I hope that everyone is having a great summer. As you know, Northeastern Illinois is a very busy place during the summer months. In addition to classes, student orientation and other summer programs, the University welcomed a new partnership, participated in emergency training and exceeded fundraising goals. Here are the highlights:

USDA Partnership
Northeastern Illinois welcomed Julio Puentes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on August 3. Julio is director of the Midwest Regional Office and will be connecting students and faculty with a variety of projects and opportunities with the USDA through the Hispanic-Serving Institutions National Program (HSINP). USDA's HSINP promotes the continued growth of Hispanic enrollment in higher education through partnerships with colleges and universities across the country. The regional office at NEIU is the only one in the Midwest. I am very pleased that they have chosen to partner with us.  

Julio's office is located in the Sachs Building, Room 628. Welcome, Julio.

Emergency Mass Notification System and Executive Training
You may have noticed new message boards and speakers installed in all of our university buildings. These boards and speakers are a part of the University's new Emergency Mass Notification System "NEIUalert." NEIUalert will be activated only in emergency situations such as utility failures, severe weather, University/building closures, and threats of violence to the campus community. The boards and speakers will disseminate messages regarding what to do in these various emergency situations. The University's Emergency Management Team, led by Vice President Mark Wilcockson and NEIU Police Chief Jim Lyon, is now looking into secondary notification systems including text messaging to cell phones. I'm proud of these significant steps taken to ensure the safety of our University community.

In addition, last month the Emergency Management Team along with a variety of other University community members participated in a two-day workshop on campus titled "Executive Seminar: Prevention of, Response to, and Recovery from Campus Emergencies" presented by the National Center of Biomedical Research and Training in-residence at Louisiana State University. The two-day conference took the group through mock campus emergency situations and responses. All participants were tested and became certified in campus emergency response.

A Million Dollar Year
As you know, one of our University's strategic goals is to increase our private giving infrastructure and results. I am very pleased to report that Northeastern Illinois has had a record-breaking year. We have received just over a million dollars in donations for fiscal year 2009, which ended June 30. This is the highest amount we have ever raised in our history. To surpass a million dollars in challenging economic times is extraordinary. Thanks go to all the members of the Institutional Advancement staff, under the leadership of Vice President Carla Knorowski, as well as faculty, staff, students and friends who have contributed so generously.

We will continue to focus on this for the benefit of our students. And, while we must acknowledge that the market value of our endowment has dropped, we will continue to add to it, and it will gain (and regain) value over time. The health of the endowment is critical for the long-term future of the University.

With the completion of FY09, we are already working toward another record for FY10, including a fundraising campaign for the new College of Business and Management building to open this fall. It is heartwarming to know that our donors are giving more than ever before. We thank you.