“The Illinois Innovation Network exists to ensure the needs and ideas of every community are represented in the economy of the future, and I’m proud to dedicate $15 million in state funding to bring this hub for groundbreaking research to DeKalb,” Gov. JB Pritzker said. “The establishment of NIU’s Center for Community Sustainability represents a climate advancement for our whole state, and I’m proud to greenlight its development.”

IIN centers will support interdisciplinary research, policy development and public-private partnerships to stimulate economic development and job creation, as well as to attract and develop talent. NICCS will be a world-class research facility focusing on water resources, environmental change, and food systems, while also promoting science-based policies and practices for communities.

“We appreciate the continued efforts by Gov. Pritzker and state legislators to support this project, which will benefit our region, the entire state and well beyond,” NIU President Dr. Lisa C. Freeman said. “We have the opportunity to grow our economy in ways that promote equity, protect the environment and meet the needs of the present and future.

“NIU is a perfect fit for this new center because our distinctive peri-urban geography positions us to understand the stresses among cities, suburbs and farmlands and create sustainable solutions to span the gaps,” Dr. Freeman added. “The new center will address statewide sustainability issues, drive economic opportunity and spur public-private partnerships and investment. NICCS will also create opportunities for NIU faculty members to expand their research related to food systems, water resources and environmental change, and educate the next generation of environmental scientists and stewards.”

NIU President Dr. Lisa C. Freeman says NICCS will “educate the next generation of environmental scientists and stewards.”

The roughly 30,000-square-foot NICCS facility will be constructed on the university’s west campus, in an area northwest of the NIU Convocation Center.

About two-thirds of the new building’s cost, or $15 million, will be financed from the $500 million in state capital funding approved in 2018 to launch the innovation network. NIU will provide the remaining $8 million through in-kind contributions. Additional contributions are anticipated through private investment and donations.

Construction could begin in 2023 with the facility coming online in 2026. A concept design calls for a building with classrooms, offices, laboratories, an atrium, an auditorium and collaborative and conference spaces. Two envisaged wings are planned for research and external tenants.

“This unique multiple-use research, innovation and education center will itself serve as a testbed for new technology and operating strategies,” said Gerald C. Blazey, NIU vice president for Research and Innovation Partnerships. Blazey also serves as chair of the Illinois Innovation Network Council, which coordinates collaboration between IIN members.

“In keeping with the entrepreneurial spirit of the Illinois Innovation Network, we aim to create a world-class destination for experts, university faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, government and business leaders, and citizens working to enhance sustainability in their communities,” Blazey said.

Work at NICCS will focus on three key areas:

  • Improving water resources: NIU faculty, students and IIN partners will develop new sustainable water management systems for agriculture, industry and personal consumption.
  • Predicting and managing environmental change: Research will be conducted on topics that include biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, environmental maintenance, natural disasters, climate change and response to extreme climate events.
  • Creating food-system innovation: The center will conduct multidisciplinary research into new methods of food production, working with partners from across the state, nation and world.

NIU has been busy preparing for the center. In addition to Blazey’s leadership IIN role, the university completed its preliminary planning, identified and recruited faculty who will conduct center-related research and education, initiated research projects and sponsored internal research presentations, as well as a lecture series on food-system innovation.

Blazey said he foresees NICCS developing into a substantial economic engine as the center partners with private industry.

“NICCS addresses real-world challenges and promotes the kind of breakthrough discoveries that can create new products and companies,” he said. “The entire statewide network aims to address critical global issues and drive economic growth in Illinois.”

A strong network of NIU faculty already work on sustainability issues, including the university’s Weather, Climate and Society Research Group. Photo Credit: Victor Gensini, NIU

The center is expected to be a boon for faculty and students as well.

The university has strong network of faculty members who have been working on sustainability issues for many years and have ongoing projects that feed into the mission of the new center. Since the center was first announced, faculty have won grants from the IIN and federal sources to conduct research on American prairie restoration, soil microbes, turning trash into usable products, exploring urban-rural connections and enhancing agricultural practices.

Additionally, NIU has seen strong student interest in sustainability. The university has more than 100 students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in environmental studies, and many hundreds more pursuing degrees in areas ranging from meteorology and geology to engineering and law where sustainability issues regularly come to the fore. The new center’s classrooms, laboratories and collaborative spaces will further promote sustainability education, collaboration and research conducted by faculty and students alike.

“In my field, the issue of sustainability is extremely important—from enhancing long-range, severe-weather forecasts to developing dwellings and business structures that can withstand a region’s extreme weather events,” Meteorology Professor Victor Gensini said.

Gensini is a key member of the university’s Weather, Climate and Society Research Group, which studies how weather and climate extremes impact humans and our economy.

“The sustainability issues we are tackling today are complex and require expertise from many different disciplines,” he said. “It’s exciting to know that the new Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability will be at the forefront of collaborations on sustainability solutions for decades to come.”

Date posted: July 27, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on State green-lights NIU’s $23 million sustainability center

Categories: Centerpiece Faculty & Staff Students

Paul Wright
Paul Wright

Paul Wright is the new chair of the Research Council for SHAPE America.

Wright, the EC Lane and MN Zimmerman Endowed Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, will lead the organization’s efforts during the next year to encourage and promote research activity.

He also promises to find avenues for partnership with SHAPE America’s other councils focused on health education, physical activity, physical education and professional preparation.

“All of us faculty members have a service obligation, and this certainly fits in with that,” says Wright, who is also an NIU Presidential Engagement and Partnership Professor. “I’ve always looked for service opportunities where I can make my best contribution – where it involves a strength I have and where I feel like I do have something to share.”

The appointment comes at a good time, he adds.

“Being a full professor, a bit more seasoned now and farther along at this stage of my career, this is a nice way for me to continue to push my leadership skills. I’ve had plenty of leadership opportunities within NIU and within professional organizations, but this is on another scale,” Wright says.

“I’m learning a lot,” he adds. “Any time you do something like this, you’ll learn a lot more about how an organization works. There’s so much work and politics and decision-making that goes on behind the curtain.”

SHAPE America (Society of Health and Physical Educators) serves as the voice for more than 200,000 professionals in those disciplines across the United States.

Founded in 1885, the organization has defined excellence in physical education: Its National Standards for K-12 Physical Education has served for decades as the foundation for well-designed physical education programs; the organization also helped develop (and owns) the National Health Education Standards.

Research in physical activity and health disseminated and advanced through the council that Wright now chairs provides a direct link to the effective instructional practices, curriculum and assessment tools necessary to build evidence-based programs.

Discipline areas include biomechanics; dance; exercise physiology and fitness; health; leisure and recreation; measurement and evaluation; motor behavior; pedagogy (Wright’s specialty); physical activity epidemiology; psychology; sociocultural aspects of physical activity; special populations; sport management; and sports medicine.

Chairing the council will require Wright to lead monthly meetings and to review research being conducted, applications for fellowships and decisions for awards that recognize excellent scholarship. He also expects to launch a newsletter, and will help to plan and coordinate the research components of the 2023 national conference such as its poster sessions, research presentations and distinguished scholar lecture series.

Paul Wright

Spring 2021: Paul Wright leads a tai chi workshop in Anderson Hall.

Moreover, Wright hopes to serve as a sounding board for SHAPE America leadership as they ponder and choose research priorities and organizational initiatives.

“It’s a high-profile position and comes with a lot of national exposure,” Wright says, “and that’s always something I’m looking for in terms of ways to promote the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education to have us showing up in the national conversation more often by sitting on councils and committees and chairing them. Things like this continue to build on our reputation.”

That “national exposure” extends to NIU as well as to Wright, personally and professionally, as he serves for a year as chair and then passes the figurative baton to the next chair, who he will mentor.

“I believe I’m in sync with, and aware of, where the field is going and what it needs. This allows me to be a spokesperson, a person who’s around the table and influencing the conversation with some credibility,” Wright says.

For example, he is a leading advocate for promoting social and emotional learning through physical education – and, he says, “it doesn’t hurt to have chair of the Research Council being a champion for one of those initiatives. It’s good for the work I’m trying to promote, and it’s good for NIU.”

Date posted: July 26, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on SHAPE America names Paul Wright chair of Research Council for 2022-23

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Students

tim-kuncis-photo-1

Tim Kuncis’ Barnwood Sports is a growing baseball memorabilia business.

When former NIU baseball player Tim Kuncis, ’96, was majoring in art in college, it was not clear how or if he would use his degree.

In fact, for the first two decades of his career, he worked in the trading pits of the Chicago Board of Trade before realizing his dream of becoming an entrepreneurial sports artist.

In 2017, he founded Barnwood Sports LLC, a company that creates handmade museum-quality baseball memorabilia pieces. This perfect marriage of Kuncis’ passion for sports and art has led to his company’s pieces being carried by major league ballparks, The National Baseball Hall of Fame, and the MLB Network studios, to name a few.

“I founded Barnwood Sports LLC in 2017 after working different jobs trying to figure out what to do with my life,” Kuncis said. “I had been let go from my job as a broker and brokers assistant in 2012. I got into woodworking after meeting a local gentleman who had also previously worked at the Chicago Board of Trade, and I learned many techniques of woodworking from him. It was a wonderful experience.”

During some down time, Kuncis created a wooden American flag, using techniques he learned for finishing cabinets. It was not long before he realized he had created something special.
“The piece sold in less than a minute on Facebook. From there, I knew I was onto something. And Barnwood Sports was born,” he said.

Growing up in Midlothian, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Kuncis attended South Suburban College in South Holland, Illinois, playing baseball there in 1991 and 1992. When the 1991 team finished sixth in the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series, he accepted a baseball scholarship to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth and played there, before having to leave for shoulder reconstruction surgery after an injury.

From there, his journey took him to NIU, where Kuncis played multiple positions, due to his athleticism, on the Huskie Baseball Team.

tim-kuncis-photo-2

Kuncis created custom artwork for Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman.

“While I was never the player at NIU that I had previously been before having my reconstruction and a second surgery on the same shoulder, the experience was absolutely outstanding!” he said. “Lifelong friends were made, as well as many memories, specifically of winning our conference tournament in 1996. I got hot at the plate, which led to being chosen as All-Tournament designated hitter. Our road trips were a blast too!”

When Kuncis first transferred to NIU, he was interested in teaching and coaching a high school baseball team, but he started looking into the art program as NIU, knowing that it had a positive reputation.

“First I was in computer design but seeing how long I’d have to be in school to complete that degree, I decided a B.A. in art was the best way to go,” he said. “Unfortunately, it took me a while to find my niche, when I fell back in love with art, specifically woodworking and art combined.”

For a long time, Barnwood Sports was a one-man show on the handmade side of the business, but recently Kuncis hired one of his best friends to help the company continue to grow. Kuncis oversees the whole order process. There is a process to making each handmade piece, which takes around two weeks, and there is a special “antiquing” technique needed to get the “Barnwood Sports look.”
That look has made a big splash in the baseball world.

“I am now officially licensed with Major League Baseball, The National Baseball Hall of Fame, and The Major League Players Association,” he said. “We work with many tournament directors making their handmade and printed awards, and I also do many schools’ senior gifts, which include (university logos).”

Even with all his success, Kuncis notes that the best part of his job is the look on the customer’s face when they receive his products.

“Our pieces have special meaning to many, and they will be handed down from generation to generation,” he said.

The perks of the job are not too bad either. Kuncis has been able to rub elbows with Hall of Fame players. For instance, he has become friends of the family of Roger Maris and Roberto Clemente. Kuncis has had the honor of making pieces for Derek Jeter, Bo Jackson, Ken Griffey Jr., David Ortiz, Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson, and many, many more!

tim-kuncis-photo-3

Kuncis created custom signage for the MLB Network.

“It’s also pretty cool to get nationwide acknowledgment on TV,” he said. “To those NIU friends who have supported me during the building of Barnwood Sports LLC, I thank you very much! Keep an eye out because we aren’t done.”

After only a few short years, Barnwood Sports has a cult following, and some customers come back repeatedly, purchasing several handmade pieces.
“I know that my hard work will pay off someday with the hopes to sell the company and retire someday,” Kuncis said with a laugh. “That’s the American Dream, right?!”

Kuncis believes his success can be traced back to his art degree at NIU.

“I believe if I didn’t take art at NIU, there is no way I would have circled back to this career 20-plus years after graduating,” he said. “I always tell my kids to not worry about what major you go into, that you never know what will happen in your life and what you’ll be when.

“You grow up. It took me 45 years to ‘grow up,’ and find my way.”

Date posted: July 26, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Huskie Baseball Alumnus Tim Kuncis, ’96, brings sports art to famed locales

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Students Uncategorized

To welcome Huskies to campus, NIU has invested in Week of Welcome shirts for all employees. We encourage wearing these shirts during Week of Welcome, Aug. 17 though 21, and throughout the first several weeks of classes. Instructions for obtaining your shirt will be forthcoming in the Monday Morning Employee Announcements and upcoming editions of NIU Today.

It’s one of the most exciting weeks of the year as DeKalb and the NIU campus come alive with returning Huskies.

Week of Welcome (WOW) and Move-In will take place Wednesday, August 17 through Sunday, August 21. This important week is quickly approaching, and your help is needed. Show your Huskie Pride by signing up to volunteer at this all-hands-on-deck effort to welcome students to campus both with move in and other WOW events.

Elina Wlaznik, assistant director of the Campus Activities Board, says Week of Welcome is a special time for the entire NIU community.

“This time of year offers unique opportunities to connect with students and their families,” she says. “We share in their joy sending their new Huskies off to college and welcoming them to the Huskie Family.”

Volunteer time slots are available throughout the week and will provide the opportunity to help welcome all new and returning students to campus. Choose your event(s) and time slot(s) you would like to volunteer for using the combined volunteer sign-up for Residence Hall Move-In and Week of Welcome (WOW). Supervisors are encouraged to offer flexible scheduling to allow staff members to volunteer during this time.

Questions? Contact orientation@niu.edu.

Date posted: July 25, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Help our students during Move-In and Week of Welcome

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Uncategorized

ryan-janisch-photo-3

Ryan Janisch, ’04, M.S.Ed. ’07, Ed.S. ’15, is ducktaped to a wall by students as part of a reward for the class who raised the most money during a school fundraiser.

Anyone who has had the chance to see Ryan Janisch in action as a school administrator knows he is enthusiastic about his work.

As the principal of North Grove Elementary in Sycamore, Illinois, for the past 13 years, he is known by students and parents as a fun-loving and good-hearted leader.

“I think I always was drawn to that servant leadership mentality,” he said. “I just wanted to help others, and I wanted our kids to be proud of their school. It was never okay to me if the students went to a good school… I wanted them to go to a great school.”
Janisch has followed a few simple ideas over his nearly two decades in education.

“This advice has served me well: I lead with passion, I surround myself with great people, then I work hard and take care of others,” he said. “This system has led to some pretty great outcomes for us in education. I feel like when you have a vision for what you want, and goals so you know when you get there, you have a better chance of success. Even with all of the challenges of pandemic learning, I think we did a good job of keeping our core philosophy in tact.”

The basis for Janisch’s collaborative nature came from his time at NIU. He earned his bachelor’s in education in 2004, his M.S.Ed. in 2007, and his Ed.S. in educational administration in 2015.

“At NIU, I learned the power of learning from others,” he said. “Many of the connections I have had in my education programs are the ones I still call on today when I need help with a project or another opinion.”

Janisch also practiced the idea that hard work matters while he studied at NIU.
“I found my stride as a learner while at NIU, and this drive to get better is something that I still practice today,” he said.
Practice was something Janisch understood as a child growing up in Belvidere, Illinois. He loved playing all sports, with basketball being his favorite. After high school, he decided play golf for a small liberal arts college for a year before realizing he wanted to follow a different path.

“I wanted to be closer to a girl that I was dating at the time, so I enrolled at NIU,” he said with a laugh. “That turned out to be a great decision, as Kristin (’05), and I are now married with three amazing kids. I made some strong friendships at NIU, and I keep in touch with those friends to this day. My time at NIU was the foundation for the rest of my life in terms of a professional career and family.”

After earning his bachelor’s in physical education, Janisch took a job as a physical education and health teacher at Burlington Central Middle School in Burlington, Illinois. While there, he completed his master’s degree in educational administration.

ryan-janisch-photo-1

Ryan Janisch, his wife Kristin, ’05, and their three children.

“I just couldn’t see myself going to school somewhere else,” he said. “So, I enrolled for my administrative program and after my master’s degree. NIU has always made me feel at home and my connection to the University was strong. I was always so grateful for the opportunities that I received after my education from NIU.”

From there, Janisch was given the opportunity to help open a new building in the district as the dean of students and athletic director at a middle school called Prairie Knolls in Elgin, Illinois. Next, he was hired in the Sycamore School District to be an elementary principal and once again he was tasked with opening a new building.

During his time in Sycamore, he returned to NIU once again to earn his superintendent licensure or degree of advanced study.
“My days as the building principal went by very quickly,” he said. “I started my day early making sure we had enough staff for the day. Then I would greet students, do announcements, and follow my calendar for the day. My days would be filled with meetings, evaluations, subbing, visiting classrooms, and assisting students and teachers. Honestly, every day looked different and often went in a different direction than what I had planned. Simply put, it was my job to help others!”

During the last two years, Janisch had the challenge of leading school staff, elementary students and their families through the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic time period was certainly a trying time. It was the most difficult few years of my career,” he said. “Everyone was just trying their best to help others and to make learning engaging for students. We were using new methods and technology. It was very challenging, but the collaborative process and the grit that educators showed during this time was incredible.”

Janisch noted that the entire learning community had to “lean in” for success to happen during times of remote learning and social distancing.

“Probably my proudest moments were the celebrations with teachers and students around learning success,” he said. “I am so proud of the culture we built. The collaborative nature of the learning environment was contagious, and it helped everyone grow. Teachers got better, students learned more, and they turned me into a better leader.”

After staying on as principal of North Grove Elementary School for 13 years, Janisch recently accepted the position as assistant superintendent for the Sandwich School District 430 this fall. He looks forward to taking on his next challenge, even as the pandemic remains. Janisch credits his wife for her support.

“I have had one amazing partner through all of this time,” he said. “My wife Kristin, who is an educator herself, she has been my best professional sounding board for the past 18 years. She has great insight on many current topics and her empathy towards others is most impressive. Our family, with our three children—Layla, Grady and Libby—has been my proudest accomplishment by far.”

Date posted: July 19, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Ryan Janisch, ’04, M.S.Ed. ’07, Ed.S. ’15, named assistant superintendent for Sandwich Schools

Categories: Alumni Community Faculty & Staff Homepage

Bill Pitney
Bill Pitney

As change looms for Bill Pitney, he is in awe of his good fortune.

“Being able to go back to the classroom and work with our students? I mean, how cool is that? To revisit the thing that drew you here in the first place? How cool is it to have that opportunity?” Pitney asks. “It’s amazing.”

The College of Education’s associate dean of Research, Resources and Innovation since 2016 has chosen to return this fall to his home Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KNPE) as a professor of Athletic Training.

That’s what he taught when he arrived on campus in 1994, before he began enhancing his résumé with leadership positions.

In addition to his term as associate dean, Pitney served eight months as NIU’s acting vice provost for Faculty Affairs in 2019; KNPE Chair Todd Gilson, who served as acting associate dean while Pitney worked in Altgeld Hall, now will take on that role permanently.

Pitney also was executive secretary of University Council and president of Faculty Senate for Fiscal Year 2015.

Yet he never has forgotten why he pursued a career in higher education or one of his favorite parts of the academic process.

“Coming to NIU, I enjoyed creating learning experiences that were meaningful for our students,” Pitney says, “because there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing or observing our students make the connections between what they’re learning in the classroom and the real world. That was just so rewarding.”

So, he adds, was his preliminary work toward those ends.

Bill Pitney, Laurie Elish-Piper and David Walker
Bill Pitney, Laurie Elish-Piper and David Walker

“I’m probably a nerd, but I liked preparing for classes – thinking about what the objectives are and the best way to help our students achieve those objectives,” Pitney says. “That was always just really fun for me, and I look forward to preparing for my classes for this fall. I just get a lot of joy in that.”

Dean Laurie Elish-Piper calls Pitney “an amazing partner in leading the College of Education.”

“His pragmatic, hard-working approach enabled us to get so much done over the past six years, and his generosity of time, expertise and insights has been such a gift to me, to our senate and to the college,” Elish-Piper says.

“As Bill moves back to his faculty role, I know he is excited to re-immerse himself in his research, teaching and student engagement work. I am also confident that he will assume the role of faculty leader and contribute his efforts and energies to the Athletic Training program, KNPE and the College of Education in important and meaningful ways,” she adds.

“While I will miss having him in the role of associate dean for Research, Resources and Innovation, I am forever grateful for his partnership, expertise and wise counsel on myriad issues, challenges and opportunities we’ve faced over these past six years.”

The feeling is mutual for Pitney, who considers his term in the dean’s office as an “honor.”

“I believe I positively changed our climate and tried to make this the best place to teach, work and learn,” he says. “I recall thinking of that when I took this position – trying to be a team player with our faculty, our students and our staff, working with them to support our folks in their roles. This has been a really meaningful piece for me.”

Bill Pitney
Bill Pitney

He also is grateful to have “connected with our faculty in new and different ways,” such as through his oversight of the GPS program that offers guidance, positioning and support to incoming faculty.

“We bring them together consistently when they first arrive on campus for their initial semester and beyond so that they meet senior faculty and other staff on campus, understand opportunities that exist for them and understand key procedures that are in place that will help them navigate NIU,” Pitney says.

“Another piece of that is this is the Collegial Connections program, which brings faculty from different departments together to get to know one another, to interact with one another and perhaps even collaborate with one another,” he adds. “There have been some really positive relationships that have developed.”

Positive relationships have defined Pitney’s career.

The native of Peru, Ind., majored in physical education at Indiana State University with plans to teach; a class in athletic training showed him a different path.

“I was just really intrigued by that content,” Pitney says, “and then I thought, ‘How cool would it be to be part of a health care team where you’re with your patients to prevent injuries, you’re with your patients to treat any injuries that occur and you’re with your patients to help with the rehabilitation process and then see them return back to the field, the court or the sport setting?’ It’s an interesting profession from that standpoint and different among other health professions.”

Earning a specialization in athletic training with his bachelor’s degree, he went on to complete a master’s degree in physical education from Eastern Michigan University and his NIU doctorate in adult continuing education.

Bill Pitney
Bill Pitney

Before that, however, and with board certification as an athletic trainer, Pitney provided outpatient rehabilitation as a clinical outreach athletic trainer in the Detroit area, serving three high schools and their sports teams.

Later, as an athletic trainer at Eastern Michigan University, he found a chance to apply his educator licensure.

“I had an opportunity to co-teach a therapeutic modalities, or therapeutic interventions, class there in their undergraduate athletic training program and, just as I thought I would, I really enjoyed it and loved it,” Pitney says.

“Being a physical educator, I always had the natural proclivity to want to teach and engage with students – that calling to be a teacher – and when I had the taste of teaching athletic training students at Eastern Michigan University as a graduate student, I just really knew that’s where I wanted to be. I started to look for some opportunities to become a full-time educator.”

That came in 1994 in Anderson Hall.

Recognition followed.

Pitney’s list of honors includes the 2013 Outstanding Educator Award from the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association, the 2013 Dedicated Service Award from the Illinois Athletic Trainers’ Association, the 2015 Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and the 2016 Sayers “Bud” Miller Distinguished Educator Award from the NATA’s Executive Committee on Education.

Bill Pitney, Laurie Elish-Piper and David Walker
Bill Pitney, Laurie Elish-Piper and David Walker

Even as he took on leadership roles in his department, eventually serving as director of the Athletic Training program, and across NIU and throughout his profession, he regarded each as a teacher as well as a way “to serve, help, make a positive difference and leave a meaningful mark.”

“I’ve benefitted from those opportunities. You get a chance to continually learn, whether it’s about the innerworkings of the university, or the college, or the department, or why policies and procedures exist or are structured the way they are, and how we got to that point,” Pitney says.

“When you’re constantly learning about these things, and you’re learning about best practices to bring to bear on current situations, that’s a meaningful experience,” he adds, “and to see how I can change things to make them better has been a key thing for me.”

Date posted: July 19, 2022 | Author: | Comments Off on Bill Pitney returning to KNPE faculty

Categories: Faculty & Staff Homepage Uncategorized