Northern Illinois University
Encyclopedia
Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a state university
and research institution located in DeKalb
, Illinois
, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates
, Naperville
, Rockford
, and Oregon
. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld as part of an expansion of the state's system for training college educated teachers. John G. Peters
has been president since 2000.
The university is composed of seven degree-granting
colleges and has a student body of 25,000 with over 225,000 alumni. Many of NIU's programs are nationally accredited
for meeting high standards of academic quality, including business, engineering, nursing, visual and performing arts, and all teacher certification programs. It is one of only two public universities in Illinois that compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
at the highest levels of all sports, Division 1. NIU's athletic teams are known as the Huskies
and compete in the Mid-American Conference
.
program established in 1857 in Normal, Illinois
. In 1895, the state legislature created a Board of Trustees for the governance of the Northern Illinois State Normal School, which would eventually grow into the what is today known as NIU.
In July, 1917, the Illinois Senate consolidated the boards of trustees for the five state normal schools (Eastern Illinois State Normal School
, Illinois State Normal School, Northern Illinois State Normal School, Southern Illinois State Normal University
, and Western Illinois State Normal School
) into one state Normal School Board.
Over the next fifty-eight years both the school and the governing board changed their names several times. In 1921, the legislature gave the institution the name Northern Illinois State Teachers College and empowered it to award the four-year Bachelor of Education degree. In 1941 the Normal School Board changed its name to the Teachers College Board. In 1951 the Teachers College Board authorized the college to grant the degree Master of Science in Education, and the institution’s Graduate School was established. On July 1, 1955, the state legislature renamed the college Northern Illinois State College and authorized the college to broaden its educational services by offering academic work in areas other than teacher education. The Teachers College Board granted permission for the college to add curricula leading to the degrees Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science. On July 1, 1957 the Seventieth General Assembly
renamed Northern Illinois State College as Northern Illinois University in recognition of its expanded status as a liberal arts
university.
In 1965, the Illinois State Teachers College Board became the Board of Governors of State Colleges and Universities and was reorganized to include Northeastern University, Governor's State, and Chicago State Universities. In 1967 authority for Northern Illinois University, Illinois State University, and Sangamon State University were passed on to a newly-formed Board of Regents. In 1984, the Board of Regents created the position of Chancellor for the three regent universities, to act as a chief executive for all three schools; the first person appointed chancellor was then-NIU President William R. Monat. The Board of Regents and the Chancellor governed the three Regency universities until the end of 1995. On January 1, 1996 authority each of the three regency universities was transferred to three independent Boards of Trustees, each concerned solely with one university.
A shooting took place on campus
at Cole Hall on February 14, 2008. Six people died in the shooting, including the perpetrator, making it the fourth-deadliest university shooting in United States history.
majors, 70 minors, nine pre-professional programs, and 79 graduate
programs, including a College of Law
, and over 20 areas of study leading to doctoral
degrees. Many of NIU's academic programs are nationally accredited for meeting the highest standards of academic quality and rigor, including business, engineering, nursing, visual and performing arts, and all teacher certification programs.
Washington Monthly ranks NIU as one of the top 150 research universities in the United States. Forbes
magazine, which does not separate small liberal arts colleges from large universities in its rankings, places NIU as #610 of 650 colleges and universities on its list, the lowest ranking assigned by Forbes to any public college in Illinois.
. NIU is also a member of the prominent Universities Research Association
that manages several federal physics laboratories including Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois
.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
recognizes Northern Illinois University as high-level research institution of higher education, based on breadth of research and academic programs. Carnegie categorizes Northern as: "RU/H: Research Universities (high research activity)." The Northern Illinois University Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry
was listed in the American Chemical Society
's trade journal Chemical & Engineering News
on September 26, 2005 as one of the top 25 producers of ACS-certified Bachelor of Science
degrees in chemistry in the United States.
Masters' degrees
Doctorate degrees
Currently, the Ph.D. is offered by 10 academic departments and the Ed.D. in six academic majors.
Other degrees
First-Year Connections hosts UNIV 101 (University Experience) and UNIV 201 (The Transfer Experience), which provide an invaluable introduction to college. These elective 1-credit, 12-week courses are designed to help new students adjust to NIU and develop the skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond. During the fall 2009, more than 62 percent of the freshman class enrolled in a UNIV 101 course. These courses have an average class size of 20 students and are designed to foster close interaction.
A new Academic Advising Center works with “undecided” students from the time they arrive on campus during orientation until they’ve selected a major . The student-centered staff advises students as they develop specialized academic plans compatible with student educational and life goals.
Resource centers serve African-American, Asian-American and Latino students as well as off-campus and non-traditional students, military veterans, lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender students and women.
Among the many services of the office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development are opportunities for local and far-reaching volunteerism, including NIU Cares Day, Rake Across DeKalb and alternative spring break programs.
The Counseling & Student Development Center supports the academic, emotional, social and cultural development of students through counseling, assessment, crisis response, outreach, consultation, training and educational services. Counselors help students to address personal challenges and acquire the attitudes, abilities and knowledge that will enable them to take full advantage of their college experience.
Health Enhancement strives to provide student-centered, relevant health promotion information, materials and interventions to assist students as they pursue their academic goals. The staff includes four health educators and a health consultant.
Northern View Community, which opened in 2008, offers an apartment living experience to undergraduate students who are at least two years post high school, graduate students, law students or any student who has a dependent and/or a partner or spouse.
The university’s DeKalb campus is in the process of a residential renaissance to ensure future students are able to obtain the best living and learning environment possible – from state-of-the-art new, technologically sophisticated residence halls built around a neighborhood theme with full amenities, to comfortable, functional public spaces. A brand new, 1,000-bed residence hall complex will open to all students in the fall of 2012. This new community will feature two residential buildings where students can live in small group clusters of 12. Additionally, Gilbert Hall, which has not been used as a residence hall since 1995, will undergo complete remodeling and renovation and reopen to students in the fall of 2013. As well, after an extensive renovation, Grant C Tower will reopened in fall 2011 with completely new accommodations and furnishings for NIU students. A second renovated tower of Grant will reopen in fall 2013.
The Huskie Bus Line, the largest student-run university bus system in Illinois, operates seven days a week while school is in session during the fall and spring semesters.
The Campus Life Building is home to the Campus Activities Board, Career Services, the Counseling and Student Development Center, the Honors Program, the Northern Star student newspaper, the Student Association and Student Involvement and Leadership Development.
Opened in 2002, the NIU Convocation Center is a 10,000-seat multipurpose facility that hosts more than 200 events each year, including concerts, family shows, theatrical productions, job fairs, trade shows, Huskie athletics and commencement ceremonies.
The Holmes Student Center provides places to study, computer labs, restaurants, the University Bookstore, a branch of TCF Bank
are more. It also is home to the Huskies Den, which features bowling, billiards, a video arcade and Xbox
and Xbox 360
gaming.
The Student Recreation Center is the main facility for Recreation Services. The building, serving approximately 2,000 patrons daily, features 100373 square feet (9,325 m²) of space, abundant state-of-the-art exercise and sports equipment, and numerous services to meet students' recreation, fitness and wellness needs.
Other recreation facilities include Chick Evans Field House, home to two large activity rooms with mirrors often used by dance clubs, a three-lane, 1/7-mile jogging and walking track, four multipurpose courts for basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer and floor hockey and a cardio- and strength-training room. Swimming pools are located in Anderson and Gabel Halls.
Panhellenic Council sororities include Alpha Delta Pi
, Alpha Phi
, Alpha Sigma Alpha
, Delta Gamma
, Delta Zeta
, Sigma Kappa
, Sigma Lambda Sigma and Sigma Sigma Sigma
.
National Pan-Hellenic sororities include Alpha Kappa Alpha
, Alpha Phi Alpha
, Delta Sigma Theta
, Iota Phi Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi
, Omega Psi Phi
, Phi Beta Sigma
, Sigma Gamma Rho
and Zeta Phi Beta
.
Interfraternity Council fraternities include Alpha Epsilon Pi
, Alpha Kappa Lambda
, Delta Upsilon
, Omega Delta
, Phi Kappa Psi
, Phi Kappa Sigma
, Phi Kappa Theta
, Phi Sigma Kappa
, Pi Kappa Alpha
, Pi Kappa Phi
, Sigma Alpha Epsilon
, Sigma Alpha Mu
, Sigma Nu
, Sigma Pi
and Tau Kappa Epsilon
.
Multicultural Greek Council fraternities and sororities include Alpha Phi Gamma
, Alpha Psi Lambda
, Alpha Sigma Omega, Chi Sigma Tau
, Gamma Phi Omega, Kappa Phi Lambda
, Kappa Pi Beta, Lambda Upsilon Lambda
, Phi Rho Eta
, Sigma Lambda Beta
, Sigma Lambda Gamma
and Tau Phi Sigma
.
NIU’s School of Music also is home to the internationally renowned NIU Jazz Ensemble and NIU Steelband as well the Avalon String Quartet, described by the Chicago Tribune as “an ensemble that invites you – ears, mind and spirit – into its music.”
The NIU Art Museum, which has several galleries in Altgeld Hall, hosts several shows of professional works. The campus also houses an anthropology museum (scheduled to reopen in the fall of 2011), the Blackwell History of Education Museum, the Burma Art Collection and the theater-based Historic Scenic Collection.
The Department of Communication sponsors the annual Reality Bytes Film Festival, created in 2002 by media studies professor Laura Vazquez to give NIU students the ability to competitively screen their work. The 2011 festival received more than 40 entries from across the country and as far away as Cuba, South Africa and Australia.
from 1920-1967. Currently, the NIU Huskies compete in the Mid-American Conference
.
NIU's athletic department experienced large growth in reputation in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Almost completely unknown to observers from outside of Illinois before the mid-1990s, the Huskies were ranked as high as 10th in the 2003 AP College Football poll after victories against BCS opponents #14 Maryland (who finished that season at #17), #21 Alabama and Iowa State. In 2010, NIU football had its first undefeated MAC regular season (8-0), and cracked the top 25 in Associated Press and Coaches Polls.
lots for football games. There is also a baseball field, Ralph McKinzie Field, a softball field, Mary M. Bell Field, a soccer field, Huskie Soccer Complex, and tennis courts, Gullikson Tennis Courts, which flank Huskie Stadium. At the Stadium's north end zone is the $14-million Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon Academic and Athletic Performance Center whose namesakes donated $2.5 million in the fall of 2006 to help with the construction. The facility opened in August 2007.
On the far west side of campus is the Convocation Center
, a state-of-the-art 10,000 seat arena which hosts NIU Men's and Women's Basketball, Gymnastics, Wrestling, and Volleyball, Victor E. Court, games, the opening Convocation Ceremony for incoming freshmen, music concerts, and a variety of events throughout the year including Job Fairs, Internship Fairs, and other expositions.
The residence halls, located in the same area as the above athletic facilities, are also flanked by numerous sand volleyball areas, a large quad between the dorms, basketball courts, skating courts, Eco Lake, and open fields for recreation.
At the corner of Annie Glidden Road and Lucinda Avenue is the Chick Evans Field House
, a building which consists of a series of gymnasiums, which has since been under-used since the basketball team moved to the Convocation Center. The fieldhouse continues to host expositions and sporting events of a smaller scale, and is the headquarters for the campus ROTC program.
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
and research institution located in DeKalb
DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43,862 at the 2010 census, up from 39,018 at the 2000 census. The city is named after decorated German war hero Johann De Kalb, who died during the American Revolutionary War....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Hoffman Estates is a northwestern suburb of Chicago in Illinois. The village is located primarily in Cook County with a small section in Kane County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 49,495 and estimated to be 52,520 in 2003...
, Naperville
Naperville, Illinois
Naperville is a city in DuPage and Will Counties in Illinois in the United States, voted the second best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine in 2006. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 141,853. It is the fifth largest city in the state, behind Chicago,...
, Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, and Oregon
Oregon, Illinois
Oregon is a city located in Ogle County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 3,721, down from 4,060 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ogle County.- History :...
. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld as part of an expansion of the state's system for training college educated teachers. John G. Peters
John G. Peters
John G. Peters is the current president of Northern Illinois University . He is NIU's eleventh chief executive officer, and oversees a comprehensive university with seven colleges and nearly 25,000 students engaged in 120 areas of study....
has been president since 2000.
The university is composed of seven degree-granting
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
colleges and has a student body of 25,000 with over 225,000 alumni. Many of NIU's programs are nationally accredited
Higher education accreditation
Higher education accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of post-secondary educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
for meeting high standards of academic quality, including business, engineering, nursing, visual and performing arts, and all teacher certification programs. It is one of only two public universities in Illinois that compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
at the highest levels of all sports, Division 1. NIU's athletic teams are known as the Huskies
Northern Illinois Huskies
The Northern Illinois Huskies are the athletic teams that represent Northern Illinois University. The Huskies are a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Mid-American Conference...
and compete in the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
.
History
Northern Illinois University was founded as part of the expansion of the normal schoolNormal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
program established in 1857 in Normal, Illinois
Normal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
. In 1895, the state legislature created a Board of Trustees for the governance of the Northern Illinois State Normal School, which would eventually grow into the what is today known as NIU.
In July, 1917, the Illinois Senate consolidated the boards of trustees for the five state normal schools (Eastern Illinois State Normal School
Eastern Illinois University
Eastern Illinois University is a state university located in Charleston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a comprehensive university with a...
, Illinois State Normal School, Northern Illinois State Normal School, Southern Illinois State Normal University
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...
, and Western Illinois State Normal School
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
) into one state Normal School Board.
Over the next fifty-eight years both the school and the governing board changed their names several times. In 1921, the legislature gave the institution the name Northern Illinois State Teachers College and empowered it to award the four-year Bachelor of Education degree. In 1941 the Normal School Board changed its name to the Teachers College Board. In 1951 the Teachers College Board authorized the college to grant the degree Master of Science in Education, and the institution’s Graduate School was established. On July 1, 1955, the state legislature renamed the college Northern Illinois State College and authorized the college to broaden its educational services by offering academic work in areas other than teacher education. The Teachers College Board granted permission for the college to add curricula leading to the degrees Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science. On July 1, 1957 the Seventieth General Assembly
Illinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
renamed Northern Illinois State College as Northern Illinois University in recognition of its expanded status as a liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
university.
In 1965, the Illinois State Teachers College Board became the Board of Governors of State Colleges and Universities and was reorganized to include Northeastern University, Governor's State, and Chicago State Universities. In 1967 authority for Northern Illinois University, Illinois State University, and Sangamon State University were passed on to a newly-formed Board of Regents. In 1984, the Board of Regents created the position of Chancellor for the three regent universities, to act as a chief executive for all three schools; the first person appointed chancellor was then-NIU President William R. Monat. The Board of Regents and the Chancellor governed the three Regency universities until the end of 1995. On January 1, 1996 authority each of the three regency universities was transferred to three independent Boards of Trustees, each concerned solely with one university.
A shooting took place on campus
Northern Illinois University shooting
The Northern Illinois University shooting was a school shooting that took place on February 14, 2008, during which Steven Kazmierczak shot multiple people on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, killing five and injuring twenty-one, before committing...
at Cole Hall on February 14, 2008. Six people died in the shooting, including the perpetrator, making it the fourth-deadliest university shooting in United States history.
Academics
NIU has seven degree-granting colleges that together offer more than 60 undergraduateAcademic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
majors, 70 minors, nine pre-professional programs, and 79 graduate
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
programs, including a College of Law
Northern Illinois University College of Law
Northern Illinois University College of Law is a law school in DeKalb, Illinois. The College offers the Juris Doctor degree in both full-time and part-time programs.-History:...
, and over 20 areas of study leading to doctoral
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
degrees. Many of NIU's academic programs are nationally accredited for meeting the highest standards of academic quality and rigor, including business, engineering, nursing, visual and performing arts, and all teacher certification programs.
Rankings
NIU is ranked as a National University by the U.S. News & World Report, where it typically places in the fourth quartile. However, in the most recent 2012 edition, NIU was ranked (194) making the third quartile rank. The same publication also ranks NIU as 41st best in the country for Public Affairs programs, and within that field, NIU's program in City Management & Urban Policy is ranked #3 in the nation and the Public Finance & Budgeting program at #13.Washington Monthly ranks NIU as one of the top 150 research universities in the United States. Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine, which does not separate small liberal arts colleges from large universities in its rankings, places NIU as #610 of 650 colleges and universities on its list, the lowest ranking assigned by Forbes to any public college in Illinois.
Science & research
NIU is a member of the Association of Public and Land-Grant UniversitiesAssociation of Public and Land-Grant Universities
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities is an American voluntary, non-profit association of public research universities, land-grant institutions, and state university systems. It has member campuses in all 50 states and the U.S. territories...
. NIU is also a member of the prominent Universities Research Association
Universities Research Association
The Universities Research Association, Inc. is a consortium of 87 leading research oriented universities, primarily in the United States, with members in Canada, Japan, and Italy. It is based in Washington, D.C.- History and purpose :...
that manages several federal physics laboratories including Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois
Batavia, Illinois
Batavia was founded in 1833, and is the oldest city in Kane County, Illinois, with a small portion in DuPage County. During the Industrial Revolution, Batavia became known as ‘The Windmill City’ for being the largest windmill producer of the time...
.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center, whose primary activities of research and writing have resulted in published reports on every level...
recognizes Northern Illinois University as high-level research institution of higher education, based on breadth of research and academic programs. Carnegie categorizes Northern as: "RU/H: Research Universities (high research activity)." The Northern Illinois University Department of Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
was listed in the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
's trade journal Chemical & Engineering News
Chemical & Engineering News
Chemical & Engineering News is a weekly magazine published by the American Chemical Society, providing professional and technical information in the fields of chemistry and chemical engineering...
on September 26, 2005 as one of the top 25 producers of ACS-certified Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degrees in chemistry in the United States.
Other programs
- The NIU School of Theatre and Dance has a unique relationship with the Moscow Art TheatreMoscow Art TheatreThe Moscow Art Theatre is a theatre company in Moscow that the seminal Russian theatre practitioner Constantin Stanislavski, together with the playwright and director Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, founded in 1898. It was conceived as a venue for naturalistic theatre, in contrast to the melodramas...
School. Graduate students spend a month training in Moscow, while the undergraduates participate in a semester-long program. - The NIU Terminal Masters Program in Philosophy is recognized nationally as having a strong faculty and a good PhD placement record.
Degrees
Undergraduate degrees- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
- Bachelor of General Studies (B.G.S.)
- Bachelor of Music (B.M.)
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
- Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.)
Masters' degrees
- Master of Accounting Science (M.A.S.)
- Master of Arts (M.A.)
- Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
- Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)
- Master of Music (M.M.)
- Master of Physical Therapy (M.P.T.)
- Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)
- Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.)
- Master of Science in Taxation (M.S.T.)
Doctorate degrees
- Juris Doctor (J.D.)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Currently, the Ph.D. is offered by 10 academic departments and the Ed.D. in six academic majors.
Other degrees
- Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)
- Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.)
- Performer’s Certificate
Programs
NIU’s Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management hosts numerous programs to enhance students’ learning and living experience on campus.First-Year Connections hosts UNIV 101 (University Experience) and UNIV 201 (The Transfer Experience), which provide an invaluable introduction to college. These elective 1-credit, 12-week courses are designed to help new students adjust to NIU and develop the skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond. During the fall 2009, more than 62 percent of the freshman class enrolled in a UNIV 101 course. These courses have an average class size of 20 students and are designed to foster close interaction.
A new Academic Advising Center works with “undecided” students from the time they arrive on campus during orientation until they’ve selected a major . The student-centered staff advises students as they develop specialized academic plans compatible with student educational and life goals.
Resource centers serve African-American, Asian-American and Latino students as well as off-campus and non-traditional students, military veterans, lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender students and women.
Among the many services of the office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development are opportunities for local and far-reaching volunteerism, including NIU Cares Day, Rake Across DeKalb and alternative spring break programs.
The Counseling & Student Development Center supports the academic, emotional, social and cultural development of students through counseling, assessment, crisis response, outreach, consultation, training and educational services. Counselors help students to address personal challenges and acquire the attitudes, abilities and knowledge that will enable them to take full advantage of their college experience.
Health Enhancement strives to provide student-centered, relevant health promotion information, materials and interventions to assist students as they pursue their academic goals. The staff includes four health educators and a health consultant.
Residence halls
NIU’s five residence halls (including two complexes with four 13-story towers each) provide several living options to on-campus students. Living-learning floors include the Health Professions House; Business Careers House; Teacher Education and Certification House (TEACH); Honors House; International House; Science, Engineering & Technology House; and Fine Arts House. Other floor options include all-men, all-women, transfers, quiet lifestyle and alcohol-free.Northern View Community, which opened in 2008, offers an apartment living experience to undergraduate students who are at least two years post high school, graduate students, law students or any student who has a dependent and/or a partner or spouse.
The university’s DeKalb campus is in the process of a residential renaissance to ensure future students are able to obtain the best living and learning environment possible – from state-of-the-art new, technologically sophisticated residence halls built around a neighborhood theme with full amenities, to comfortable, functional public spaces. A brand new, 1,000-bed residence hall complex will open to all students in the fall of 2012. This new community will feature two residential buildings where students can live in small group clusters of 12. Additionally, Gilbert Hall, which has not been used as a residence hall since 1995, will undergo complete remodeling and renovation and reopen to students in the fall of 2013. As well, after an extensive renovation, Grant C Tower will reopened in fall 2011 with completely new accommodations and furnishings for NIU students. A second renovated tower of Grant will reopen in fall 2013.
The Huskie Bus Line, the largest student-run university bus system in Illinois, operates seven days a week while school is in session during the fall and spring semesters.
Facilities
NIU’s Campus Child Care Center offers high quality care to children ages 2 months to 5 years, along with a summer school program for children ages 6 to 8. Enrollment is secured on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given first to currently enrolled families, followed by NIU students; NIU faculty and staff and the community. The center is licensed through the State of Illinois and accredited through the Academy of Early Childhood Program Accreditation.The Campus Life Building is home to the Campus Activities Board, Career Services, the Counseling and Student Development Center, the Honors Program, the Northern Star student newspaper, the Student Association and Student Involvement and Leadership Development.
Opened in 2002, the NIU Convocation Center is a 10,000-seat multipurpose facility that hosts more than 200 events each year, including concerts, family shows, theatrical productions, job fairs, trade shows, Huskie athletics and commencement ceremonies.
The Holmes Student Center provides places to study, computer labs, restaurants, the University Bookstore, a branch of TCF Bank
TCF Bank
TCF Bank is the wholly owned banking subsidiary of TCF Financial Corporation, a bank holding company headquartered in Wayzata, Minnesota. TCF Bank is nationally chartered and operates 440 bank branches....
are more. It also is home to the Huskies Den, which features bowling, billiards, a video arcade and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
gaming.
The Student Recreation Center is the main facility for Recreation Services. The building, serving approximately 2,000 patrons daily, features 100373 square feet (9,325 m²) of space, abundant state-of-the-art exercise and sports equipment, and numerous services to meet students' recreation, fitness and wellness needs.
Other recreation facilities include Chick Evans Field House, home to two large activity rooms with mirrors often used by dance clubs, a three-lane, 1/7-mile jogging and walking track, four multipurpose courts for basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer and floor hockey and a cardio- and strength-training room. Swimming pools are located in Anderson and Gabel Halls.
Organizations
NIU is home to more than 400 student organizations, including a host of recreational sports clubs including lacrosse, volleyball, rugby, swimming, and hockey. Groups embrace interests from academics, advocacy, athletics and the arts to community service, ethnicity, politics and religion.Panhellenic Council sororities include Alpha Delta Pi
Alpha Delta Pi
Alpha Delta Pi is a fraternity founded on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The Executive office for this sorority is located on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Alpha Delta Pi is one of the two "Macon Magnolias," a term used to celebrate the bonds it shares with Phi Mu...
, Alpha Phi
Alpha Phi
Alpha Phi International Women's Fraternity was founded at Syracuse University on September 18, 1872. Alpha Phi currently has 152 active chapters and over 200,000 initiated members. Its celebrated Founders' Day is October 10. It was the third Greek-letter organization founded for women. In Alpha...
, Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha is a US national sorority founded on November 15, 1901 at the Virginia State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia...
, Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.-History:...
, Delta Zeta
Delta Zeta
Delta Zeta is an international college sorority founded on October 24, 1902, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Today, Delta Zeta has 158 collegiate chapters in the United States and over 200 alumnae chapters in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada...
, Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa is a sorority founded in 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, Frances Elliott Mann Hall and Louise Helen Coburn...
, Sigma Lambda Sigma and Sigma Sigma Sigma
Sigma Sigma Sigma
Sigma Sigma Sigma , also known as Tri Sigma, is a national American women’s sorority with membership of more than 100,000 members. Sigma Sigma Sigma is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference and hosts chapters on more than 110 college campuses and 89 alumnae chapters in communities all...
.
National Pan-Hellenic sororities include Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
, Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
, Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
, Iota Phi Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
, Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
, Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
, Sigma Gamma Rho
Sigma Gamma Rho
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Butler University on November 12, 1922, by seven school teachers in Indianapolis, Indiana...
and Zeta Phi Beta
Zeta Phi Beta
Zeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered sorority and a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.Zeta Phi Beta is organized into 800+ chapters, in eight intercontinental regions including the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean...
.
Interfraternity Council fraternities include Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi , the Global Jewish college fraternity, has 155 active chapters in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Israel with a membership of over 9,000 undergraduates...
, Alpha Kappa Lambda
Alpha Kappa Lambda
Alpha Kappa Lambda is an American collegiate social fraternity for men founded at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1914...
, Delta Upsilon
Delta Upsilon
Delta Upsilon is the sixth oldest international, all-male, college Greek-letter organization, and is the oldest non-secret fraternity in North America...
, Omega Delta
Omega Delta
Omega Delta is a multi-cultural social fraternity founded in the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Alpha Chapter was established on January 19, 1997; the organization has since expanded to seven chapters, six campuses in the state of Illinois, and a seventh chapter at...
, Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
, Phi Kappa Sigma
Phi Kappa Sigma
Phi Kappa Sigma is an international all-male college social fraternity. Its members are known as "Phi Kaps", "Skulls" and sometimes "Skullhouse", the latter two because of the skull and crossbones on the Fraternity's badge and coat of arms. Phi Kappa Sigma was founded by Dr. Samuel Brown Wylie...
, Phi Kappa Theta
Phi Kappa Theta
Phi Kappa Theta is a national social fraternity with over 50 chapters and colonies at universities across the United States. "Phi Kaps", as they are commonly referred to colloquially, are known for diversity among their brothers and a dedication to service.-History:Phi Kappa Theta was established...
, Phi Sigma Kappa
Phi Sigma Kappa
-Phi Sigma Kappa's Creed and Cardinal Principles:The 1934 Convention in Ann Arbor brought more changes for the fraternity. Brother Stewart W. Herman of Gettysburg wrote and presented the Creed, and Brother Ralph Watts of Massachusetts drafted and presented the Cardinal Principles.-World War II:The...
, Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
, Pi Kappa Phi
Pi Kappa Phi
Pi Kappa Phi is an American social fraternity. It was founded by Andrew Alexander Kroeg, Jr., Lawrence Harry Mixson, and Simon Fogarty, Jr. on December 10, 1904 at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina...
, Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
, Sigma Alpha Mu
Sigma Alpha Mu
Sigma Alpha Mu , also known as "Sammy", is a college fraternity founded at the City College of New York in 1909. Originally only for Jewish men, Sigma Alpha Mu remained so until 1953, when members from all backgrounds were accepted. Originally headquartered in New York, Sigma Alpha Mu has...
, Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu is an undergraduate, college fraternity with chapters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869 by three cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia...
, Sigma Pi
Sigma Pi
Sigma Pi is an international college secret and social fraternity founded in 1897 at Vincennes University. Sigma Pi International fraternity currently has 127 chapters and 4 colonies in the United States and Canada and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee...
and Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon is a college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University with chapters in the United States, and Canada, and affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent...
.
Multicultural Greek Council fraternities and sororities include Alpha Phi Gamma
Alpha Phi Gamma (sorority)
Alpha Phi Gamma is an Asian-interest sorority founded on February 1, 1994 at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.-History and Purpose:...
, Alpha Psi Lambda
Alpha Psi Lambda
Alpha Psi Lambda Fraternity , is a co-educational, Latino-oriented Greek letterintercollegiate fraternity. It was the first such organization for Latino college students in the United States...
, Alpha Sigma Omega, Chi Sigma Tau
Chi Sigma Tau
Chi Sigma Tau is an Asian-interest fraternity founded on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago on September 9, 1999...
, Gamma Phi Omega, Kappa Phi Lambda
Kappa Phi Lambda
Kappa Phi LambdaΚΦΛFounded:March 9, 1995 atThe State University of New York, BinghamtonFounders:* Elizabeth Choi* Karen Eng* Rei Hirasawa* Hee Cho Moon* Chae Yoo Park* Samantha Somchanhmavong* Connie Yang...
, Kappa Pi Beta, Lambda Upsilon Lambda
Lambda Upsilon Lambda
La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity was established on February 19, 1982 in order to address the shortcomings of academic institutions in meeting and addressing the needs of Latino students in higher education...
, Phi Rho Eta
Phi Rho Eta
Phi Rho Eta is a nationally incorporated, fraternity that was founded on August 22, 1994 at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois...
, Sigma Lambda Beta
Sigma Lambda Beta
Sigma Lambda Beta is the largest Latino-based social fraternity established on cultural understanding and wisdom. Founded on April 4, 1986 at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, the organization is committed to create and expand multicultural leadership, promote academic excellence, advance...
, Sigma Lambda Gamma
Sigma Lambda Gamma
Sigma Lambda Gamma ' is a historically Latina-based national sorority with multicultural membership founded on April 9, 1990, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.-History:...
and Tau Phi Sigma
Tau Phi Sigma
Tau Phi Sigma, ΤΦΣ, is a multicultural college fraternity, founded on November 11, 1992 at the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign...
.
Arts and Culture
Students and faculty in NIU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts host dozens of art exhibitions, musical concerts and theatrical and dance productions throughout the year. Many are free.NIU’s School of Music also is home to the internationally renowned NIU Jazz Ensemble and NIU Steelband as well the Avalon String Quartet, described by the Chicago Tribune as “an ensemble that invites you – ears, mind and spirit – into its music.”
The NIU Art Museum, which has several galleries in Altgeld Hall, hosts several shows of professional works. The campus also houses an anthropology museum (scheduled to reopen in the fall of 2011), the Blackwell History of Education Museum, the Burma Art Collection and the theater-based Historic Scenic Collection.
The Department of Communication sponsors the annual Reality Bytes Film Festival, created in 2002 by media studies professor Laura Vazquez to give NIU students the ability to competitively screen their work. The 2011 festival received more than 40 entries from across the country and as far away as Cuba, South Africa and Australia.
Athletics
Affliation
NIU was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceIllinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was a college athletic conference that existed from 1908 to 1970 in the United States.-History:...
from 1920-1967. Currently, the NIU Huskies compete in the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
.
NIU's athletic department experienced large growth in reputation in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Almost completely unknown to observers from outside of Illinois before the mid-1990s, the Huskies were ranked as high as 10th in the 2003 AP College Football poll after victories against BCS opponents #14 Maryland (who finished that season at #17), #21 Alabama and Iowa State. In 2010, NIU football had its first undefeated MAC regular season (8-0), and cracked the top 25 in Associated Press and Coaches Polls.
Athletic facilities
On the west side of campus is Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium, the home of NIU football games, which also often hosts other significant outdoor events. Huskie Stadium, which has a seating capacity over 30,000, is surrounded by large open grassy areas which provide recreation, and also serve as the tailgatingTailgate party
In the United States, a tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games and...
lots for football games. There is also a baseball field, Ralph McKinzie Field, a softball field, Mary M. Bell Field, a soccer field, Huskie Soccer Complex, and tennis courts, Gullikson Tennis Courts, which flank Huskie Stadium. At the Stadium's north end zone is the $14-million Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon Academic and Athletic Performance Center whose namesakes donated $2.5 million in the fall of 2006 to help with the construction. The facility opened in August 2007.
On the far west side of campus is the Convocation Center
Convocation Center (Northern Illinois University)
Northern Illinois University's Convocation Center is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena, at 1525 W Lincoln Hwy, in DeKalb, Illinois, 60115-2854, USA. The arena opened in 2002. The Convocation Center is home to both the Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball and women's basketball teams,...
, a state-of-the-art 10,000 seat arena which hosts NIU Men's and Women's Basketball, Gymnastics, Wrestling, and Volleyball, Victor E. Court, games, the opening Convocation Ceremony for incoming freshmen, music concerts, and a variety of events throughout the year including Job Fairs, Internship Fairs, and other expositions.
The residence halls, located in the same area as the above athletic facilities, are also flanked by numerous sand volleyball areas, a large quad between the dorms, basketball courts, skating courts, Eco Lake, and open fields for recreation.
At the corner of Annie Glidden Road and Lucinda Avenue is the Chick Evans Field House
Chick Evans Field House
The Chick Evans Field House is a 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena in DeKalb, Illinois, USA. The arena opened in 1956 and was home to the Northern Illinois University Huskies basketball team prior to the opening of the Convocation Center in 2002. The building is now used for recreation, housing...
, a building which consists of a series of gymnasiums, which has since been under-used since the basketball team moved to the Convocation Center. The fieldhouse continues to host expositions and sporting events of a smaller scale, and is the headquarters for the campus ROTC program.
Titles and highlights
- In 1982 the women's badminton team won the AIAW national collegiate championship.
- In 1983, the Huskies grabbed their first-ever bowl win, defeating, defeating Cal State Fullerton in the California BowlCalifornia BowlThe California Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game played annually at Bulldog Stadium in Fresno, California, from 1981 to 1991. The games matched the championship teams from the Big West Conference with teams from the Mid-American Conference...
. - 2004 Silicon Valley Classic, NIU defeats Troy State.
- In 2010, the NI Men's Rugby Club were champions of CARFU, the Chicago Area Rugby Football Union.
- From 2008-2010, the NIU Huskies football teamNorthern Illinois Huskies footballThe Northern Illinois Huskies football team represents Northern Illinois University in the Mid-American Conference of the NCAA's Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision.-History:...
made three straight bowl appearances.
University presidents
- John Williston Cook (1899-1919)
- J. Stanley Brown (1919-1927)
- Joseph Clifton Brown (1927-1929)
- Karl L. Adams (1929-1948)
- Leslie A. Holmes (1949-1967)
- Rhoten A. Smith (1967-1971)
- Richard J. Nelson (1971-1978)
- William R. Monat (1978-1984)
- Clyde Wingfield (1985-1986)
- John E. La Tourette (1986-2000)
- John G. Peters (2000-present)
External links
- NIU Today
- NIU Student Association
- Official Athletic website
- Official Alumni Association website
- Northern Star student newspaper
- Campus map
- NIU HUSKIE FANSITE
- NIU Huskie Stadium Hotels
- NIUFans.com
- NIU College of Education
- NIU School of Theatre and Dance
- NIU Libraries
- The NIU Foundation
- NIU College of Law