NIU Today

Robert Lawrence Even, who joined NIU in September of 1963 as an associate professor of art and retired nearly 30 years later, died Tuesday, April 7, in DeKalb. He was 85. Even served as chair of the Department of Art from 1974 to 1990; it became known as the School of Art in 1987. During...

The Northern Illinois University College of Law lost Professor Larry Schlam, one of its academic patriarchs, Saturday, March 7. He was 72. His absence leaves more than an empty office in the faculty suite of the NIU College of Law, but also an empty hole in the hearts of his NIU Law family. “Professor Schlam is...

When any sort of meeting in the NIU College of Health and Human Sciences wandered off track, faculty, administrators and staff knew they could count on Donna Munroe to restore focus. Possessing a sharp mind, a kind heart and a keen ability to make decisions, Munroe’s calm voice of wisdom and strong leadership extended across...

Back in the days when the CPA exam was a grueling pencil-and-paper event, students enrolled in the NIU CPA Review always knew that in the wee hours between the first and second day of testing, help was only a phone call away. “Debra would give them her phone number at the hotel and tell them...

Friends, colleagues and former students of the late Kay Forest use remarkably similar words to describe the longtime NIU faculty member and retired chair of the Department of Sociology. Passionate. Loyal. Devoted mentor. Great mind. Committed to social justice. Whether she was teaching, writing, facilitating dialogue, or serving on a university committee, colleagues say Forest...

James (Jim) Mellard, a Professor Emeritus in the NIU Department of English, died Sunday, July 27. Mellard leaves his wife, Sue Gilbert Mellard; three daughters; and two grandchildren. Mellard was widely published, with 70 articles to his name. He wrote many books, including, “Beyond Lacan; Using Lacan, Reading Fiction;” “The Exploded Form: The Modernist Novel in America;”...

Gordon Bird, professor of music and director of bands at NIU from 1960 until his retirement in 1983, died June 16 at Oak Crest DeKalb Area Retirement Center. He was 99. Bird held a bachelor’s degree from Drake University, a master of music degree from Northwestern University and a doctorate of education from Columbia University...

David W. Raymond, an original member of the NIU Board of Trustees, died Saturday, June 21. He was 68. Appointed in October of 1995 by Gov. Jim Edgar, Raymond served on the board from Jan. 1, 1996, until September of 1998. Then a resident of Glen Ellyn, he was vice president and general counsel for...

Marc Johnson, cellist of NIU’s world renowned Vermeer String Quartet, died April 8 in Cushing, Maine. He was 67. Johnson performed with the Vermeer from 1973 to 2007, when the four musicians ended their professional time together after four decades of circling the globe and playing an average of 70 concerts each year. “It’s probably...

Patricia Etnyre-Zacher, who taught in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences program of the College of Health and Human Sciences from 1986 to 2000, died March 24 in Ormund Beach, Fla. She was 70. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 26, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1145 N. Fifth Ave. in St. Charles....

Hallie J. Hamilton, who joined NIU in 1958 and taught journalism from 1961 until his retirement three decades later, died Thursday, Dec. 19, in DeKalb. He was 89. A World War II veteran, Hamilton created the photojournalism program at NIU. He also taught courses without cameras, including advertising copywriting, article writing, industrial editing, layout and even...

A. Oscar Haugland, professor of theory of composition in the NIU School of Music from 1960 until his retirement in 1992, died Monday, Dec. 16. He was 91. Born on a farm in southern Minnesota to Norwegian immigrants, he served three years in the U.S. Army, performing on French horn and piano and later as...