(10-03-2023 08:16 PM)Big_Man Wrote:  

(10-03-2023 11:42 AM)MiamiHuskie Wrote:  This problem is not unique to NIU. Interesting article on falling enrollment at state flagship schools, including WVU.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/busi...tay-afloat

Schools have to adapt and position themselves for today's environment. Has anyone from the university reached out to Meta to establish internships for NIU students? The new CEO of Life Fitness, the gym equipment company, is an NIU grad.

NIU needs to focus and it seems like business, finance, and other disciplines are where to start. Nursing, meteorology are disciplines that are instant marketable after graduation. Many liberal arts programs need to go. Art History and Medieval French Poetry are niche topics better left to small private colleges.

Like others have said, distance learning is big, especially with graduate programs. Most people in graduate programs are working and can't go get a campus apartment for 2 years. This is 2023. not 1985.
The fact that Illinois is losing population, like West Virginia, doesn't help, but NIU needs to leverage it's proximity to Chicago as it's lifeline. Partnering with businesses, governments, schools and other entities to provide a network and future job opportunist for graduates is a good sell.

And DeKalb needs to address the Section 8 housing, which was brought to DeKalb by Eddie Williams 10 years ago. It has no place being that close to a college campus.

Now that I'm retired and have reached out to NIU to volunteer and perhaps be on some advisory boards, but have not heard back.

Illinois didn’t lose population. Rural Illinois might have, but the state as a whole did not.

Math can be tough , but try.
Illinois’ population decline reached record-breaking levels in 2022 as the state’s population dropped by 104,437 residents from from July 2021-July 2022.

What a depressing question. Not out of left field though I guess given the tone on this board right now.

NIU will rebound at some point, especially if we can get new leadership sooner than later. Dear lord we need a president to take us back over 20k students ASAP.

The foundation is still very much there with the business school, accounting program, engineering and the law school I attended still cruising along. Academics seem fine for the most part right now, despite Freeman's bumblings.

I think we're all just down because UIC and Illinois State, our 2 biggest peer in-state competitors have made PR and enrollment gains recently while NIU leadership is failing us currently in those departments. Enrollment drives $ and would also help students take back Dekalb housing, meant for students, in key areas of town.

Dip all of this in a creamy coating of our bad football season, and here you are hanging out in a NIU chatroom with 100 "Glums" from Gulliver's Travels.

The 500 million dollar major fund raise NIU keeps touting sounds promising, I can't imagine they would throw a number around almost 3 times the size of Illinois State's big modern raise total unless they had a handle on that amount.

My biggest fear is that ineffective President Freeman is so obsessed with her HSI project, that she keeps NIU hovering between 14-17k students for years to come, as you are firmly required to maintain that 25% hispanic ratio, and she so far has not been capable of reaching that quota while also growing the university's enrollment as a whole. (she just now finally reached the 25% ratio, while also driving total enrollment DOWN).

Perhaps we may have been able to make the same recent gains as Illinois State and UIC if the administration wasn't so race hyper-focused during recruiting? I think being an HSI is great, especially if some of the fed $ and perks actually come to fruition. I think though that program was set up for schools that fall into that category organically, while Freeman seems to be trying to "manufacture" an HSI in Dekalb, to our overall enrollment's downfall. Even with the HSI perks if they materialize, I think we would simply be stronger with a more non-ratio, multi-race diverse 20k+ students and all of there tuition and rent checks.

I hope for NIU's sake the president figures her mistakes out quickly, or more importantly that the Trustees figure out the the current President is inept.


President Freeman 2019 Stated Enrollment Goals: https://foxillinois.com/news/local/niu-l...-fall-2023


President Freeman 2023 Enrollment Failure: https://northernstar.info/107952/news/un...t-changes/


Time for new leadership.

(10-03-2023 11:15 PM)MiamiHuskie Wrote:  

(10-03-2023 08:20 PM)Big_Man Wrote:  Illinois Population

I know this won’t convince the Fox News, blue states are crumbling crowd, but it’s here for your reference.

Maybe you watch PMSNBC but look at the numbers https://www.illinoispolicy.org/91-of-102...n-in-2022/

Who are coming in and who are leaving? Citadel and Tyson foods left state. Boeing too those are high paying jobs that are paying taxes.

I've given up on the idea that I have the time or ego to know what to do about big picture stuff. States have spent my whole lifetime choking these schools of resources while insisting an the same or more control. I know there's never a bad time to be a research oriented big university. I know dual hits of 08, and the Madigan-Rauner ego battle knocked almost all regional Illinois schools into a survival stance. And in general teaching-focused schools like NIU everywhere are in a spot of trying to figure out how to do the mission of being colleges for people trying to get a leg up in a time that seems extra-wired against them from so many directions.

But if you really want to feel good about NIU, do something that connects you to students.

Honestly, doing little alumni volunteer activities that connect with students keeps me from NIU doomerism. Everything that mattered to me about NIU when I graduated is still there. The first generation college students, the nursing and college of ed students who want to do something for people, the non-traditional students continuing their climb, The whole range of college underdogs I liked being part of.

(10-02-2023 10:12 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  Sports teams are nearly all losers. Therefore hate the coaches too and obviously the AD.

No one goes to sporting events. Facilities outdated.

Off campus housing in spots has turned to crap, has sec 8.

Academics seem to fall year after year.

Enrollment down.

Money is down.

There’s no more Lukulos or Tom and Jerry’s.

Seriously, what does this school offer a student? An athlete? How do they supposedly attract an as or coaches? I mean tell me , seriously, if you didn’t attend NIU, what would attract you? Because nearly everyone on here went there and from the sounds of things week after week, day after day it’s failing your expectations.

I hate to say it, but no not really. I went to school here and had a great time but now the entire town is different and not for the better. Hell I even came back and worked at Ideal for a while.

There was a steak house that was really nice - Gone
There was a Mexican Joint that had great margaritas and salsa - Gone
Lukolos - Gone
One of the bars I liked - Gone
Football Team - consistently sucks
Crime - up
Nothing new being added, it's just a dieing town and a dieing college and thats sad.

(10-04-2023 11:35 AM)foch41 Wrote:  

(10-02-2023 10:12 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  Sports teams are nearly all losers. Therefore hate the coaches too and obviously the AD.

No one goes to sporting events. Facilities outdated.

Off campus housing in spots has turned to crap, has sec 8.

Academics seem to fall year after year.

Enrollment down.

Money is down.

There’s no more Lukulos or Tom and Jerry’s.

Seriously, what does this school offer a student? An athlete? How do they supposedly attract an as or coaches? I mean tell me , seriously, if you didn’t attend NIU, what would attract you? Because nearly everyone on here went there and from the sounds of things week after week, day after day it’s failing your expectations.

I hate to say it, but no not really. I went to school here and had a great time but now the entire town is different and not for the better. Hell I even came back and worked at Ideal for a while.

There was a steak house that was really nice - Gone
There was a Mexican Joint that had great margaritas and salsa - Gone
Lukolos - Gone
One of the bars I liked - Gone
Football Team - consistently sucks
Crime - up
Nothing new being added, it's just a dieing town and a dieing college and thats sad.

You coming ld be talking about Chicago too. Lol.

(10-04-2023 09:04 AM)DogTracks Wrote:  I've given up on the idea that I have the time or ego to know what to do about big picture stuff. States have spent my whole lifetime choking these schools of resources while insisting an the same or more control. I know there's never a bad time to be a research oriented big university. I know dual hits of 08, and the Madigan-Rauner ego battle knocked almost all regional Illinois schools into a survival stance. And in general teaching-focused schools like NIU everywhere are in a spot of trying to figure out how to do the mission of being colleges for people trying to get a leg up in a time that seems extra-wired against them from so many directions.

But if you really want to feel good about NIU, do something that connects you to students.

Honestly, doing little alumni volunteer activities that connect with students keeps me from NIU doomerism. Everything that mattered to me about NIU when I graduated is still there. The first generation college students, the nursing and college of ed students who want to do something for people, the non-traditional students continuing their climb, The whole range of college underdogs I liked being part of.

Interesting you should say that. I just signed up as a volunteer mentor and may be looking at any advisory boards that may have positions. I'm semi-retired now and have the time and inclination. I wish I would have done it years ago.

One thing I like about NIU is that there's a forum that talks about NIU sports, especially football, with enough people that care about it to post regularly.

I'd just as soon not spend my time talking about how bad everything is though. Too depressing.

(10-05-2023 11:17 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  One thing I like about NIU is that there's a forum that talks about NIU sports, especially football, with enough people that care about it to post regularly.

I'd just as soon not spend my time talking about how bad everything is though. Too depressing.

That was kind of the point of the assignment. Or at least a response I can agree with.

But a last thought as I read through responses…

I find it odd that so many think everyone sucks and magically all these AD, coaches and administrators are going to be replaced by “better people.” In the end, who is going to hire all these people ( not to mention pay) to “ turn things around?” Either people who suck or people who already had a hand in hiring those who “suck.”

Better luck in finding Mr Peabody’s Wayback Time Machine and setting it for early 2010s to enjoy yourself again.

I didn't even go to NIU so I know all of you who are alum are probably more invested, but I personally love going to games. I love the short drive from the western suburbs, I love going to Fatty's for some beverages, I love tailgating, love going to the game and hanging on the East side. It's always a delightful time, regardless of whatever issues the university is facing.

Go HUSKIES! BEAT AKRON

(10-06-2023 10:42 AM)Red Dog Wrote:  I didn't even go to NIU so I know all of you who are alum are probably more invested, but I personally love going to games. I love the short drive from the western suburbs, I love going to Fatty's for some beverages, I love tailgating, love going to the game and hanging on the East side. It's always a delightful time, regardless of whatever issues the university is facing.

Go HUSKIES! BEAT AKRON

I went with some relatives, and used my season tickets so it was free for them. They seem to enjoy themselves at the games, when I can get them to go. They won't show up for cold November games though, they aren't crazy like me.

(10-06-2023 10:42 AM)Red Dog Wrote:  I didn't even go to NIU so I know all of you who are alum are probably more invested, but I personally love going to games. I love the short drive from the western suburbs, I love going to Fatty's for some beverages, I love tailgating, love going to the game and hanging on the East side. It's always a delightful time, regardless of whatever issues the university is facing.

Go HUSKIES! BEAT AKRON

Thank you Red Dog. Most would carry the torch for the "you name the state university" and wear their gear and brag about the team (only when they are winning) even though they never attended the school and probably never finished high school. I have lived in Illinois, Florida and South Carolina and in those three and I am sure throughout the SEC that is the case.

GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO HUSKIUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went to our doppelgänger school, UNI, for undergrad and NIU for law school. I follow what is going on at both schools. When I went to UNI, they had about 15k students. Now they have about 8k (around 18 years later) When I went to NIU, they had about 25k, now they have around 15k (around 13 years later). So UNI has lost a greater percentage of students since I have been there (albeit over a longer period of time). A lot of the same gripes—the old haunts have closed, there aren’t students all over campus, athletics have been sliding (their Big12 wrestling program practicing in a glorified garage a mile off campus because their gym is structurally unsound). My dorm? Closed. My honors college? Slated for demolition. My professor’s offices? Demolished years ago. My college? Eliminated. All my favorite bars and book stores? Long gone.

Both schools are normal schools, both respectable “directional schools”, both with the same exact problems. But...totally different administrations and presidents and in very, very different states. My point is that NIU’s problems are not unique, and its woes don’t fall squarely on the president of administration. Universities like NIU are struggling everywhere. But NIU is in far better shape than UNI and in far better shape than many universities of its type, all things considered.

I still like you guys.