The student-led organization aims to increase awareness about the situations undocumented students face in the United States and particularly on the NIU campus.
Scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to noon in rooms 505 and 506 of the Holmes Student Center, this training for NIU faculty and staff will focus on how to effectively assist and support undocumented students on campus.
Participants will:
learn about NIU and community resources for undocumented students;
hear updates on immigration that affect undocumented students’ access to higher education;
identify unmet needs and resources for undocumented students; and
discuss lessons learned from the student, staff and faculty perspectives.
Tentative Agenda
8:30 a.m. Check-in (HSC 506) 9 to 9:15 a.m. Welcome and introductions (HSC 505) 9:15 to 10 a.m. Immigration 101 presented by the Immigration Law Office of Jeremy Lime 10 to 10:45 a.m. Overview of demographics, undocumented students’ characteristics and implications for higher education. Suggestions on how to support incoming and currently enrolled undocumented NIU students. 10:45 to 11 a.m. Break 11 a.m. to noon. Student Panel, HSC 505: NIU students will share their experiences as they transition and navigate to college, academics and student life / Wrap-Up: Lessons Learned / Evaluations
A widely published Indiana University law professor with broad national and international connections has accepted an offer to become dean of the NIU College of Law.
Lisa Freeman, executive vice president and provost, is excited to welcome Dannenmaier to NIU.
“Eric Dannenmaier is well-positioned to work with students, faculty and staff to enhance the reach and reputation of NIU’s law school,” Freeman said.
“His expertise in environmental law is informed not only by academic experience but also by work in private practice, and in public service with the United States Agency for International Development,” Freeman added.
Dannenmaier earned a doctorate and master’s degree in law from Columbia University. He also holds a master’s degree in law from Oxford University, a Juris Doctor from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in biology and political science from Drury University.
At IU McKinney, where he teaches law classes in property, natural resources, water law and the Constitution, he also serves as director of J.D. Graduate Programs and is the founding director of the Environmental, Energy and Natural Resources Law Program.
His research focuses on environmental democracy. He has also researched and published widely on legal and institutional frameworks for sustainable development, water security and energy policy. His work has taken him to more than three dozen countries.
Swen Parson Hall, home to the NIU College of Law
Last fall, as a visiting scholar at the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, he examined institutional mechanisms for governing the Mississippi River basin and offered courses on energy law, river law and international environmental law.
Dannenmaier said he is “excited about the prospect of joining such a dynamic and engaged intellectual community” at NIU.
“The NIU College of Law’s commitment to diversity and the public interest, and the resources it devotes to experiential learning, interdisciplinary inquiry and specialized legal studies are essential ingredients for preparing the next generation of lawyers and leaders,” Dannenmaier said.
“The College of Law is clearly on the rise,” he added, “lifted not only by the talent and dedication of its faculty and staff, but also by its location near a major American city and within a major public research and teaching university offering interdisciplinary perspectives and connections that will define success in the 21st century legal marketplace.”
Beyond his career in higher education, his professional experience includes private practice as an environmental attorney and a litigator in the Boston office of Chicago-based law firm McDermott, Will & Emery and in the Washington, D.C. office of St. Louis-based law firm Bryan Cave.
Date posted: May 2, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on Eric Dannenmaier to lead NIU College of Law
Open forums begins Tuesday, May 3, for the five finalists for the directorship of the NIU Center for Black Studies.
Established in 1971, the Center for Black Studies supports the mission of the university to promote excellence and engagement in teaching, learning, research, scholarship, artistry and outreach and service.
It operates under the leadership of Vernese Edghill-Walden, senior associate vice president for academic diversity and chief diversity officer in the Division of Academic Affairs.
The center conducts research on the experiences of people of African descent and offers a minor in black studies. It also promotes the retention of black students and sponsors lectures, workshops, conferences and other student-oriented activities.
Online evaluation forms will become available Tuesday afternoon. For more information, call (815) 753-8377 or email cpeddle@niu.edu.
Tuesday, May 3, 5 to 6:30 p.m, Altgeld Hall 315 Open forum for students and student organizations
Wednesday, May 4, 1:30 to 2:20 p..m., Holmes Student Center Room 305 Open forum and presentation for faculty, staff, all campus faculty and staff organizations
Wednesday, May 4, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Holmes Student Center Room 305 Open forum for black alumni, community members and presidential commissions
Thursday, May 5, 5 to 6:30 p.m., Altgeld Hall 315 Open forum for students and student organizations
Friday, May 6, 1:30 to 2:20 p.m., Holmes Student Center Room 305 Open forum and presentation for faculty, staff, all campus faculty and staff organizations
Friday, May 6, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Holmes Student Center Room 305 Open forum for black alumni, community members and presidential commissions
Monday, May 9, 5 to 6:30 p.m, Altgeld Hall 203 Open forum for students and student organizations
Tuesday, May 10, 1:30 to 2:20 p.m., Holmes Student Center University Suite Open forum and presentation for faculty, staff, all campus faculty and staff organizations
Tuesday, May 10, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Holmes Student Center University Suite Open forum for black alumni, community members and presidential commissions
Tuesday, May 10, 5 to 6:30 p.m., Altgeld Hall 315 Open forum for students and student organizations
Wednesday, May 11, 1:30 to 2:20 p.m., Holmes Student Center University Suite Open forum and presentation for faculty, staff, all campus faculty and staff organizations
Wednesday, May 11, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Holmes Student Center University Suite Open forum for black alumni, community members and presidential commissions
Date posted: May 2, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on Open forums set for Center for Black Studies director hopefuls
The recipients are Brenda Hart, office administrator, Department of Marketing; Ruperto Herrera, application programming analyst, Division of Information Technology; Lynne Meyer, office support specialist, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures; and Lise Schlosser, office manager, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences External Programming.
About 1,530 employees make up the Civil Service staff. Each year, four are selected by a committee of their peers to receive the award of plaques and $1,500. They will be honored at a Thursday, May 5, banquet.
Here is a closer look at the recipients.
Brenda Hart
Brenda Hart Office administrator Department of Marketing
Brenda Hart’s middle name isn’t “organization,” but don’t tell that to colleagues in the Department of Marketing who describe her as “exemplary,” “superb” and a “professional multitasker.”
The office administrator, a 12-year NIU employee who took her current job five years ago, is regarded as excellent in planning activities while continually accepting “more and more” duties without additional compensation.
Her long list of coordination responsibilities includes the scheduling of courses, the department’s awards ceremony, luncheons for current students and prospective ones, the Student Appreciation Hot Dog Day, the holiday food drive, student evaluations of faculty and the work schedules of graduate assistants.
And that’s only scratching the surface for the employee known for her outgoing personality, optimistic nature and strong work ethic – and for “always going the extra mile.”
“Brenda is a major reason that I hear so many people that the Marketing Department is simply one of the best places to work on campus,” said Tim Aurand, the James E. Thompson Professor of Marketing.
“We’ve come to take Brenda’s leadership for granted,” Aurand added. “Simply put, when Brenda is involved, things just get done properly, on time and within budget.”
Hart has served as president of the College of Business Staff Council, advises the dean on issues and policies regarding support staff and is a member of the college’s Strategic Planning Council.
Ruperto Herrera Application programming analyst Division of Information Technology
When NIU needed a more modern, more functional online directory, it was Ruperto Herrera who tackled that challenge.
Those who describe Herrera as “extraordinary, amazing and exemplary” weren’t surprised.
He already had implemented a better platform to deliver streaming audio and video content. He oversaw the development of a smartphone app for NIU. He led the development of a custom building block for Blackboard that allows NIU faculty to send course grades directly into MyNIU.
“I’ve had countless opportunities to witness firsthand the fact that Ruperto’s abilities go far above and beyond,” said Jason Rhode, director of the Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center. “The new online directory has become one of the most vital and most-used information items within the NIU website.”
Program Prioritization leaders now praise his ability to build a custom scoring system from scratch “under incredible time demands with numerous requests for enhancements to the program.”
“He has put in endless hours over and beyond his formal commitment when the success of the project has depended on this,” said Carolinda Douglass, vice provost for Academic Planning and Development. “Clearly, his intelligence, persistence, maturity and hard work will continue to serve him and our institution well.”
The double NIU alum, who hold a bachelor’s in computer science and a master’s in management information systems, joined NIU in 2006. Off the job, he is a child sponsor for Juna Amagara Ministries.
Lynne Meyer
Lynne Meyer Office support specialist Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Lynne Meyer is more than someone who handles regular secretarial work.
She’s more than the problem-solver who supervises work-study, manages student evaluations, coordinates the new STAMP testing program, organizes the annual awards ceremony and runs departmental elections. She’s more than the department’s “backbone” and its human encyclopedia of university procedures and policies.
Meyer is also a compassionate “caregiver.”
“In her pivotal role as the person students see first when they come into our department, she empowers students by treating them with respect,” said Gregory T. Ross, Ph.D. coordinator in the Foreign Language Residence Program, “and assists them in their journey toward realizing not only their academic goals – but as young adults discovering the myriad facets of their personality.”
An NIU employee since 1993, Meyer is known as friendly, courteous and professional. She’s also regarded as “a self-starter” who’s “cheerfully and faithfully” taken on the responsibilities of two former colleagues in the front office.
“We cannot stress enough how valuable she is,” agreed Chair Katharina Barbe and James Byrd, an instructor of Spanish, “and how wonderful her contributions have been and will continue to be. She is the face of the department.”
Outside of work, Meyer has participated in the Relay for Life for 15 years, serving as co-captain (with NIU professor Mary Cozad) or the department’s team: The Profe’s Posse. Never missing the annual American Cancer Society event, for which she has raised more than $1,000, Meyer often addresses the crowd, walks the track and recruits others to the cause.
Lise Schlosser
Lise Schlosser Office manager College of Liberal Arts and Sciences External Programming
Although Lise Schlosser’s title includes the word “office,” much of the 12-year employee’s work takes place elsewhere.
Schlosser has led travel programs to Canada for the Stratford Festival. She’s accompanied one-day trips to Chicago Shakespeare Theatre productions, and has organized several “movie meet-ups” with Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) members.
“Lise has been a staple of our office for the last four years and continues to demonstrate her great enthusiasm and dedication to our mission,” said her director, Anne M. Petty Johnson. “Lise is a proud Northern Illinois University alumnus, NIU employee and NIU student. It is NIU, however, that should be most proud that they helped produce a great professional.”
Called an “innovative” and “exceptional” employee who demonstrates “independence in exploring, expanding and improving ways to deal with her work,” Schlosser is praised by colleagues for her “perseverance, warmth, humor and expertise.”
She has ensured that academic summer camps ran smoothly, assisted in the implementation of new camp processes, encouraged the creation of a summer camp staff handbook and instituted a mandatory staff orientation.
Volunteering to teach study groups for the LLI, meanwhile, prompts her to spend several hours of free time planning, and conducting research for, those classes.
Away from work, she also has volunteered for Northern Public Radio, the Illinois History Expo and NIU women’s basketball.
Date posted: May 2, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on Operating Staff announces Outstanding Service Award recipients
NIU’s Honors Program provides an engaging educational experience for academically talented and committed students in all undergraduate colleges.
More than 1,000 students currently are involved.
Expected to provide visionary leadership for the honors program, the director oversees and coordinates the curricula, programs, and learning opportunities as well as strategically plans for growth in honors education to meet the needs of the university.
The director also is committed to excellence in honors education and has a clear vision of the role and significance of an honors program within a research university.
Students, faculty and staff are invited to attend the open forums, all of which take place from 10 to 10:50 a.m.
Little Free Libraries are an international movement where people place small, weather-proof boxes in their communities. These boxes are stocked with books which are free to the public to take and return. The hope is that when someone takes a book, they will return it or replace it with another book.
The Jerry L. Johns Literacy Clinic has set-up and maintains six throughout DeKalb and Sycamore.
As part of its stewardship of these Little Free Libraries, clinic staff visit each box weekly to make sure it is stocked with books for all ages. The DeKalb Daily Chronicle has donated an old red newspaper box for each of its six – soon to be seven – Little Free Libraries. Each newspaper box has been converted into a small library with shelves.
The clinic’s acting director, Suzi Hinrichs, along with former director, NIU College of Education Dean Laurie Elish-Piper, have been the driving forces behind this project.
As the Little Free Libraries have been in the community, they have been successful – sometimes going from full to empty within a week. Additionally, many of the libraries have seen community members give back in the form of donated books. While the Jerry L. Johns Literacy Clinic is dedicated to keeping these libraries stocked, it is excited to have community members using and contributing to these libraries.
Growing up in Highland, Ind., Laurie Elish-Piper loved books and school.
As an undergraduate at tiny Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, a city about an hour south of the home where her parents still live, she combined those joys of her life into a career she would treasure just as much.
“I wanted to be a teacher because I have an incredible passion for learning and because I just find the learning process so exciting and invigorating,” says Elish-Piper, the new dean of the NIU College of Education.
“Because I also had been a very avid reader, I gravitated toward teaching middle school reading and language arts as well as elementary school,” she adds. “I wanted to spark that passion for language and for reading and really try to get the kids excited about learning. I introduced them to books and magazines and different genres.”
Her “spectacular” professors at St. Joseph, where the enrollment is only 1,100, quietly planted another seed: higher education.
Following her career in the classroom, she took a job as an educational therapist at an acute-care psychiatric hospital. Elish-Piper taught children in fourth- through eighth-grade four hours a day; she also served as a liaison to the children’s schools.
“I met with school administrators and professionals to plan the kids’ transitions back into school, longer-term care or whatever setting into which they were going to be discharged. I also did professional development in the schools on behavior and emotional challenges,” she says.
“Doing that, I really started to think about what I wanted to do next. I was ready for a new challenge and, in the back of my mind, I had always wanted to teach in higher education. I remember thinking, ‘Wow, that’s a really cool job. I’m intrigued by what they do, and I see the impact of what they do.’ ”
With her newly earned Ph.D. in curricular and instruction studies with an emphasis in literacy education from the University of Akron, she joined the NIU College of Education in 1995.
Twenty-one years and many titles and honors later, Elish-Piper is now its leader.
“I love the opportunities in the NIU College of Education. The reason I stayed at NIU so long and sought this position as dean is that the College of Education and NIU have been an amazing place for me to build my career. Everything I’ve wanted to do I’ve been able to do,” she says.
“The people here are collaborative and supportive. We truly do have dedicated and committed faculty and staff who work hard and go above and beyond on a daily basis,” she adds. “They have so much positive energy and so much care and concern for our students. Our students are amazing.”
At NIU, she’s been able to teach, research and perform service work.
Her brilliance in the classroom helped to earn her Presidential Teaching Professor; she’s since been elevated to Distinguished Teaching Professor.
In 2013, she was named a Presidential Engagement Professor in recognition of her partnership efforts off campus. She pioneered a partnership with Harlem School District 122 in Machesney Park, went on to develop similar connections with school districts throughout the northern Illinois region, and developed the foundation for NIU’s highly successful Professional Development School model.
That same year, she was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Literacy Association (ILA).
“NIU has been a great fit for me because of the balance,” Elish-Piper says. “We value teaching – that’s important to me, first and foremost, because I’m a teacher – but we also value research and service. That’s great for me, because I enjoy all of those things.”
The new dean also draws inspiration from talking with students.
“At our donor tea, I met with scholarship recipients. I loved hearing their stories about what they’ve learned and what they hope to do when they go out into their professions as teachers, counselors, administrators, fitness professionals,” she says.
“We have a mindset here that if a student wants to do something, and they’re in good academic standing, then let them have a try at it. Let them engage in undergraduate research. Let them be a part of a project, like Educate U.S. or Educate Global,” she adds.
“These are not just reserved for the very few, the best and brightest. These are for the students who say, ‘I want to do that. I’m committed to that.’ We provide these opportunities for all students to give them the most meaningful and productive educational experiences we can.”
Date posted: April 29, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on ‘Everything I’ve wanted to do’
Want to learn about funding your venture or business through traditional bank funding? How about crowdfunding, such as Kickstarter or Indiegogo? Or perhaps an angel investment group?
NIU EIGERlab’s Innovation Tuesday Meetup for May 10 will cover “Show Me the Money,” where a panel of experts will share insights into each funding avenue.
All are invited to attend from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at NIU-Rockford, 8500 E. State St.
A diverse group of more than 30 students, faculty, staff and community members will come together in solidarity to present the Black Lives Matters Tribute Concert, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, in Altgeld Hall.
Led by students, the concert will celebrate black movements and culture while spreading messages of equality, diversity and inclusion and social justice through the performing arts.
Performers will pay homage to the performing artists, civic leaders, activists and political movements that have shaped the history of African people in America today. Issues addressed will include racial inequality, the economic wealth gap, gentrification, the cradle-to-prison pipeline, women’s rights, LGBT rights and workers’ rights.
The structure of the concert will be broken up into historical time-frames: The Middle Passage, The Harlem Renaissance, The Civil Rights Era, The Black Power Movement and The Rodney King (Modern) Era. Concert organizers chose songs, dances, and skits that directly underscore these movements, giving historical context of the time, people involved and impact on society.
I was joined by little white dogs in a pink-bedazzled stroller, superheroes of all sizes on skates and a big, blue creature of some sort.
These were among the many wondrous sights that trailed me and my motorcycle from downtown DeKalb to our campus one warm and sunny Saturday afternoon last May.
It was colorful. It was noisy. It embodied creativity come to life on foot – or wheels. It was ARTIgras.
Our public celebration of the arts brought children of all ages into the streets, wearing costumes, banging drums, sporting oversized masks and expressing themselves. The parade that I led kicked off art exhibitions, musical performances and opportunities to try your hand at creating something – or to become a work of art yourself.
ARTIgras will begin its second year at 7 p.m. Friday, May 6, with “March to Bourbon Street,” an evening of art, music, dance and theater at the Egyptian Theatre. The main event, including the return of the Arts Parade, steps off at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 7, at the corner of Third and Locust streets.
For our amazing students and faculty in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, these two days make the creative process a focus of the community. The same is true for their counterparts in other colleges and members of our university community who also appreciate, nurture or perhaps produce the arts.
These events reinforce our deep commitment to the arts and humanities. Teaching, promoting and inspiring creativity are core to our mission.
The arts prompt us to examine and interpret human culture, and ourselves, in different ways. They help us to think creatively and consider the design of our physical and social landscape and, potentially, to identify and solve vexing problems
Songs, poems, paintings, movies, sculptures, books, dances, photographs and more touch our hearts – and sometimes our nerves. Their impact stays with us long after the music has faded, the curtain has dropped or the exhibition has closed.
Consider the reaction to the recent deaths of iconic musicians Prince and David Bowie: Each of them crossed traditional personal boundaries and challenged us to question socially defined roles.
Most of their fans had never met them – their only connection was the music – but they suffered the losses like close friends or family. They paid tribute on stage and on social media, purchased the music anew or dug out old copies and, mostly, remembered what made them love those sounds and messages these rock poets created for us.
NIU President Doug Baker
How marvelous the arts are in building bridges across very diverse lines.
It was wonderful to see the diversity of the crowds mourning both of these great artists. Strangers of all ages, races, ethnic backgrounds, social classes, sexual orientations and genders were drawn together, united by their love of this art form, compelled to share hugs and tears and join in spontaneous singalongs of the hits.
These artists – just like authors, poets, sociologists, philosophers, historians, psychologists, journalists, political scientists, literary scholars and others – helped us to understand and explain what makes us who we are, why we think and act the way we do and how we can improve.
Our excellent NIU faculty in the arts and humanities pursue similar goals and work to prepare the generations that will ask, explore and answer those questions in the future.
Please join my wife, Dana Stover, and me next weekend for ARTIgras. It will thrill your senses, arouse your imaginations and maybe teach you something about those with whom we share this community.
Date posted: April 28, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on Baker Report: The emotions of imagination
“Feedback is not window-dressing. Feedback, collaborative analysis and discussion is important to inform recommendations and decisions, and we do that on this campus all the time,” said Lisa Freeman, executive vice president and provost.
“It’s the way we make important decisions on this campus,” Freeman added, “and it’s the way we’re going to make decisions about how we use the Program Prioritization recommendations, the subsequent feedback and the action plans.”
The reports will place each and every university program, academic and administrative, in one of five categories:
Candidate for enhanced resources
Continue with no change in resources
Continue with reduced resources
Requires transformation
Subject to additional review; candidate for phase-out
Due Monday, May 23, the submitted feedback will provide an additional resource to the vice presidents and division leaders who are creating action plans for NIU President Doug Baker and members of his cabinet.
People who choose to voice their reactions to the reports can do so anonymously or sign their names, said Carolinda Douglass, facilitator of the Program Prioritization Coordinating Team and vice provost for Academic Planning and Development.
“We really do want to hear your comments about the process and about the results of the process,” said George Slotsve, co-chair of the Academic Task Force and an associate professor in the Department of Economics.
No “snap decisions” have or will be made, Freeman said, adding that feedback, collaborative analysis and discussion will inform final recommendations.
NIU President Doug Baker
Baker told the audience in the Regency Room, as well as those watching online, that he appreciates the “inclusive, broad and deep process” that will allow data-informed, strategic decision-making to align NIU’s budget to its mission.
Doing so will better serve students, faculty, staff and the region while positioning NIU as an institution that is stronger and more innovative with a more sustainable academic and financial model.
“I’m really proud of this university. Let’s think about what we’ve been doing for a year-and-a-half,” Baker said. “We knew that we wanted to spend our money on the right stuff, and we knew we didn’t have a great process in place to spend our money on the right stuff and figure out how to get it there.”
Actions related to final program prioritization recommendations could be initiated in Fiscal Year 2017, which begins July 1, and will continue over the next four to five years and beyond.
Established curricular and shared governance processes will be respected as changes are implemented. Data-informed decision making will continue to be encouraged and supported as changes are implemented and progress is assessed.
In other town hall news, Baker announced his creation of a cabinet-level working group that will serve as an Executive Budget Committee.
“We’ve been doing good work the last two years to build a new budget and budget process, but we’ve got more work to do,” Baker said. “I felt like I really needed to have a team focused on that, and not just focused on trying to figure out how to deal with this crisis – but how we have the right budgets and processes as we go forward.”
Members of the formal advisory group are:
Alan Phillips, VP for Administration and Finance (co-chair)
Lisa Freeman, Executive VP and Provost (co-chair)
Jerry Blazey, Interim VP for the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships
Brett Coryell, VP for Information Technology
Mike Mann, AVP for State and Government Relations and Board Liaison
Alan Phillips
Baker expects the group to help create and implement a multi-year budget timeline and process that directly links the university mission and its budget, including both revenue enhancements and expenses.
They also will encourage responsibility for budget development and execution at the levels of departments, colleges and divisions, and ensure that the process is transparent, fiscally responsible, accountable and academically responsive.
NIU is “still short about $70 million,” said Phillips, adding that he anticipates legislators will approve a FY17 budget before the end of May: “I don’t think anybody in Springfield wants to go through this again next year.”
While the stop-gap funding “isn’t everything we need, it certainly helps,” Phillips added.
“It does not put us in a position where we can start just spending money again. We’re still going to have to be very careful about what we spend,” he said. “On the other hand, we’re still not talking about layoffs and furloughs. We will be able to get through this.”
Date posted: April 27, 2016 | Author: Mark McGowan | Comments Off on Town hall meeting talks Program Prioritization, state budget
DREAM Action NIU will host undocumented ally training Friday, May 6.
