[{"_1":2,"_104":-5,"_105":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,84,94],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6065944,"mediaKeyId","3191534-a019dcd3b8d1095e56057acca49c3a67","parentId",3191534,"title","NIU trustees approve agenda, minutes, consent items and move to closed session","audioSeconds",5446,"startMs",52000,"endMs",5498000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3191534-a019dcd3b8d1095e56057acca49c3a67&start=52&end=5498","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6065944/Illinois/NIU-trustees-approve-agenda-minutes-consent-items-and-move-to-closed-session","mediaUrl","author","Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees","date","2025-03-20T00:00:00Z","article","The Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees approved routine procedural items and moved into closed session at the end of its public meeting.

The board approved the proposed meeting agenda by voice vote after a motion and second; trustees then approved a motion to create a consent agenda covering action items 8A1 through 8A4 (sabbatical leaves and program changes). The board later approved the minutes of special meetings on 02/20/2025 and 02/27/2025.

President Freeman read the consent items to the board; trustees then voted to approve the consent agenda as read. The consent items listed in the agenda were:

• Agenda item 8A1 — recommendations for faculty and supportive professional staff sabbatical leaves for the 2025–26 academic year (consent)

• Agenda item 8A2 — request for deletion of the Master of Science in Early Childhood Education (consent)

• Agenda item 8A3 — request for deletion of the Master of Science in Teaching (consent)

• Agenda item 8A4 — request for a new minor in accountancy (consent)

All four consent items were approved as part of the consent agenda.

At the meeting’s close, the board voted by roll call to convene a closed session “to discuss the following subjects authorized by the Illinois Open Meetings Act,” listing matters including closed‑session minutes, collective bargaining, litigation and risk management, real estate, student disciplinary matters and personnel. The roll call recorded the following votes to close the public meeting: Rita Athas — Yes; Dennis Barsima — Yes; John Butler (vice chair) — Yes; Veronica Herrero — Yes; Aiden O’Brien — Yes; Leland Strom — Yes; Eric Watowicz — Yes; Montell Gales (board chair) — Yes. The public meeting was then closed.

Why it matters: The consent approvals implement personnel and curriculum changes without separate debate on the public agenda as permitted by the board’s procedures. The closed session invocation followed standard Open Meetings Act exemptions cited on the public record.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees Meeting March 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Board of Trustees approved the meeting agenda, minutes of recent special meetings, a consent agenda that included sabbatical leaves and program changes, and voted to convene a closed session under Illinois Open Meetings Act exemptions.","taxTitle","Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees, Agencies, Executive, Illinois","taxId",37530,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":50,"_51":81,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":82,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":83,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6065949,"NIU trustees hear progress report on Greek-life revitalization; center land secured and membership rising",0,3206000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3191534-a019dcd3b8d1095e56057acca49c3a67&start=3206&end=3206","/articles/6065949/Illinois/NIU-trustees-hear-progress-report-on-Greek-life-revitalization-center-land-secured-and-membership-rising","University leaders briefed the Board of Trustees on efforts to revitalize fraternity and sorority life at Northern Illinois University, reporting staff growth, rising membership and early fundraising for a planned Center for Greek Life.

Vicki Jerentes, director of fraternity and sorority life, said her new, three‑person office is coaching chapters and that most groups are “in the striving category” after a multi‑year revitalization process. She reported 882 students involved in fall 2024 and said the total had reached about 900 students during the spring recruitment period; she listed 7.9% as the share of undergraduate students involved in Greek life as of fall 2024.

Jerentes told trustees the university has secured land for a proposed Center for Greek Life and that fundraising is underway through the NIU Foundation. She outlined short-term actions — staffing, marketing, expansion policy reviews and web redesign — and described student-facing programs such as an ambassador program and the reinstatement of Order of Omega, the Greek honor society.

Student leader Jacoby Jones, president of the Student Government Association and a vice president of the Epsilon Omicron chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, described fraternity membership as a pathway to leadership and recruitment: “NIU is where you dream big,” Jones said, and he noted how the Greek experience helped him in student government and advocacy day participation.

Trustees asked about long-term goals and metrics. Jerentes said the focus is sustainability and healthy organizations rather than a single target for participation percentage; she said a long-range participation goal could be near 10 percent of undergraduates depending on chapter size and sustainability.

Why it matters: The revitalization connects to student engagement, retention and alumni relations, and the planned Center for Greek Life is an institutional priority that will require fundraising and facilities planning. Trustees and foundation staff heard the report as relevant to recruitment and alumni outreach tied to campaign efforts.

No board action was recorded on the Greek‑life materials during the meeting; the presentation closed with trustee discussion and encouragement for continued alumni and community engagement.","University officials presented a multi-year revitalization of fraternity and sorority life: staff increases, return of Order of Omega, land secured for a Center for Greek Life and membership growth to about 900 students were highlighted.",{"_33":85,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":86,"_41":87,"_43":88,"_45":89,"_47":90,"_49":50,"_51":91,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":92,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":93,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6065954,"NIU Foundation reports historic giving, $40 million lead gift and public campaign launch set for June 14",1825,1093000,2918000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3191534-a019dcd3b8d1095e56057acca49c3a67&start=1093&end=2918","/articles/6065954/Illinois/NIU-Foundation-reports-historic-giving-40-million-lead-gift-and-public-campaign-launch-set-for-June-14","Catherine Squires, vice president for advancement and president and CEO of the NIU Foundation, told the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees that philanthropy totals have reached about $57.4 million and that the foundation stands near 96% of a $60 million fiscal-year goal following a major lead gift.

“As of yesterday, we hit 57,400,000.0. ... We now proudly stand at 96% of our $60,000,000 university goal,” Squires said, telling trustees the quarter’s results were driven largely by a roughly $40 million gift from the Bostock family.

Squires said the foundation raised its fundraising goal after receiving the large gift and described a campaign pipeline of roughly $12 million in probable or possible gifts that could close this fiscal year. She said the foundation plans a public launch for the campaign, called Forward, on June 14 at the Convocation Center and expects several hundred attendees.

Trustees asked questions about the composition of gifts. Ray Earl Jackson, who oversees fundraising operations, told trustees the foundation’s revenue remains more restricted than unrestricted. “Ballpark restricted. I would just say it’s more restricted than it’s not,” Jackson said. Squires added that the foundation has been encouraging donors to include an unrestricted component with gifts and described endowment growth as a campaign priority.

Squires also reviewed recent alumni and donor events, advocacy day participation in Springfield and a new Husky Frontier Team intended to broaden industry and corporate engagement with faculty research. She highlighted Trek Talks, an on‑campus pitch event that distributed $65,000 in grants to faculty projects and funded a graduate assistantship for AI‑related autism research.

Why it matters: The gift levels and campaign readiness reported to trustees affect the university’s ability to fund scholarships, strategic priorities and research support; the foundation’s mix of restricted versus unrestricted gifts will shape how funds may be used.

During question-and-answer trustees pressed for context on whether the year‑to‑date totals exclude the lead gift; Squires and Jackson clarified the $40 million is included in the year‑to‑date total and that, without it, the foundation would be roughly at 50% of a prior goal of $30 million.","Catherine Squires, president and CEO of the NIU Foundation, told trustees the foundation reached about $57.4 million and credited a roughly $40 million lead gift for the fundraising surge; the public phase of a larger campaign is scheduled for June 14.",{"_33":95,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":96,"_41":97,"_43":98,"_45":99,"_47":100,"_49":50,"_51":101,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":102,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":103,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6065961,"NIU staff tell trustees low pay and staffing cuts are hurting student services",737,263000,1000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3191534-a019dcd3b8d1095e56057acca49c3a67&start=263&end=1000","/articles/6065961/Illinois/NIU-staff-tell-trustees-low-pay-and-staffing-cuts-are-hurting-student-services","At the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees meeting, three university employees used the public-comment period to urge trustees to address pay and staffing shortages that, they said, are hurting morale and student-facing services.

Martha Villegomez, a senior library specialist with NIU Libraries, described longstanding low pay and said some library co‑workers rely on a snack pantry and local food banks because “we make too much to get government benefits, but too little to survive any other way.” She said she joined the union when she became a staff member and that many employees cannot afford union dues or basic living costs.

Leslie Hsu, an NIU office administrator of more than 21 years, told trustees she is concerned about disparities on campus and said the university’s executive ranks and pay have grown while frontline positions have not been replaced. “Since President Freeman began her tenure as president, the number of vice presidents has gone from 11 to 33, and the deficit has gone from 15,000,000 to 35,000,000,” Hsu said, adding that many campus employees “frequently use food pantries.”

Tom Kaprin, who identified himself with statistics and actuarial science and more than 20 years at NIU, said staff have been asked to take on extra duties without additional pay and urged colleagues to stop working unpaid overtime. “Who of you that have worked that extra picked up that extra slack for an undetermined amount of time got paid extra for that? None,” Kaprin said.

Trustees did not take public comment questions at length; after the three speakers the meeting proceeded to committee reports and presentations. Board minutes show the meeting followed Illinois Open Meetings Act procedures for registering public commenters.

Why it matters: The commenters framed staffing and pay as both a worker‑welfare issue and a potential risk to student services, saying reduced staffing leaves remaining employees handling extra workloads and students receiving less nonacademic support.

The speakers asked trustees to consider living wages and staffing retention as the board evaluates university priorities and finances. The record of the meeting does not show trustees issuing immediate direction on pay or personnel after public comment.","Three Northern Illinois University employees told the Board of Trustees during public comment that wages and staff reductions have left front-line workers unable to meet student needs, rely on food pantries and skip overtime pay.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

NIU trustees approve agenda, minutes, consent items and move to closed session

NIU trustees hear progress report on Greek-life revitalization; center land secured and membership rising

NIU Foundation reports historic giving, $40 million lead gift and public campaign launch set for June 14

NIU staff tell trustees low pay and staffing cuts are hurting student services