Board Sets Room, Board Rates

The NMU Board of Trustees approved a 2006-07 housing and dining services rate schedule at its May 5 meeting.

A decision on tuition will not be made until this summer, when administrators have a better handle on the state funding outlook. Full Story

Faculty Tenured, Promoted

At its May 5 meeting, the NMU Board of Trustees granted emeritus status to retiring employees, and approved promotions and tenure for several faculty members. Full Story

Students Receive BOT Awards

Three NMU students – Jane Stieber (left), JaneAnne Belmore and Gavin Telfer – received Board of Trustees Student Achievement Awards for 2006. They were recognized at the May 5 board meeting. Full Story

Distinguished Faculty Honored

Recipients of the 2006 Distinguished Faculty Awards are (from left) Michael Cinelli (Art and Design), David Lucas (Physics) and John Smolens (English). Full Story

Advising Update

A proposal to review the advising process at NMU – one of three “action projects” identified by the university as part of the AQIP accreditation process – now rests with an Academic Senate subcommittee after it was presented at two campus forums earlier this semester to solicit feedback.

The proposal calls for a cadre of faculty, perhaps one or two per academic department, to work with first- and second-year students. Full Story

ESL Program to Begin

Northern will launch its new English as a Second Language (ESL) program with a four-week summer session from July 24 to Aug. 18.

The program was developed in response to the university’s growing commitment to internation-alization, coupled with international student enrollment that has rebounded from the post-9/11 decline.

Full Story

Carillons Chiming Again

After being silenced by a lightning strike some years ago, the carillons located just north of the University Center entrance returned to musical form this week. The chimes play a rendition of the alma mater, "Hail Northern," to usher in each day at 8 a.m., then ring in the top of each hour until 8 p.m.

"This is a piece of campus history, and once the decision was made to get it up and running again, we did a lot of research in order to update the technology," said Eric Smith (Broadcast and Audio Visual Services), who was enlisted to help repair the computer system and resurrect the sound. Full Story

Chitwood Gains Fulbright Honor

NMU senior Anne Chitwood (left) has received a Fulbright Scholarship for 2006.

She will teach English as a Second Language to high school students in the Austrian village of Lienz from October through May.

Chitwood is pictured with Carol Strauss (Modern Languages and Literatures) and NMU alumna Monique Yoder, who is wrapping up a similar Fulbright opportunity in Austria.

Full Story

Heating Plant Shutdown May 12-14

The Ripley Heating Plant will have its annual shutdown for maintenance starting at 10 p.m. Friday, May 12, and continuing through Sunday, May 14.

Jim Inch (Plant Operations) said that heating, hot water and central air conditioning will be affected in most buildings on campus. Full Story

A profile of an NMU employee.

With a mom who plays the piano and a dad who sings, it’s no surprise that Rob Engelhart (Music) showed an early interest in music. He sang in his church choir and had piano lessons by the time he was in second grade. He was also strongly influenced by his brother, who played the violin.

“It just stuck in my brain that music was important,” he said. “The school that I went to had a music program, and I just flowed right into it. Music just seemed to be where my aptitude was.”

Full Story