residence hall living
welcome home to NIU Some of students’ best memories and learning opportunities occur in our residence halls. As you consider living at NIU, know that we provide dynamic experiences to students living on campus. Be sure to visit www.housing.niu.edu for more detailed information.
On-Campus Living at NIU New Friends
On-campus living provides an environment for your social life at NIU to flourish. Activities, events, and educational programs provide many opportunities for you to interact with your new friends. Meeting and living close to other new students is the highlight of the residence hall experience. Each floor is a community of up to 50 students led by at least one trained Community Advisor (CA), who helps to enhance NIU students’ experiences in the residence halls.
Convenience
Life in the residence halls offers great benefits for students new to Northern. Your room comes furnished and with highspeed Internet and cable TV service, each hall has computer lab access, and the bathrooms are cleaned for you! If you’re looking for a tasty meal, look no further. Dining offers almost every type of food you can imagine, and the dining sites are conveniently located in each residence hall. From the halls, a free bus ride takes you around campus or to your favorite stores and restaurants in town. You can also avoid the hassle of paying monthly bills while living on campus since everything is added to your student account. It’s all here for you at NIU!
Great Education
Your education is our top priority. Housing & Dining offers a wealth of technological and educational support programs. All residents have access to the University Writing Center, tutoring programs, and computer labs–all located in the halls. By choosing to live in a Living Learning Community, you will live and learn with other students who share your interests and your major. There are many opportunities to interact with faculty in your residence hall and tools to help you prepare for success in your future career. Living on campus at NIU provides you with the opportunities needed to succeed in all aspects of your life at NIU and beyond.
Apply Early!
The housing application and room selection process is done online at www.housing.niu.edu You are strongly encouraged to apply for oncampus housing as soon as you are notified that the online process is active, typically by late fall semester. After applying for housing, you will be notified to return to the website to choose your room toward the end of spring semester.
New Residence Hall
Living Choices The majority of rooms at NIU are traditional double rooms; however, there are also a limited number of single rooms, triple rooms, and suites. Double rooms are our most common room type and accommodate two students. This room type is available in most halls. Single rooms for one student are limited in availability. Double-as-Single rooms, available in most halls, are double rooms in which only one student lives. Suites for four students are offered in two of our halls. Each four-person suite has two bedrooms and a furnished living room. Some of the suites have their own bathroom. Much like a Double-as-Single, four-person suites can be purchased as doubles so that two people share a suite. Triple rooms, larger rooms that three students share, are limited in number. Apartments are available in Northern View Community, which is designed for students with dependents, partners, graduate and professional students, and students who are at least two years out of high school. Northern View Community offers many amenities in its one-, two-, or three-bedroom apartments, including a full kitchen and a laundry unitin each apartment.
Opening for fall 2012, our new residence hall offers the best in living accommodations on campus. The new hall is a living option for all freshmen, transfer, and returning students, and will consist of clusters of six mini-suites that share a common area, kitchen-like area, and laundry facilities. The mini-suites are two single rooms that share a bathroom. Amenities in the new hall include a dining commons, fitness facility, and game room. For more information on the newest addition to Housing & Dining, please visit NewNorthern.niu.edu
Lifestyle Options Students succeed more readily in a comfortable environment. Although most residents share a double room with one roommate on a coed floor, we have lifestyle options to suit everyone. Available lifestyle options include the following options: Coed floors often have males and females living in adjacent rooms on the floor. Coed living is offered only on floors with separate bath facilities for each gender. Single Gender floors offer an alternative to coed housing. Quiet Lifestyle floors offer quiet hours nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week (except for Friday evening and noon to midnight Saturday). Quiet hours require that noise does not interrupt an atmosphere conducive to effective study or sleep. Alcohol-Free floors prohibit alcohol possession or use by students or their guests, regardless of age. All residence halls are smoke-free.
Living Learning Communities Living Learning Communities are special housing options jointly sponsored by Housing & Dining and an NIU academic college or department. A Living Learning Community consists of several floors or an entire hall dedicated to students from the same academic area or interest. Some Living Learning Communities have eligibility requirements established by the academic partners. To support activities in the communities, program residents should anticipate an additional $50 per semester fee. The following Living Learning Communities are available: Business Careers House Exploring Majors House Fine Arts House Foreign Language Residence Program Health Professions House Honors House International House Journeys in Spirituality & Meaning Floor ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) Floor Science, Engineering & Technology (SET) House Teacher Education & Certification House (TEACH) Transfer House
Residential Technology (ResTech)) Because technology is a significant part of your life and your education, we have our own technology team at your service. The ResTech Helpdesk provides support for high-speed Internet and wireless connections, software support, and virus protection for residents’ personal computers, in addition to support for the residence hall computer labs.
internet access
All residence hall rooms have high-speed Internet access and some residence hall rooms offer wireless connectivity. Bring your own computer and an Ethernet cable to connect to the in-room wired connection. Wireless Internet access is available in designated public areas of all halls and in all floor lounges; it is also available throughout Grant Tower C and the new residence hall. For the 2011-2012 academic year, all residents were assessed $62 each semester for Internet service and support. Internet service and support is included in Northern View Community rent.
computer labs
Computer labs are available for all residence hall students. Any resident may use the lab in any residence hall; however, access is restricted to residents of each area and their guests between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. All hall labs have Windows PCs as well as scanners and Adaptive Technology stations. All lab computers are currently running Microsoft Office 2007, Adobe Creative Suite 5, and Computer Science applications. Cyber Terminals are found in the lobby of every hall. These computers offer access to the web, e-mail, and Microsoft Office 24 hours a day.
Residential Dining Services Dining Destinations
Each residence hall has at least one dining destination. As a resident, you may eat in any of our Residential Dining facilities. Your dining options include a food court, several all-you-care-to-eat dining rooms, à la carte dining rooms, delis, grills, grab-n-go shops, and a coffee shop. Weekly Sunday brunches in Neptune Dining and Grant Towers are great options for residents to gather and relax on the weekends. For menus, hours of operation, and other helpful information, please check the Residential Dining section of our website. Special diets and allergies are accommodated for residential students. Those students with special dietary needs are asked to contact the Director of Residential Dining at rfritz@ niu.edu to set up a time with the appropriate departmental staff who can review and arrange the requested needs and assist in a smooth transition to NIU. À la carte eateries offer almost every possibility from bacon and biscuits to sandwiches and pizza. All-you-care-to-eat halls feature full breakfasts, salad bars, pasta bars, many dessert selections, a variety of lunch and dinner entrees with sides, and numerous vegetarian and vegan options. Residential Dining Hours Students live active lives, so meals are available when you are ready to eat. Residence hall dining service is available in at least one Residential Dining area during the following times: Monday–Thursday: 7:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m. Friday: 7:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Saturday: 10:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m. * Dining hours are subject to change each academic year based on the needs of our campus residents.
Meal Plans
All on-campus residents select from one of three declining-balance meal plan options. The plan you select depends on your individual eating patterns and dining choices. Plan costs listed below are for the 2011-2012 school year. Gold: $60 per week Platinum: $90 per week Titanium: $110 per week A Lite meal plan is available to on-campus residents who are involved in full-day (seven hours or more) academic assignments (student teaching, nursing clinical assignments, internships, etc.) for two or more days a week at least eight weeks per semester or for any off-campus student. These students are eligible to apply for this reduced meal plan ($45 per week) if it is more compatible with their schedules.
Special Features Additional Features Include:
• MicroFridge combination refrigerator/freezer/microwave in every room • Cable TV service with over 50 channels and the residence hall movie channel, The Ocho; also, many channels are available via the Internet using IPTV
Huskie Bucks
• Study rooms and social areas on each floor
Additional Features Include:
• High-tech eco-friendly laundry facilities with high efficiency washers • Activities such as movie nights, Huskie football games, cultural events, and educational programs • NIU Department of Police & Public Safety Community Safety Centers in each residential complex • A secure atmosphere with floor doors locked 24/7, residence hall main doors locked after 11 p.m., and 24-hour desks providing information, services, and enhanced security • Easy access to the Late Night Ride service and the Huskie Patrol safety escort service • Community Advisors and Hall Directors to offer guidance and serve as campus resources
Life in the Residence Halls Provides:
• Academic support services, including the University Writing Center and tutoring centers • Easier access to on-campus employment: Over 600 student jobs are available in Housing & Dining. • Leadership opportunities through the Residence Hall Association, Believing in Culture, Residential Student Conduct Board, and Hall Councils
Huskie Bucks, a prepaid debit program available to all NIU students through the Holmes Student Center, are accepted at any Residential Dining hall, selected eating areas in the Holmes Student Center, and more than 35 nearby restaurants. Huskie Bucks are also used in campus photocopy machines, residence hall laundry facilities, and in some vending machines.
Room and Board Rates The 2011-2012 room and board rates for a student who lives in a double room (the most common housing type for freshmen), has one roommate’ and who chooses the Gold Meal Plan ($60/week plan) range from $9,346–$10,420 per academic year. Each student’s room rate will be based on the room type, hall, and academic program to which a student is assigned. Rates and fees are subject to change. Additional room and board rates, including those for suites and Northern View Community, are posted on our website.
Taking the Next Step Shortly after you are accepted to the University, you will receive a packet of information by mail about applying for on-campus housing and choosing your living options. Continue to visit us at www.housing.niu.edu for more information and new features to aid you in your Journey to NIU. Housing & Dining Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL 60115 Phone: 815-753-1525 Fax: 815-753-9669 housingdining@niu.edu www.housing.niu.edu NIU Housing & Dining
Northern Illinois University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.