Northern Illinois University
Motto	Forward, Together Forward
Established	1895
Type	Public
Endowment	$150 million
President	John G. Peters
Provost	Raymond W. Alden III
Students	25,313
Undergraduates	18,816
Postgraduates	6,497
Location	DeKalb, Illinois, United States
Nickname	Huskies
Colors	Cardinal and Black
Website	http://www.niu.edu/

Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public university located in DeKalb, Illinois, United States. It was founded on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld as a satellite campus for what is now Illinois State University. Today named Northern Illinois University, it is an independent public university and has grown larger than its parent school with a student enrollment of more than 25,000.^[1] NIU is a member of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges^[2] and is the second largest university in the state of Illinois after University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. NIU's main campus is located approximately 65 miles (104 km) west of Chicago. The university has satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon.

Over the past three decades NIU has undergone tremendous expansion, including the addition of its College of Law in 1979. Today, the university is composed of eight degree-granting colleges that together offer 56 undergraduate and 74 graduate programs, as well as 12 doctoral programs.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Governance 1.2 Growth 1.3 February 2008 shooting 2 Rankings 2.1 General rankings 2.2 Departmental rankings 3 Living on campus 3.1 Residence halls 3.2 Off-campus housing 4 Student life 4.1 Student facilities 4.2 Organizations 4.2.1 Greek life 4.2.2 Student Association 4.2.3 Campus Activities Board 5 Athletics 5.1 Athletic facilities 6 Notable alumni 7 References 8 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Governance

Northern Illinois University was founded through the creation of a Board of Trustees for the governance of the Northern Illinois State Normal School, as part of the expansion of the normal school program established in 1857 in Normal, Illinois. In July, 1917, the Illinois Senate consolidated the boards of trustees for the five state normal schools into one state Normal School Board (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)

Over the next fifty-eight years both the school and the governing board had their names change several times. In 1931, the legislature gave the institution the name Northern Illinois State Teachers College and empowered it to award the four-year degree Bachelor of Education. 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 the Board of Regents which governed the three Regency universities until the board was disbanded at the end of 1995. On January 1, 1996 authority for Northern Illinois University was transferred to an independent Board of Trustees.^[3]

[edit] Growth

The Northern Illinois State Normal School opened its doors to 163 students on September 11, 1899. Over the course of the 20th century, NIU underwent tremendous expansion, growing into a comprehensive teaching and research institution with a student enrollment of more than 25,000.

[edit] February 2008 shooting

The Northern Illinois University shooting was a school shooting that took place on February 14, 2008, during which a gunman shot multiple people on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, killing six and wounding eighteen.

The incident happened on the campus's Cole Hall at approximately 3:05 p.m. local time. The school placed the campus on lockdown; students and teachers were advised to head to a secure location, take cover, and avoid the scene and all buildings in the vicinity of the area.[4] Six people died in the incident, including the perpetrator, making it the fourth-deadliest university shooting in United States history.

[edit] Rankings

[edit] General rankings

• NIU is classified by U.S. News & World Report as a "National University" (a school conducting significant research and awarding degrees up to the doctoral level).^[4] In that category, NIU is listed in the fourth-tier rankings—i.e., within the lowest 25 percent of schools in the National University category.^[5][6][7][8]
• The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching recognizes Northern Illinois University as an elite institution of higher education, based on breadth of research and academic programs. Carnegie categorizes Northern as: "RU/H: Research Universities (high research activity)."^[9] NIU is also member of the Universities Research Association, a group of 89 research universities from around the globe.^[10]

[edit] Departmental rankings

• For the last ten years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked the Northern Illinois University College of Business as among the best business colleges in the country. In 2006, the NIU College of Business continued to be ranked as among the nation's best by making the listing of "America's Best Colleges and Programs" (2007).
• 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.
• NIU's Accountancy program is nationally prominent. In 2005, Public Accounting Report ranked NIU's graduate program 10th in the nation, while undergraduate ranked 11th. According to Public Accounting Report, NIU has remained in the top twenty programs for 18 consecutive years. In the 2006 edition, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Accountancy program in the top 25, out of 450 programs nationwide.
• Northern Illinois University's graduate program in Public Administration (MPA) was ranked 40th in the nation by US News & World Report in 2008, with its City/Urban Management specialization ranking 3rd best in the United States.

• NIU's College of Business moved to its new building in Fall 2002, located on the far northeast corner of campus. The 144,000-square-foot (13,400 m²) facility, combines classrooms, computer labs, a 375-seat auditorium, specialized labs, faculty and staff offices, and spaces for studying, meeting, and even eating. The core of the building contains a large atrium space complete with a cafe.
• The NIU School of Theatre and Dance has a unique relationship with the Moscow Art Theatre 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.^[11]

[edit] Living on campus

[edit] Residence halls

The first residence halls were built to house women only. This is still the case in Stevenson East Wing. Williston Hall, in 1915, was named after Northern's first President, John Williston Cook. It provided such luxuries for women students as formal table cloths, fresh cut flowers on cafeteria tables, and oriental rugs in the common rooms and was also home to the annual Christmas Ball – a formal dance in which men wore tuxedos and women wore evening dresses. Williston Hall was converted into administrative offices in 1969. It currently houses the Office of Admissions, Records and Registration, Educational Services and Programs, Division of International Programs, University Office of Teacher Certification and the Transfer Center.

Adams Hall opened in 1949 and is named for Carl L. Adams, President of NIU from 1929-1948. Joliet marble shaped in a Collegiate Gothic design constitutes the exterior of the building that provided nearly luxurious accommodations, not found on campus today. Women students were provided with amenities such as furnished linens laundered twice a week, Bavarian china and fine silver for meal service, and silver hollowware for tea each afternoon. The building was converted for administrative use in 1967. It currently houses the Graduate School, the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Testing Services, the Office for Teaching Assistant Training and Development, the Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center and faculty offices. It also is home to the Chandelier Room, a nonprofit, student-run dining and catering service. Students in the School of Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences (FCNS) work in the Chandelier Room for laboratory experience for food service courses.

The first men's dormitory, Gilbert Hall, opened in 1952. It was named for Newell D. Gilbert, a prominent early faculty member (1899-1924). After turning coed, it was also converted to an office building housing the Office of Publications.

Northern Illinois University currently has five dormitory complexes (Neptune, Lincoln, Douglas, Grant and Stevenson). All freshmen attending NIU who aren't living at their family home are required to live in the residence halls their first year; after that, they can choose to continue living on-campus or choose to move off-campus.

The Neptune Hall Complex is centrally located on campus, right next to the Holmes Student Center, and serves a large population of art, theater, and music students. The buildings are made of red brick and are about 3-4 stories. Originally for women only, it was built over a period of several years. Neptune North opened in 1955, Neptune West in 1959, and Neptune East along with Neptune Central, the dining-recreation center, in 1960. The complex was named for Celine Neptune, another prominent faculty member (1922-1948).

The remaining dormitories, located west of Annie Glidden Road, were built in two phases and named for prominent Illinois politicians. The older two complexes Lincoln and Douglas opened in 1962 and 1963. Each complex consists of four five-story halls which connect to alternating sides of an octagonal one story common building containing a cafeteria and multi-purpose rooms.

Grant Towers opened in 1966. Stevenson Towers were opened in two phases in 1967 and 1968. They lie to the northwest of Lincoln and Douglas. These two high rise complexes are also nearly-identical to each other. Each features four 12-story triangular-shaped towers which connect to a low rise rectangular building housing cafeteria and multi-purpose rooms. A university bus system serves all of the above residence halls with several stops across campus.

[edit] Off-campus housing

Since the residence halls only provide housing for about a third of the students at NIU, large areas of off-campus housing in close proximity to the campus exist. There exists a large section of student housing north of campus, including townhomes, apartments and the houses of "Greek Row", as well as the University Plaza, which offers dorm-style living. A secondary area of student housing exists in the form of apartment complexes along Lincoln Highway, south of campus. Both areas are heavily populated by students and are serviced by separate lines on the NIU student-funded Huskie Bus Line.^[12]

[edit] Student life

[edit] Student facilities

Facilities that exist on campus to enhance Student Life include the Campus Life Building, which serves as the headquarters for the Student Association, Campus Activities Board, Northern Star newspaper, and offices for a variety of important groups on campus. There is also a meeting room here.

Additional facilities include the Holmes Student Center, which serves as the headquarters for visitors on campus, featuring a hotel, numerous offices, classrooms, meeting rooms, banquet halls, lounges, and a food court anchored by Subway. A branch of TCF Bank is also located here. In the basement of the Holmes Student Center is the Huskie's Den, which features bowling lanes, billiards, video games, and other entertainment offerings for students.

On the west side of campus near the residence halls is the sprawling Campus Recreational Building, which offers students a weight room, aerobics mats, a gymnasium, and a large room featuring dozens of treadmills as well as more weight machines, elliptical machines, and also stationary bicycles. Also on the west side of campus is the recently-built Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center, located just east of Huskie Stadium, which serves as an important visitors center and banquet venue for formal events on campus.

[edit] Organizations

Over 300 student organizations exist on campus, including a large community of Fraternities and Sororities, political groups including the College Democrats and College Republicans, advocacy groups such as the LGBT Resource Center and Black Student Union, religious organizations, special-interest groups, academic clubs, intramural organizations, Anime Association of NIU, and so forth.

[edit] Greek life

Sororities at NIU include Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Theta Sigma, Sigma Gamma Rho, Zeta Phi Beta, Alpha Delta Pi, Sigma Kappa, Delta Zeta, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Sigma Alpha Iota, Alpha Phi, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Sigma Lambda Sigma, and Delta Gamma.

Fraternities at NIU include Chi Sigma Tau, Iota Phi Theta, Alpha Phi Alpha, Phi Beta Sigma, Kappa Alpha Psi, Kappa Pi Beta,Omega Psi Phi, Phi Sigma Kappa, Phi Sigma Zeta, Pi Kappa Phi, Omega Delta, Phi Kappa Sigma, Sigma Alpha Mu, Gamma Kappa Epsilon, Alpha Kappa Lambda, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Kappa Theta, Delta Upsilon, Sigma Lambda Beta, Sigma Pi, Sigma Nu, Sigma Alpha Epsilon,Alpha Epsilon Pi Phi Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha.

[edit] Student Association

NIU's Student Association governs the NIU community and makes decisions which affect the quality of life of students at NIU. The association is organized similar to that of the U.S. government, with executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The NIU Student Association is one of the largest student governments in the United States and has a $1.3 million budget. Much of the money goes to the University's extensive bus system, which is one of the largest student-run bus systems in the United States. Additional resources are provided to Health Enhancement, Recreation Services, Campus Childcare, the Campus Activities Board, and every registered group on campus. Much of the activity on campus is headquartered out of the Campus Life Building.

The Student Association operates Organizational Expos throughout the year which gives all the organizations on campus the opportunity to showcase their groups and recruit students.

[edit] Campus Activities Board

The mission of the Campus Activities Board shall be to provide the Northern Illinois University community with cultural, social, educational and entertainment programs that are responsive to the diverse needs of the university community

The Campus Activities Board is responsible for bringing activity to the campus, and is also responsible for bringing performers to the Convocation Center. The Campus Activities Board (C.A.B for short) is responsible for a myriad of different activities geared not only to bring students of N.I.U together but also to give a release from the sometime stressful life of a student, in a creative, fun, and safe environment where students and others can enjoy themselves.

The Campus Activities Board are run by both staff and students.

[edit] Athletics

NIU's athletic department experienced some growth in reputation in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Almost completely unknown to observers from outside of Illinois before the mid-1990s, NIU experienced success as a NCAA Division I-Triple A school, PS Erik Miller Smells especially in football, attending bowl games in 2004—a victory over Troy State in the Silicon Valley Classic—and a loss to Texas Christian in the 2006 Poinsettia Bowl.^[13][14] Currently, the NIU Huskies compete in the Mid-American Conference. In 1982 the women's badminton team won the AIAW national collegiate championship.

NIU's field is located by the Stevenson Towers and the Grant Towers.

NIU was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1920-1967.

[edit] Athletic facilities

On the west side of campus is Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium, the home of NIU football games, which also often plays host to 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 tailgating lots for football games. There is also a baseball field, Ralph McKinzie Field, softball field, Mary M. Bell Field, soccer field, Huskie Soccer Complex, and tennis court, 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, but the actual costs of equipment, computers and other resources which are housed in the Yordon Center were never released.

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, which are 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 numerous open fields which offer numerous opportunities for outdoor student 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 moving the basketball team to the Convocation Center. Nevertheless, the fieldhouse continues to host expositions and sporting events of a smaller scale, and serves as the headquarters for the campus ROTC program.

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Northern Illinois University

• Official website
• NIU Student Association
• Official Athletic website
• Official Alumni Association website
• Northern Star student newspaper
• Campus map
• NIU HUSKIE FANSITE
• NIUFans.com
• NIU College of Education
• NIU School of Theatre and Dance
• NIU Libraries
• NIU True North

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Coordinates: 41°56′2″N 88°46′40″W / 41.93389°N 88.77778°W / 41.93389; -88.77778