News
Summer 2016
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Administrative recommendations Andy Cozzi | Northern Star File Photo
NIU President Doug Baker and Chicago NAARPR member Larry Redmond meet with members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority during the sorority’s police accountability event on Feb. 15 in the Holmes Student Center, University Suite.
NIU opens options Douglas Baker NIU president
Congratulations on completing your NIU orientation experience. Over the last two days you have had to absorb a lot of information and make many decisions, so right now, take a deep breath and relax. We are here to help you succeed. The cornerstone goal for every member of our faculty and staff: Student Career Success. We are committed to ensuring every experience you have at NIU prepares you to succeed in the world that awaits you after graduation, whether you choose to jump into corporate America or volunteer in the Third World. You can see it reflected in our ongoing efforts to enhance the NIU PLUS curriculum. Our new PLUS Pathways have been redesigned to engage you in transformational learning experience to enhance your
critical thinking skills, cultural literacy and communication skills, among others. We are also working to provide hands-on learning experiences that will prepare you for life after college. For example, each semester NIU students devise solutions for industry, work as consultants for businesses and help not-for-profit agencies serve those in need. Thousands more get real world experience working as interns for companies across the region, learn about other cultures while studying abroad or carry out original research under the mentorship of world-class faculty. The list goes on and on. These kinds of experiences are critical for you to have a rich learning experience, and I urge you to seek them out as often as possible. There is also much to be learned by getting involved on campus. Every club and organization, and we have more than 200 of them, provides opportunities for leadership and service that will help you develop skills you will use for the rest of your life and teach you things about yourself you will never find in any textbook.
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Read more about how Alumni have used their NIU degree: myniu.com I also urge you to step outside of your comfort zone and take advantage of cultural opportunities by experiencing a concert, play, diversity dialog or art exhibition. Challenge yourself physically by participating in one of the dozens of intramural sports leagues, or check out opportunities for socializing and service that are part of the thriving Greek culture at NIU. All of these things can be a priceless part of your collegiate experience. Regardless of what path you choose, I urge you to seek out people who are different from you and learn from them. There will be few better opportunities in your lifetime to do so, and it will broaden your horizons. By completing orientation, you have taken the first steps on your journey to success, and you have our pledge that we will be beside you every step of the way.
SA president plans to unify NIU by listening, engaging Giuseppe LaGioia Student Association president
My name is Giuseppe LaGioia, and I have the honor of serving NIU as the Student Association president for the 2016-17 academic year. I am a junior finance major with aspirations to attend law school and study corporate and contract law. I have served as an SA senator for two years representing districts one and three, as well as serving on the Public Affairs Rules and Procedures and Diversity ad-hoc committees. SA oversees more than 300 organizations and acts as the student advocacy group on campus. Our mission is to serve as the voice of the
students, as well as motivate students to be leaders on campus by creating a learning experience that goes beyond the classroom. As head of the SA, my executive cabinet and I work together by planning various initiatives and programs at NIU to enrich the student experience. We are a diverse group with connections in all areas of campus. Just within four executive officers, we are a part of 28 organizations. Whether it be through supporting student organization events or developing campus-wide campaigns, our goal is to help students develop into leaders with knowledge and experience that goes beyond the classroom. This year, the SA’s overarching goal is to have a more inclusive campus and unite NIU. As president, there are three principles I want to focus on: listen, engage and unify. We want to hear every issue or
Program Prioritization Program prioritization, initiated by Provost Lisa Freeman, is a review of all 459 programs on campus like each bachelor’s and master’s degree program or sports programs in order to decide the best way to allocate NIU resources for Fiscal Year 2017. Each program had to submit a program narrative to pitch why their program should receive
increased resources. Members of the campus like students and faculty were tasked with reviewing the narratives and evaluating each program compared with the university’s goals. Allocations will be finalized on July 15 and changes will be implemented over the next three years. To see the narratives, go to niu. edu/program-prioritization.
IL budget; MAP grants Illinois has gone budgetless for about a year because state officials could not settle on a Fiscal Year 2016 budget. As a result, public organizations like NIU could not be appropriated the state funds they were promised. In FY 15, NIU received 22 percent of its budget, $91 million, from the state. This delay led NIU to cut its budget by $30 million to accommodate the lack of funding and to prepare for the possibility of reduced state funding.
Part of the state money NIU receives pays the Monetary Award Program grants which are given to students who demonstrate financial need. Without these state appropriations, the $400 million needed to fund MAP at NIU alone will become the responsibility of the grant recipients. NIU students have lobbied in Springfield throughout the academic year 2015-16. Go to bit.ly/1WNnc3s for updates on the state budget.
Read more Read more about SA President Giuseppe LaGioia: SA plans to make students more aware, interact with organizations: bit.ly/1TmFl2i idea students have that they would like to see addressed and engage students on campus to enhance their educational and college experience as much as possible. We want to unify campus to create a more inclusive university environment where students from various backgrounds can be connected. It is my responsibility to be the chief liaison between the student body and the administration for all matters involving the university. This is your university, and it is my duty to ensure your experience in it is the best it can be.
Printing fee starts NIU will begin charging students for printing services this semester for the first time. Students were given $7 a semester for printing in the spring 2016 semester thanks to a petition by the Student Association. NIU originally planned to withdraw funds allocated to printing services after the fall 2016 semester.
Prior to the spring semester, students received $14 to print in the 2014-15 academic year and had free unlimited printing before fall 2012. The change is part of an initiative to go paperless on campus. Color printing costs 25 cents a page and black and white printing costs seven cents a page.