NIU College of Business
NIU College of Business (NIU COB) was established in 1961 and is AACSB accredited, the highest quality standard for business schools worldwide. History. In 1951, the Business Department was formed at Northern Illinois University (NIU). Originally housed in the former WWII barracks, located on the corner of Lucinda and Garden Road, the three faculty members of the new Business Department taught 11 business courses to their 43 business students. Dr. Francis Geigle, as the first chair of the department, would see the Business Department outgrow the barracks, moving first to Altgeld Hall and then to McMurry  Hall by the end of the decade. During the next decade the Business Department became the NIU College of Business and moved to its new home in Wirtz Hall. The following decades brought rapid growth and change in enrollment, faculty, and technology. Recognizing that technology was a driving force in the college's ability to offer a quality education, Barsema Hall, a state-of-the-art building, was built in 2002 and has become an important part of the educational process at NIU. Facilities. Barsema Hall located on the Northern Illinois University Campus is the home of the NIU College  of Business. Completed in 2002, the building is named after Dennis and Stacey Barsema, whose private donation allowed the construction of the new business building. The 144,000 square foot 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. Accreditation. The NIU College of Business is among an elite 4% of business schools worldwide to hold AACSB accreditation at all levels. AACSB accreditation is the most respected and highest credential of excellence for  business and accounting schools around the world. NIU Business and its Department of Accountancy have achieved continuous AACSB accreditation since 1969 and 1983, respectively.