Your Future, Our Focus

The NIU Experience Your Guide to Becoming a Successful Huskie

We’re so glad you’re part of the NIU family! You’re going to find that we’re a community that truly cares about your success both in and out of the classroom. Your first step toward success at NIU is attending your orientation program...CHECK!

During orientation, you’re going to meet faculty, staff and other new students who are here to help you succeed at NIU. Take full advantage of your orientation—you’re here for such a short time, and we want you to get the most of this experience so you can be ready to start classes this fall!

You’re also going to: • Understand your academic expectations, graduation requirements

and responsibilities

• Meet and begin to build a relationship with your academic advisor

• Begin to learn about the tools and resources designed to help you be successful

• Become familiar with the campus environment, both physical and online

• Identify how you want to get engaged and involved at NIU

• Meet and begin to make friends with other new students

• Increase your awareness of issues that could impact your time at NIU and learn about resources and strategies for success

• Learn what it means to be an NIU Huskie—a member of an inclusive community

Use the Layar app on a smart phone to scan images like this one throughout this book to hear from your orientation leaders about life at NIU!

Welcome to NIUand yourOrientation Program!

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Making the Most of Your Orientation ExperienceThis guide, while designed to help you navigate your orientation program, can be used throughout your first year. It includes important information about resources at NIU designed to help you be successful.

We’re going to give your orientation our all—here’s how you can, too!

1. Ask questions! You’ll be assigned an orientation leader to help guide you throughout the program and answer your questions, but any orientation leader is happy to help you out.

2. Follow and answer the questions in this book. Throughout the program, we’ll be asking you to turn to pages in this book. Jot down your answers and other notes about what you’re learning.

3. Wear your nametag. Your nametag helps us know not only who you are—but where you’re supposed to be! Plus, it gets you into meals and it’s a great way to carry your room card with you.

4. Download the NIU app. You’ll need this app—it’s got a great map! (See what we did there?) Seriously though, the app will be useful all through your NIU career. Just search for the NIU APP in your smartphone app store.

5. Download the MyNIU App. MyNIU mobile app allows you to access the MyNIU system from your Android or iOS (Apple) device.

6. Make at least one friend! Orientation is a great time to get to know other new students—like you!

7. Be positive. Orientation can seem overwhelming—it’s true. But keeping a positive attitude will help you get more out of this experience and be even more prepared to start classes in August.

8. Download the Layar app. Use the Layar app—it’s free! Throughout this book, you’ll see the Layar icon over some pictures. With the app you can scan the picture and hear from your orientation leaders about life at NIU.

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Your orientation leader (OL) team consists of fellow undergraduate students who are serving in a leadership role to help you and your family make a successful transition to NIU. Your OLs will take you around campus, discuss student life and share tips with you about resources that helped them be a successful student.

OLs have dedicated their summer to help you have a great orientation experience. Make sure you utilize them—ask lots of questions and learn from them what it means to be a Huskie!

Meet your Orientation Leader Team

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My Orientation Leader is:

_________________________________________________I am in Orientation Group #: _________________________

Huskie to Huskie Small Group Meeting 1Two things I hope to learn more about at orientation are:

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

Huskie to Huskie Small Group Meeting 2Part of being a college student is transitioning to a new environment. During this small group session, you will identify possible concerns/obstacles you may experience during your first year and discuss available resources that will help you navigate any obstacles successfully!

1. A concern I have about starting my first year at NIU is: _____________________________________

__________________________________________

2. A question I want my OL to answer about student life/success at NIU is: _________________________

__________________________________________

3. By the end of my first year, I hope to accomplish:

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

4. I can overcome this concern by: ________________

__________________________________________

5. NIU offers these resources to assist me in overcoming my concern: _____________________

__________________________________________

6. I attended the ______________________________

interest session. I learned that: _________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

Everything MyNIU As a student, you’ll use MyNIU for EVERYTHING you do. You’ll register for courses, find your grades, pay your bills, update your student information and much more! In your MyNIU Student Portal you’ll find important dates, ways to engage with NIU, your NIU e-mail and how to connect to Blackboard.

I can register for classes using these steps:1. __________________________________________

2. __________________________________________

3. __________________________________________

4. __________________________________________

5. __________________________________________

6. __________________________________________

7. __________________________________________

8. __________________________________________

Don’t forget to download the MyNIU app! You can find it in your app store.

Shared Access: You can find Shared Access in MyNIU. It allows you to grant two people access to view your student information including admissions, academics, financial statements, financial aid and your “To Do” list.

Living in the Residence Halls? Residential Technology (ResTech) serves the technology needs of residents of the halls and Northern View Community. go.niu.edu/restech

Did you know that you have a subscription to Microsoft Office 2013? Just visit O365.niu.edu for more information!

Want to change your password? password.niu.edu

Need help? Call the IT Helpdesk at 815-753-8100.

Huskie to Huskie: Small Group Meetings

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You’ll take classes and participate in experiences that focus on “Three Cs”—Critical Thinking, Creativity and Communication. Our goal is to make sure when you graduate from NIU you are prepared to work in a dynamic and global environment.

By dedicating yourself to your classwork and earning your degree, you will:

• Integrate knowledge of global interconnections and interdependencies.

• Exhibit intercultural competencies with people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

• Analyze issues that interconnect human life and the natural world.

• Demonstrate critical, creative, and independent thought.

• Communicate clearly and effectively.

• Collaborate with others to achieve specific goals.

• Use and combine appropriate quantitative and qualitative reasoning skills to address questions and solve problems.

• Synthesize knowledge and skills relevant to your major or particular fields of study and apply them creatively to develop innovative outcomes.

My college professors will be different from my high school teachers in that: ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Your Academic Experience

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Managing College CostsAttending college is a significant financial investment in your future, more so than any other investment you’ll make. In addition to making sure you get the most out of your investment, we have numerous resources to help you manage your costs.

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Timeline: You’ll want to complete this as so on as possible after October 1 for the following school year.

Timeline: Any accepted financial aid will appear as pending financial aid. Two weeks after classes begin, funds will be applied to your account and refunds will begin to be processed.

Timeline: Complete before bill is due to avoid late fees associated with the loan amounts.

Timeline: Beginning mid-March and ongoing.

Receive your financial aid funds.

Financial AidIn order to be eligible for any financial aid, you must complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at fafsa.gov. AND you must apply every year (as soon as possible after October for the following school year). In July, you’ll be notified (email to your NIU student account) of your eligibility for grants, scholarships (gift aid), work-study (on-campus employment) or loans from federal or state programs.

There are five steps you should keep in mind regarding financial aid.

Complete your FAFSA.

fafsa.gov

If required, submit additional documents to Financial Aid and keep checking MyNIU for any additional information that may

be requested in your “To Do” list.

Timeline: ASAP.

Review your e-mail notice and electronic Financial Aid Award Notice (eFAAN).

Complete entrance counseling and promissory notes for any accepted loans.

StepOne

StepTwo

StepThree

StepFour

StepFive

Have you checked your financial aid status?Just log onto MyNIU and check your status. At the end of the orientation program, you and your family can meet individually with a financial aid counselor to discuss your individual needs and opportunities.

Changes in family situationIf your family has had a decrease in income or financial resources as compared to what was reported on the FAFSA, make sure to contact Financial Aid ASAP.

Types of Financial AidScholarships/checksIf you’re receiving a non-university scholarship, scholarship checks should be sent to the Student Financial Aid Office and will be directly applied to your Bursar account.

Work-studyA work-study award is a form of financial aid and is not guaranteed. Work study is earned as wages by working on and off campus with eligible employers. You must apply for a federal work-study job and be hired in order to utilize the eligibility offered on your award notification.

GrantsGrants are gift aid based on demonstrated financial need. Grants do not have to be repaid.

LoansLoans are funds that you or your parents borrow to help pay for educational expenses. Loans must be repaid, usually with interest.

Cost of AttendanceYou can use the Planning and Cost Estimator (go.niu.edu/estimatetuition) to gain a general sense of what NIU will cost. You’ll be able to estimate tuition costs, mandatory fees, housing and other costs.

When is my bill due?The Initial Account Statement for a semester is issued approximately one month prior to the start of the semester. After that initial statement, your statements will be posted in MyNIU and mailed to your permanent address monthly. Charges are due three weeks from the start of the statement.

I’ll be getting a refund. What should I do?To receive a refund, you must have financial aid in excess of your charges. We recommend that you consider signing up at niu.edu/bursar/account/refunds to have your refund directly deposited to your personal bank account.

How can my family view your bill?You can register up to two members of your family for Shared Access. By signing up, you allow your family to access such information as your academics, your financials and your “To-Do” list. You’ll just need to log onto MyNIU and find “Share My Information” in the Student Center.

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Shopping for Books1. Visit go.niu.edu/niubookstore. Have your schedule ready—you’ll

need the semester and the class’s department, course and section number.

2. Don’t be afraid to compare prices with other online retailers—just be very careful that you’re selecting the correct book. Choose the retailer and price that’s right for you and your budget.

3. Check out! You can pick up your books during move-in weekend or at your convenience.

Can I rent books?That depends—not all books are available to rent. If your textbook is available to rent, the option will appear when you shop online at go.niu.edu/niubookstore. Most rental books will be half the price of a new or used textbook.

Can I use my Financial Aid to pay for my books?If you have financial aid available, you sure can! You can charge up to $700 to your Bursar’s account from the bookstore.

Need more information?

• Student Financial Aid: 815-753-1395 niu.edu/fa

• Office of the Bursar (student billing): 815-753-1885 niu.edu/bursar

• Student Employment Office: 815-753-1394 go.niu.edu/jobs

• Scholarship Office: 815-753-4829 niu.edu/scholarships

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You’ll meet with an academic advisor who will help guide you toward your educational, career and life goals. Think of your advisor as a tour guide…you’d never think of going it alone in a foreign country; don’t try to go it alone in your education. They know all the tricks and provide immeasurable perspective and assistance. Make it a point to see them each semester.

Your advisor will: • Encourage you to become engaged in your education.

• Help you understand the academic and administrative processes of the university.

• Encourage you to meet your educational goals.

• Provide correct information needed to plan your academic path.

• Provide necessary referrals to campus resources.

• Monitor your progress toward completion of your degree.

In order to make the most of your advising experience, you should: • Meet with your advisor each semester (by October/March) before you register for classes.

• Take proactive steps to learn about the policies/procedure/rules of NIU and your academic college and university deadlines.

• Understand university, general education and your major’s requirements.

• Seek out information and make decisions regarding your academic/career goals.

• Take advantage of campus resources.

• Prepare for your advising appointment by reviewing your Academic Requirements Report (found in MyNIU), previous advising meeting materials, the Undergraduate Catalog available online at catalog.niu.edu and by writing down questions.

• Ask for help.

• Assume final responsibility for course scheduling, program planning and successful completion of graduation requirements.

David S. Crockett, Ed. (1987). Advising Skills, Techniques and Resources: A Compilation of Materials Related to the Organization and Delivery of Advising Services. Iowa City, IA: ACT Corporation

Academic Advising

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• ACCESS/Tutoring provides FREE campus-wide tutoring and academic support. niu.edu/access

• Disability Resource Center (DRC) helps students with disabilities connect with accommodations in and out of the classroom. niu.edu/disability

• First & Second Year Experience sponsors First-Year Experience, UNIV 101 and 201 courses, Retention Effort for All inComing Huskies (REACH), the First-and Second-Year Success Series, Student-Faculty Links, Transfer2Transfer peer mentoring, and the Common Reading initiative. niu.edu/fsye

• Map-Works helps you establish positive academic habits throughout your first year in college. niu.edu/osas/MAPWorks

• Office of Student Academic Success (OSAS) provides resources and services to help you explore your academic potential. OSAS staff will help you navigate university resources, policies and procedures. niu.edu/osas

• Office of Student Engagement and Experiential Learning (OSEEL) provides opportunities for undergraduate research, Themed Learning Communities and civic engagement. niu.edu/engagedlearning/engaged_learning

• Student Support Services helps you to be confident in continuing your education by providing academic, career and personal counseling to qualifying students. niu.edu/studentsupport

• University Writing Center offers one-on-one training with writing consultants to improve your writing skills. niu.edu/uwc

College Advising InformationCollege of Business: 815-753-1325 cob.niu.edu/advising

College of Education: 815-753-8352 cedu.niu.edu/studentservices/advising

College of Engineering and Engineering Technology: 815-753-1422 niu.edu/ceet/CurrentStudents/Advising

College of Health and Human Sciences: 815-753-1891 chhs.niu.edu/advising

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: 815-753-0114 niu.edu/clasadvising

College of Visual and Performing Arts: 815-753-1636 vpa.niu.edu/cvpa/aboutus/advising.shtml

Academic Advising Center: 815-753-2573 go.niu.edu/advisingcenter

My ORIENTATION academic advisor(s): ____________________________________________________________________

Email: _______________________________________________________________________________________ @niu.edu

My FALL semester academic contact(s): ___________________________________________________________________

Email: _______________________________________________________________________________________ @niu.edu

My advisor’s office is located in: __________________________________________________________________________

College advising is different from high school counseling in that: ______________________________________________

A question I want my academic advisor to answer is: ________________________________________________________

Important Academic Resources

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In addition to your Academic Advisor, NIU has tons of resources available to help you be successful in the classroom and beyond. Did we mention all of them are free, too? Yup! You just need to ask for help—we’re here to help you!

Life at NIU

• Campus Parking Services: Bringing a car to campus?

Plan on having visitors? Make sure you visit Campus

Parking Services to buy your parking permit and learn

how parking works at NIU. You can buy your parking

permit online before classes start. niu.edu/parking

• Campus Dining Options: You’ve got to eat!

And we’ve got a lot of options for you!

niu.edu/housing/dining/locations

• Housing & Residential Services: We want you to feel

at home, and our Housing & Residential Services staff

helps by managing the operation and staffing of all

residence halls. niu.edu/housing

• Military & Post-Traditional Student Services:

If you live off campus, commute from home, have

children, are a military or an online learner and/or are

over the age of 24, you can count on the help of our

Military & Post-Traditional Student Services staff.

niu.edu/comnontrad

• OneCard ID: It’s like your key to campus. Your

OneCard is your multipurpose identification card

that literally opens doors throughout campus--not

to mention it gets you access to Athletic events, lab

printing, Huskie Bucks, meal plans, Recreation Center,

library, etc. niu.edu/OneCard

• Students’ Legal Assistance: Should you ever need it (and we hope you don’t), the Students’ Legal Assistance office, staffed by our own College of Law students, provides free legal counsel, advice and referral services to students. niu.edu/legal

• University Bookstore: It’s called a bookstore, but there’s so much more! Gear up for games, get birthday cards to send home to mom and dad, deck out your residence hall room and, oh yeah, get your textbooks. niu.edu/bookstore

Getting Involved and Engaged• Association of Campus Religious Organizations

(ACRO): We’re a diverse community and we support your spiritual journey as well as your academic journey. ACRO is an organization of professional religious leaders (not students) who work intentionally with our students. Visit go.niu.edu/acro for a list of religious organizations around campus.

• Athletics: Another perk of being a Huskie! As a student, you get in free to all sporting events (with your key to campus—your OneCard), so be sure to get out there and cheer on your fellow Huskies! niuhuskies.com

• Career Services: After you’ve earned your degree, we don’t just set you free. Career Services educates and empowers you to make important career choices through career exploration and job search skills training. niu.edu/CareerServices

• Clubs and Organizations: From professional or political to athletics or arts, get more out of your college experience by joining one of more than 220 student clubs and organizations! niu.edu/studentinvolvement/organizations

• Fraternity and Sorority Life: Become a member of one of 47 Greek-lettered organizations, with over 1,600 members in our Greek community. go.niu.edu/gogreek

Your Transition to NIUComing to college is a big transition! That’s why we work hard to provide you with the necessary opportunities, resources and services you need to thrive. We know it can be overwhelming, so the next few pages provide you a quick overview of where to go if you need help, a breakdown of how things work and important information on navigating NIU successfully!

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• Intramurals: More than 40 intramural sports and activities for men’s, women’s and co-recreational leagues are offered in the fall and spring semesters. niu.edu/campusrec/intramural

• Mentoring: A mentor is a guide, friend and resource who shares his or her experiences and time to help pave the way for you to succeed at NIU and beyond. Your mentor could be an older student, a faculty or staff member or an alumni. niu.edu/mentor

• Northern Star: Student-produced, independent media. The Northern Star covers NIU campus news, DeKalb city and county news, NIU Huskie sports and northern Illinois entertainment. It’s available M-F online and in print on Tuesdays/Thursdays during the fall/spring semester. northernstar.info

• Service Programs: Get involved in the community through service and civic engagement. niu.edu/engagedlearning/service

• Student Involvement & Leadership Development (SILD): Provides involvement, leadership development and volunteer opportunities and supports student organizations. niu.edu/studentinvolvement

• Study Abroad: You’ll be working in a global economy—why not study globally? Earn academic credit AND see the world! You can study abroad for any major—and most programs cost about the same as studying at NIU for the same amount of time. niu.edu/studyabroad

• Theatre or Art: Want to see one of the world’s leading steel pan bands? No problem…they’re Huskies! Partial to theatre? No worries—we’ve got a great theatre department, too! From art museums to theatre and musical performances—there’s always an opportunity to check out the outstanding work of your classmates. go.niu.edu/vpa

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Your Transition to NIU Continued

• Undergraduate Research: Learn research techniques and dig deeper into that question you always wanted to know more about through many opportunities to conduct research with our expert faculty. niu.edu/engagedlearning/research

Diversity at NIU• Asian American Center provides an inclusive

environment to help create community and to raise awareness about the rich cultural heritage of Asian Americans. niu.edu/aac

• Center for Black Studies offers undergraduate courses and is also a place where students can go for advisement, information on academic and professional resources and networking. niu.edu/blackstudies

• Gender & Sexuality Resource Center serves as a home for all persons, inclusive of sexual and gender identities, and all forms of masculinity and femininity. It’s a central location for resources and support, where acceptance of intersectional identities is encouraged and celebrated. niu.edu/gsrc

• Latino Resource Center promotes social justice

as well as an inclusive environment where we seek

to recruit, retain, empower and advance Latina/o

students at NIU. niu.edu/lrc

• Northern Pact is a set of six principles (Purposeful,

Just, Caring, Open, Disciplined, Celebrative) that

outlines the expectations we have for ourselves and

the members of our community. niu.edu/thepact

Health and Wellness Resources

• Advocacy Services provides assistance and support

to students who have been impacted by sexual

assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking.

niu.edu/csdc/advocacy

• AlcoholEDU for College is a confidential, personalized

and interactive science-based program that educates

students on alcohol consumption and the behaviors

associated with it. Because we care about your overall

well-being, AlcoholEDU is mandatory for all new

students. niu.edu/health/onlineeducation

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• Campus Recreation helps you in achieving a lifelong appreciation for pursuing a healthy lifestyle by providing comprehensive programs including open recreation, fitness and wellness, Outdoor Adventures, intramural sports, sport clubs, and aquatics programs. niu.edu/campusrec

• Counseling & Consultation Services offers counseling, assessment, psychiatric treatment, crisis response, outreach, consultation, training and educational services. niu.edu/csdc

• Haven—Understanding Sexual Assault is a confidential, personalized, and interactive course that educates you about healthy relationships, sexual health, consent and sexual violence. Because we care about your overall well-being, Haven is mandatory for all new students. niu.edu/health/onlineeducation

• Health Services provides walk-in medical and psychiatric health care for students who are registered and have been assessed on-campus tuition and fees. You may use Health Services whether or not you are enrolled in the NIU Student Health Insurance Plan. niu.edu/healthservices

• Student Conduct coordinates the university student system, which provides an opportunity to confront and resolve academic, residential, student conduct and disciplinary conflicts. niu.edu/conduct

• Student Health Insurance (SHI) is provided to every student—you are automatically enrolled in the SHI plan when you register for nine or more on-campus credit hours. You have the option to waive the SHI by submitting a waiver by the 10th day of classes. niu.edu/shi

• Wellness Promotion specializes in health promotion initiatives that are designed to enhance your educational experience. niu.edu/health

Protecting our Pack

• Huskie Safe Line is a FREE shuttle service that runs

from 11 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. (the last route leaves the HSC

at 5 a.m.) around campus. The shuttle service travels

a fixed route with 35 pick-up and drop-off locations.

Look for the signs that say “Huskie Safe Line” and wait

for the van at the stop. go.niu.edu/safe

• Motorist Assistance Program is for all those

unplanned moments—you’ve locked your keys in your

car or just got out of class and realize your battery is

dead. What do you do? Call 815-753-1212, and we will

be glad to come to your assistance.

• R.A.D. Women’s Self-Defense Training is a

seminar where you’ll learn risk reduction strategies,

safety awareness and tips, basic stances and hands-on

defense training. Sign up by visiting go.niu.edu/rad.

• Safe Walk will make sure you get to your destination

safely. Studying late? Need to walk back to your car

or residence hall? Just call 815-753-9658 anytime

between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. to be accompanied by our

Huskie Patrol.

• Text Alerts provide you with real-time safety

notifications. Add your cell phone number to NIU’s

Emergency Notification System for Safety Bulletin text

messages. You can do this in MyNIU.

• University Police provide service and protection to

the university campus and community. Our police

officers have powers of arrest in the state of Illinois and

are certified emergency medical technicians (EMTs).

Police operations include proactive patrol, crime

prevention, criminal investigation, evidence collection,

paramedic services, traffic management and training.

niu.edu/publicsafety

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Video One (Two Roommates)

One thing I noticed in this video was: ____________________________________________________________________

My reaction to this is: __________________________________________________________________________________

Video Two (A Relationship)

One thing I noticed in this video was: _____________________________________________________________________

My reaction to this is: __________________________________________________________________________________

Video Three (A Party)

One thing I noticed in this video was: ____________________________________________________________________

My reaction to this is: __________________________________________________________________________________

Video Four (Mixed Signals)

One thing I noticed in this video was: _____________________________________________________________________

My reaction to this is: __________________________________________________________________________________

A Glimpse Into Student Life

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Family conversations

Discuss expectations on how to stay in touch. Are

you going to text or call? How often?

Talk to your family about personal safety and

decisions regarding alcohol.

Agree on how you’ll share information with your

family about your academic progress.

Discuss finances. How will bills be paid?

Paying your bill

You can find your bill on MyNIU. A bill is generated

once you’ve registered for classes.

The first payment of a term is due one (1) week

before the term begins.

View go.niu.edu/bill for billing and payment

due dates.

You are automatically enrolled in the Student

Health Insurance (SHI) plan if you’re taking at

least nine semester hours, and the fee will appear

within 48 hours of registering for classes. If you

have comparable health insurance coverage, you

may cancel the SHI by submitting a waiver by the

10th day of classes. niu.edu/shi

Sign your family up for Shared Access. You’ll be

able to give up to two members of your family

access to your academics, financials and your

“To-Do” list.

Prepare for move-in

Find out what you need to bring.

niu.edu/housing/halls/what-to-bring

Discuss with your roommate and/or suitemates

what each of you will bring.

Make sure to prepare your laptop or computer

prior to move in. niu.edu/housing/restech

Review move-in procedures and parking

information. niu.edu/housing

Prepare for your first semester

Bringing a car to campus? Make sure to get your

permit BEFORE you arrive on campus. You can buy

your permit online at niu.edu/parking/permits.

Add your cell phone number to NIU’s Emergency

Notification System for Safety Bulletin text

messages. You can do this in MyNIU.

Complete AlcoholEDU for College and

Haven—Understanding Sexual Assault.

Check your NIU email for more information.

Check your NIU e-mail daily.

Register your bike and/or electronic devices.

Participate in Welcome Days

Review the Welcome Days schedule and mark

your calendar! The events throughout the

weekend are a great way to start your semester.

niu.edu/studentinvolvement/welcomedays

Locate your classroom buildings and walk your

class schedule.

Discover opportunities to learn more about NIU

and make friends.

Working towards a successful first semester

Go to class!

Buy a planner—it’ll help you plan assignments for

your classes and is a useful tool in helping you

be successful.

Schedule an appointment with your fall semester

academic advisor now to help meet your

academic goals.

Visit your instructors’ office hours. You’ll find office

hours located on the class syllabus.

Ask for help—college is a major life transition

and one that may require some help. If you’re

struggling, don’t be afraid to ask your instructor

for help. Or visit the Writing Center or ACCESS

for tutoring.

Transition ChecklistBefore you know it, you’ll be starting classes as a Huskie! We can’t wait to see you in the fall! Until then, enjoy your summer and don’t forget to check off these important steps in your transition to life at NIU. Remember, we’re here for you every step of the way. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask!

Orientation is the first step of your education and your

first opportunity to learn how to be successful at NIU. If

you fail to attend or participate in any parts of orientation,

you jeopardize proper academic advising and enrollment.

You are required to stay in the residence hall room

assigned to you for your orientation program overnight,

and you are required to remain on campus throughout

the entire orientation program.

You are considered a student at NIU while participating in

the orientation program. You are, therefore, expected to

abide by all university polices and conduct outlined

in the NIU Student Code of Conduct. go.niu.edu/code

Alcohol and Other Drug Use

The orientation program strictly adheres to NIU campus

policy as well as all state and federal laws regarding

alcohol and/or drug use. The use of alcohol and/or drugs

during the program is not permitted.

If you are in the presence of and/or consuming alcohol

and/or drugs, you will be referred to the Student Conduct

Office and/or the University Police Department. Failure

to abide by this policy could also result in being asked to

leave the program without registering for classes. If you

are asked to leave the program, you are still responsible

for all orientation fees.

Residence HallsTrash/Removal of Belongings

While spending the night in a residence hall, you are

responsible for maintaining this living space. Upon

checkout, you must dispose of any trash in the designated

locations and remove all of your belongings. A fee will

be charged for any garbage or belongings left in the

assigned room.

Guests in the Residence Halls

Only students assigned to a specific room are permitted

to be in the room. Guests are not allowed in the rooms. No

exceptions, unless approved in writing by the Division of

Student Affairs & Enrollment Management.

Damage/Missing Items

Damage to the room is the sole responsibility of the

students assigned to that space. Students are not

permitted to take any items provided to them by the

university (linens, furniture, etc.). If room items are

damaged or missing, students will be charged

as necessary.

Keys

You are responsible for carrying your key cards at all

times. All key cards must be returned before you go to

advising on Day 2. If a key card is lost or stolen, you will be

responsible for paying a $10.00 fee per key card.

Orientation Program Policies and Fees

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NIU Orientation & Family Connections

@NIULive

@Northern_Illinois_University

youtube.com/northernilluniv

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Security AgreementWe highly recommend that you keep your room locked at all times (even when in the room) and that you close and lock windows when you are gone. Please note that Orientation & Family Connections is not responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged items.

Smoke FreeIllinois state law prohibits smoking in all campus locations, buildings and residence halls. Students violating this law will be referred to Student Conduct and/or the NIU Department of Police and Public Safety. For more information, please visit niu.edu/smokefree.

Lost and FoundNeither NIU nor Orientation & Family Connections is liable for lost, damaged or stolen items. However, lost and found items are collected when left by participants during the program. Lost items that are found will be turned over to the NIU Police for proper handling and disposing. If you believe you have lost an item, please contact the Orientation office at 815-753-1535 or orientation@niu.edu, or you may contact the NIU Police directly at 815-753-1212. Be sure to include the full name, session date, building and room number (if applicable) of student or family member, where item may have been left and a detailed description of the lost item.

Northern Illinois University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. Printed by authority of the State of Illinois. www.niu.edu 5/16 47349

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Kishwaukee River

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Lagoon KKiishhwaukkeeRRiiver

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