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NIU trustees approve 2025 goals, new criminology degree and move forward on energy‑savings project
Summary
The Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees approved the university's 2025 goals, authorized a new bachelor’s degree and minor in criminology, adopted consent items including a fire‑services agreement, and reviewed an energy‑savings contract projecting roughly $122 million in estimated savings over 24.4 years.
The Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees voted to approve the university’s 2025 goals, which the president said are guided by NIU’s action planning framework and include objectives addressing resource development and fiscal sustainability to help close a projected fiscal‑year 2026 budget gap.
"By design, the goal setting process is collaborative," President Lisa Freeman said in the president's report. Trustee Davis moved approval of the goals; Aiden O'Brien seconded the motion, and the board adopted the 2025 goals by voice vote.
The board also approved a request to establish a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree in criminology plus an associated minor to be housed in the Department of Sociology. Dean Brinkman told trustees the department has had more than 300 students take the emphasis in recent years and that roughly 60–70% of current department majors hold a criminology emphasis. Trustees unanimously approved the program after a brief question-and-answer period about career pathways and competition from other institutions.
Consent agenda items approved included a City of DeKalb Fire Services Agreement, a surplus real‑estate determination for the Laredo Taft campus and an Internal Audit Department charter. The board noted that information items (7b1–7b12) had been discussed at committee meetings on Nov. 7, 2024.
On an information item about the university's energy‑savings project, the administration said NIU completed the sale of tax‑exempt certificates of participation and provided projected savings: an estimated $122,300,000 over a 24.4‑year period, with Trane guaranteeing $102,000,000 over the first 20 years. The president's office said materials acquisition and some foundation work will occur this calendar year to preserve federal incentives.
Before adjourning to closed session for matters listed under the Illinois Open Meetings Act, the chair called a roll‑call vote to close the public meeting; trustees present recorded "yes" votes and the public meeting was closed.
