President Gibson wearing a blue top stands in front of a wall featuring NEIU's Flying N icon

Friday, October 22, 2021

Northeastern’s University President gives a State of the University Address each year. This year’s Address is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 26 and will take place both in person and via livestream! Learn more about this event, FAFSA completion workshops, COVID-19 updates and vaccination clinics and other upcoming events in this week’s Noteworthy at Northeastern. 

Around the Commons

State of the University

At the invitation of Northeastern’s Faculty Senate, President Gloria J. Gibson will present the annual State of the University Address at 3:05 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26. This year’s Address will take place in person in the Auditorium on the Main Campus and virtually. A link to the livestream will be sent to the University community via Nmail the morning of the Address. There will be a question-and-answer session following the presentation. 

LGBTQ+ History Month

October is LGBTQ+ History Month. NEIU Libraries has created a virtual display of books, streaming media and online collections. Students, faculty and staff can request materials from the library to learn more about the cultural significance of this month, recognize important moments in the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and celebrate important roles LGBTQ+ people have taken in creating the social, legal and political worlds we live in today.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In light of the heightened isolation experienced by many domestic violence survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial—now more than ever—that we advocate for awareness around this issue. Northeastern’s K(NO)W More campaign developed the Red Folder as a resource for survivors of sexual violence and other students in distress. The Red Folder offers a directory of counseling and support resources available for students, including a 24-hour emergency hotline. This guide will help individuals recognize indicators of distress, respond appropriately, and refer the student for assistance. K(NO)W More is a partnership between many departments throughout the University and community providers that help those impacted by sexual violence. Please visit the K(NO)W MORE website for more information.

And there’s more!

  • Professor of Biology Aaron Schirmer and Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies Ting Liu were invited to publish a layman's summary of their research on light pollution and biological clocks in the Atlas of Science. Their research on this topic was previously published in Scientific Reports. 

To do

TRIO FAFSA Completion Week, Oct. 25-30

TRIO Student Support Services (TRIO SSS) and NEIU Financial Aid invite NEIU students to complete their 2022-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by attending one of their virtual application completion sessions. During the sessions, TRIO SSS, Financial Aid and Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) staff will be available to assist students and their parents/guardians with completing the application. An in-person workshop will also be held on Saturday, Oct. 30. Sign-up is required. 

Film and Panel Discussion: COVID-19 Health Disparities in Chicago and Beyond

NEIU’s Center of Health invites the University community and general public to a free virtual film screening of “The Great Divide: COVID-19 and Race in Chicago” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27. There will be a panel discussion after the screening with Professor of Sociology Brett Stockdill, Associate Professor of Health Sciences and Physical Education Isidore A. Udoh, Candace Henley of the Blue Hat Foundation and Daniel Mendez from the Puerto Rican Cultural Center. Sign-up is required to receive the Zoom link. 

Coming next week

View the NEIU events calendar for additional information on all upcoming events. 

COVID-19 update

During the week of Oct. 13, 2021, three students reported positive COVID-19 tests. Two students were on campus. Since March 2020, a total of 65 employees and 310 students have self-reported to the University that they tested positive for COVID-19. Employees and students who feel sick should stay home. If you test positive for COVID-19, students should immediately notify Student Health Services, and employees should notify their supervisors and the Office of Human Resources. Additionally, faculty and staff are required to report positive and presumptive student COVID-19 cases and exposures to Student Health Services. When someone who has been on campus tests positive, Northeastern works with the Chicago Department of Public Health to determine the appropriate response, which differs greatly depending on the situation. We continue to follow Chicago Department of Public Health and CDC guidelines as we ensure proper protocols and preventative measures are in place for the health and safety of our students and employees. 

Vaccine clinics

Northeastern has partnered with the Illinois Department of Public Health to provide on-campus COVID-19 vaccine clinics. The clinics are free and open to everyone age 12 and older for first or second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to be vaccinated. Pfizer and Janssen (J&J) vaccines will be available. Boosters will be available to eligible recipients who completed their initial Pfizer series at least six months ago. Please bring your vaccination card. 

Other COVID-19 updates

Stay up to date on everything regarding COVID-19 updates by visiting the Return to Campus website. 

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