Featured in this batch of facts: The Grammy nominated Vermeer Quartet was NIU’s resident string quartet for 38 years, NIU’s first doctoral degree was awarded in 1964; students can now earn doctorates at NIU in 24 disciplines, the term “Homecoming” wasn’t used by Northern’s student newspaper until 1906; it was first headlined as “The Eventful Game,” and in February 1990, a rematch between the NIU Huskies VS DePaul Blue Demons drew a standing-room only crowd of 6,118 – the largest ever for a women’s basketball game at the time!
NIU HISTORY
The Vermeer Quartet was NIU’s resident string quartet for 38 years. They earned three Grammy nominations for recordings of their work, and trained many of the most gifted young string ensembles performing today.
The Women’s Studies program was first enacted on June 19, 1980 with its first two implemented courses the following year in 1981. The courses were Women in Contemporary America and Women Across Cultures and Centuries. Because the classes became popular with both female and male students, the University approved a Graduate Studies minor in Women’s Studies by 1989.
In November 1961, the Teachers College Board approved NIU’s request to grant the Ph.D. degree in history and English, and the Ed.D. degree in education and business education. In May of 1964, NIU’s first doctoral degree was awarded in business education. Today, students can earn doctorates at NIU in 24 disciplines, ranging from Chemistry and Computer Science to Art & Design Education and Nursing.
In 1968, during the administration of NIU President Rhoten Smith and inspired by a trend in student self-governance that was sweeping colleges and universities across the nation, the present-day Student Association (recently renamed Student Government Association or SGA) was born. The new system was largely the product of a new constitution that formed a three-branch government system and empowered elected student representatives to recognize and fund student organizations and activities.
NIU’s gay student organization that began in 1970 as the Gay Liberation Front underwent several changes, including different names throughout the years until reaching the current name, PRISM, in 1998. NIU established an LGBT Resource Center in 2003, finally realizing the GLF’s dream of having a large, established space for gay and lesbian students on campus. In 2014, the LGBT Resource Center merged with the Women’s Resource Center, creating the current Gender and Sexuality Resource Center.
The College of Engineering & Engineering Technology was established in 1985. In May of 1985, NIU acquired a major corporate engineering building in Sycamore, about seven miles from campus and this building became the temporary facility for the college. NIU then decided to build a new engineering building in 1993 and it moved to the current location north of Anderson Hall on the DeKalb campus. Classes began in the new facility in the fall of 1995.
NIU SPORTS
The first homecoming tradition was headlined as “The Eventful Game” in the Northern Illinois student newspaper in 1903. It wasn’t until 1906 that the term “Homecoming” was first used by Northern’s student newspaper.
Northern defeated Wheaton College, 29-3, on October 24, 1914, in its first Homecoming football game against an intercollegiate opponent.
Homecoming was canceled in 1917, 1918, and 1919 because the NIU football program was suspended due to World War I.
On February 15, 1990, a rematch between the Huskies and the DePaul Blue Demons drew a standing-room only crowd of 6,118 – the largest ever for a women’s basketball game at the time. On March 10, Coach Albright and her crew beat DePaul again for a trip to the NCAA’s Big Dance.