Northern Illinois State College
What was the official name of Northern Illinois University from 1955 to 1957?
Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois University ( NIU ) is a public research university in DeKalb , Illinois . It was founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22 , 1895 , by Illinois Governor John P . Altgeld as part of an expansion of the states system for producing college-educated teachers . In addition to the main campus in DeKalb , it has satellite centers in Chicago , Hoffman Estates , Naperville , Rockford , and Oregon The university is composed of seven degree-granting colleges and has a student body of 25,000 with over 240,000 alumni . Many of NIUs programs are nationally accredited for meeting high standards of academic quality , including business , engineering , nursing , visual and performing arts , and all teacher certification programs . NIU is one of only three public universities in Illinois that compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the highest levels of all sports , Division I . The universitys athletic teams are known as the Huskies and compete in the Mid-American Conference ( MAC ) . History . Northern Illinois University was founded as part of the expansion of the normal school 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 grow into 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 , 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 institutions 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 , Governors 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 for each of the three regency universities was transferred to three independent Boards of Trustees , each concerned solely with one university . On February 14 , 2008 , the university drew international attention when a gunman opened fire in a crowd of students on campus , killing five students and injuring 17 more people , before fatally shooting himself . University presidents . 13 presidents have served at the university . - 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 ( 2000–2013 ) - Douglas D . Baker ( 2013–2017 ) - Lisa C . Freeman ( 2017–present ) Academics . NIU has seven degree-granting colleges that together offer more than 60 undergraduate majors , 70 minors , nine pre-professional programs , and 79 graduate programs , including a College of Law , and 24 areas of study leading to doctoral degrees . Many of NIUs 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 . New interdisciplinary academic programs in Environmental Studies and Community Leadership and Civic Engagement were established in FY 2012 . Rankings . In 2019 , Northern Illinois University was ranked the 198th top college in the United States by Payscale and CollegeNets Social Mobility Index college rankings . NIU is classified as a National University by U.S . News & World Report and ranked number 177 out of 206 ranked National Universities ( 75 National Universities were left unranked ) . The same publication also ranked NIU as 41st best in the country for Public Affairs programs , and within that field , NIUs program in City Management & Urban Policy was ranked 3rd in the nation and the Public Finance & Budgeting program at 12th . Forbes magazine placed NIU as number 621 on its list of 650 universities in 2019 . Science and research . NIU is a member of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities . 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 university is expanding its program in accelerator technology . NIU is classified among R2 : Doctoral Universities – High research activity . The Northern Illinois University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry was listed in the American Chemical Societys 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 . The Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences is known for programs in hydrogeology and polar science . The department has held leadership roles in Antarctic geological drilling programs since the Dry Valley Drilling project in the early 1970s , and faculty and their students have been continuously active in numerous Antarctic climate history research and field work , including the Cape Roberts Project , The ANDRILL project and the WISSARD project . Established in 1963 , Northern Illinois Universitys Center for Southeast Asian Studies ( CSEAS ) is currently one of seven federally recognized National Resource Centers ( NRC ) for Southeast Asian foreign language and area studies . NIU has been awarded the Title VI Foreign Language and Area Studies ( FLAS ) Fellowships since 1974 and Undergraduate NRC grants since 1997 . NIUs CSEAS operates within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and offers an undergraduate minor and a graduate concentration in Southeast Asian studies , enrolling more than 1,500 students each year . Other programs . - The NIU School of Theatre and Dance has a 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 Rehabilitation Counseling program is noted nationwide . In the 2010-2011 academic year , the program graduated seven students , whose average GPA was 3.90 . Of those graduating , 86% were successful in passing the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor ( CRC ) exam , and 100% of the graduates are employed . - The NIU Terminal Masters Program in Philosophy - The NIU Center for Southeast Asian Studies is dedicated to increasing the world’s knowledge and understanding of Southeast Asias eleven countries : Brunei , Burma/Myanmar , Cambodia , East Timor , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , the Philippines , Singapore , Thailand , and Vietnam . Campus . The main campus sits on 756 acres in DeKalb and includes 64 major buildings . Additional campus sites include , the Lorado Taft Field Campus ( 144 acres ) , Rockford Campus ( 10 acres ) , Hoffman Estates Campus ( 23.93 acres ) , and the Naperville Campus ( 11.2 acres ) . One of the most prominent buildings on campus is the castle-like Altgeld Hall . It is one of the five castle-themed buildings built according to the suggestion of Governor John Peter Altgeld . The auditorium in Altgeld Hall , which was designed to also function as a ballroom , was restored and can seat up to 500 . On the level below the auditorium , the original gym was transformed into a computer classroom . Also on the same level is the NIU Art Museum which occupies two large spaces . The East Lagoon near Altgeld is a spot on campus . Barsema Hall , which houses the College of Business , opened its doors in 2002 . This 144,000 square-foot facility houses modern classrooms , faculty offices , several computer labs , a large atrium at the center of the building as well as a 375-seat auditorium . The Holmes Student Center houses several lounges , computer labs , restaurants , and the University Bookstore . It is home to the Huskies Den , which features bowling , billiards , a video arcade and PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gaming . The Holmes Student Center also houses a 78-room hotel . The lower level of the Holmes Student Center reopened after renovations were completed in January 2020 . The renovations include a convenience store , the University Bookstore , a Starbucks , the Huskie Den Grill , bowling & billiards , and a wealth of seating . Residence halls . NIUs residence halls ( including two complexes with four 12-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 , Technology , Engineering & Mathematics ( STEM ) 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 apartments 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 New Residence Hall , a 1,000-bed complex just north of Lincoln Hall , opened to all students in the fall of 2012 . It features two residential buildings where students can live in clusters of 12 . After an extensive renovation , Grant C Tower reopened in the fall of 2011 with completely new accommodations and furnishings for NIU students . Gilbert Hall , which had not been used as a residence hall since 1995 , underwent a complete renovation and re-opened in the fall of 2013 . Grant D Tower was renovated and re-opened in the fall of 2013 . Douglas Hall , a part of the pair of residence halls Lincoln-Douglas , was demolished by the spring of 2016 . Lucinda Avenue has been extended and used since the spring of 2016 . This is a part of the master plan to create a new campus . Residence halls in use : - Gilbert Hall - Grant Towers - Neptune Hall - New Residence Hall - Northern View - Stevenson Towers 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 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 ; 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 stadiums north end zone are two athletic buildings . The first 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 . The second is the Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Indoor Practice Center , an 80,600-square-foot practice facility that houses the football , baseball , and softball teams . Ground was broken for the building in November 2012 and it was completed in October 2013 . The Student Recreation Center is the main facility for Recreation Services . The building , serving approximately 2,000 patrons daily , features of space , abundant state-of-the-art exercise and sports equipment , and numerous services to meet students recreation , fitness and wellness needs . The residence halls , located in the same area as the 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 . On the far west side of campus is the Convocation Center , a 10,000 seat arena opened in 2002 . The Convocation Center hosts NIU mens and womens 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 . At the corner of Annie Glidden Road and Lucinda Avenue is the 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 , which has been under-used since the basketball team moved to the Convocation Center . The field house continues to host expositions and sporting events of a smaller scale , and is the headquarters for the campus ROTC program . Two swimming pools are located in Anderson and Gabel Halls . Student life . Programs . NIUs Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management hosts numerous programs to enhance students learning and living experience on campus . The Orientation and First Year Programs office ( OFP ) hosts UNIV 101 ( University Experience ) and UNIV 201 ( The Transfer Experience ) , which provide an 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 of 2009 , more than 62 percent of the freshman class enrolled in a UNIV 101 course . A new Academic Advising Center works with undecided students from the time they arrive on campus during orientation until they select 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 . 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 . Health Enhancement provides health promotion information , materials and interventions . The staff includes four health educators and a health consultant . 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 . On the weekends it runs a different route . There is a system that allows one to track the location of Huskie Buses online in real-time . While the campus has Internet , the universitys Acceptable Usage Policy forbids its usage for political activities . Social media sites are only restricted on university equipment and after a warning is provided to discontinue use . All other restrictions , including those pertaining to political activities , also apply to personal computers using the campus network . Northern Illinois University has an active presence on social media Sites , like Facebook , Instagram and Twitter . The university has a social media policy for its employees , which serves to promote a sense of community throughout the university community . Facilities . NIUs Campus Child Care Center offers care to children aged two months to five 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 . Organizations . NIU has more than 400 student organizations , including recreational sports clubs such as lacrosse , volleyball , rugby , swimming , and ice hockey . Groups embrace interests from academics , advocacy , athletics and the arts to community service , ethnicity , politics , language studies , and religion . Panhellenic Council sororities include Alpha Delta Pi , Alpha Phi , Alpha Sigma Alpha , Delta Gamma , Delta Zeta , Sigma Kappa , Sigma Lambda Sigma , Lambda Theta Alpha , Sigma Lambda Gamma , and Sigma Sigma Sigma . National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and 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 , Alpha Sigma Phi , Delta Chi , Delta Upsilon , Phi Kappa Psi , Phi Kappa Sigma , Phi Kappa Theta , Phi Sigma Kappa , Omega Delta , Pi Kappa Phi , Sigma Alpha Epsilon , Sigma Alpha Mu , Sigma Nu , and Tau Kappa Epsilon . United Greek Council fraternities and sororities include alpha Kappa Delta Phi , Alpha Phi Gamma , Alpha Psi Lambda , Alpha Sigma Omega , Chi Sigma Tau , Gamma Phi Omega , Kappa Delta Chi , Kappa Pi Beta , Kappa Phi Lambda , Lambda Upsilon Lambda , Lambda Theta Phi , Phi Rho Eta , Sigma Lambda Beta , and Tau Phi Sigma . Each year , several of the Greek organizations at NIU host IFC Tugs , a bracket-style athletic tournament competition similar to tug-of-war with a long history at Northern Illinois University . NIU Tugs was captured on film in a 1996 documentary , Tugs Untied , about NIUs unique version of the sport ; the 37-minute documentary won the Best of Arizona award at the 2000 Arizona International Film Festival . Arts and culture . Students and faculty in NIUs College of Visual and Performing Arts host dozens of art exhibitions , musical concerts and theatrical and dance productions throughout the year . Many are free . The NIU Anthropology Museum was opened to the public on February 12 , 2012 in Cole Hall . The Anthropology collections are extensive , with foci on North American native collections and cultural artifacts from throughout Southeast Asia . NIUs School of Music also is home to the internationally renowned NIU Jazz Ensemble , the NIU Steelband , and 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 the Anthropology Museum , 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 . Since 2000 the Visual Communication program in the School of Art and Design has hosted the annual SEEK Design Conference , led by professor Steve Quinn . Students assist in coordinating this conference of about 200 attendees . SEEK has featured designers such as Stefan Sagmeister , Paula Scher , Massimo Vignelli , Chip Kidd , Rick Valicenti , Kyle Cooper , Debbie Millman , Eddie Opara , and Aaron Draplin . Athletics . Affiliation . NIU was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1920 to 1967 . Currently , the NIU Huskies compete in NCAA Division I , FBS ( I-A ) for Football , in the Mid-American Conference . NIUs 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 number 14 Maryland ( who finished that season at number 17 ) , number 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 . In 2012 , NIU football , after winning another MAC Football Championship earned a place in the Orange Bowl and was the first team to participate in a BCS Bowl from the Mid-American Conference . Titles and highlights . - In 1963 , the NIU Huskies football team were ranked #1 in the AP , claiming a share of the NCAA College Division national championship . - In 1982 , the womens badminton team won the AIAW national collegiate championship . - In 1983 , the Huskies grabbed their first-ever bowl win , defeating Cal State Fullerton in the California Bowl . - In 1996 , the Huskies Lacrosse team finished second in the Wisconsin State Lacrosse Championships . - 2004 Silicon Valley Classic , NIU defeats Troy State . - In 2010 , the NI Mens Rugby Club were champions of CARFU , the Chicago Area Rugby Football Union . - From 2008–present , the NIU Huskies football team made 8 straight bowl appearances . - In 2010 , the NIU Huskies football team won the MAC West Championship . - In 2011 , the NIU Huskies football team won the MAC Championship . - In 2011 , the NIU Huskies soccer team won the MAC Championship and made it to the 2nd round of the NCAA National Tournament . - In 2012 ( 2011 season ) , the NIU Huskies football team defeated the Arkansas State Red Wolves in a GoDaddy.com Bowl . - In 2012 , the NIU Huskies football team won the MAC Championship and became the first MAC team to earn a BCS bid with a selection to the 2013 Orange Bowl . - In 2013 , the NIU Huskies football team became the first MAC team to defeat 2 Big Ten teams in non-conference games of the regular season and had a Heisman Trophy finalist , QB Jordan Lynch . - In 2014 , the NIU Huskies football team won their 5th straight MAC West division title and claimed their 3rd MAC Championship in 4 years . - In 2015 , the NIU Huskies football team won their 6th straight MAC West division title . - In 2018 , the NIU Huskies football team won their 7th MAC West division title and claimed their 4th MAC championship in 8 years .