NIU Today

Professors across the nation have once again rated NIU’s Department of Accountancy among the elite in the nation. The Public Accounting Report’s 29th Annual Professor’s Survey, ranked NIU’s undergraduate program eighth (up 12 spots from last year) and its graduate program 10th (up 10 spots from last year) in the nation. Inclusion in the rankings places...

Founders Memorial Library has begun to circulate netbooks for student and faculty use. The six netbooks, which can be checked out at the library circulation desk, are available for in-library use and will circulate for two-hour periods. Depending on demand, users may renew the computers for an additional two hours. The purpose of the netbooks is not...

As the dust starts to settle following the Egyptian Revolution, talk has quickly turned to which Middle Eastern autocracy will be the next to fall to the demands of domestic protests for more democratic government. Many have offered that Iran’s Green Movement of 2009 has been reawakened by events in Egypt, which have, ironically, been...

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has named Lisa Freeman, Northern Illinois University’s vice president for research and graduate studies, to the newly created Illinois Innovation Council. The governor announced the council’s creation during his 2012 budget address to the Illinois General Assembly. Groupon co-founder Brad Keywell will lead the effort. “By harnessing our resources and coordinating our...

Colleagues, Today Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn outlined his state budget proposal for next fiscal year, signaling his spending priorities for Fiscal Year 2012. His speech focused mostly on reduced funding levels and emphasized the importance of restructuring the state’s backlog of unpaid bills by borrowing approximately $8.75 billion to pay off most of the outstanding debt owed...

There has been a lot of activity in Washington, D.C., over the past week, primarily related to the federal FY2011 budget. Unfortunately, there is no good news for higher education or NIU. We want to provide you with the best information that we have been able to compile, recognizing that this information may change as...

An Open Letter to NIU: One of the few positive aspects of otherwise sad partings is that they provide a rare moment during which we often recollect and thank those to whom we are indebted. As some of you already know, on July 1, 2011, I will leave Northern Illinois University (NIU) after 24 years. The...

Have you ever been running late to class, wishing there were some way to quickly check your assignments on Blackboard? Now you can — and all you need is a smartphone with a data plan. Students and teachers can instantly access courses, content and communities anywhere via NIU’s Blackboard Mobile Learn app. To access the...

Parameters of the budget discussions will be set this week. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn presents his budget address Wednesday, Feb. 16, and is expected to identify cuts that have already been made, debts that must be paid and the need for bonding in order to expedite those payments to vendors. The size of current obligations range from...

NIU President John G. Peters offered these comments Monday, Feb. 14, 2011, at the Presentation of the Memorial Wreaths. Thank you, family, friends and neighbors of Northern Illinois University for gathering today at this memorial garden, for a moment of reflection and meditation. As you can see, the rejuvenation of Cole Hall began last month. We...

An increase in Illinois’ individual state income tax rate from 3 percent to 5 percent was signed into law Jan. 13 and is effective as Jan. 1, 2011. As a result of this increase, the university is required to update the state income tax withholding rate on employee wages from 3 percent to 5 percent. The new withholding rates...

The latest news regarding pension and budget issues is now available via Twitter feed. “Few topics will be more important to current and former NIU employees this spring than discussions in Springfield that could dramatically alter the way the state administers pensions and health care for both groups,” NIU President John Peters said. Just this...