DeKALB – NIU has made the decision to discontinue programming and permanently close its Lorado Taft Field Campus, located at 1414 N. River Road in Oregon, Illinois, on Dec. 15.

Lorado Taft is closing because of the cost-inefficient buildings requiring multi-million dollar repairs, according to a statement provided by the university.

The field campus has approximately 141 acres of land and buildings.

Amanda McArthur, a maintenance repair worker at the Lorado Taft Field Campus, said around 20 to 25 people will lose their jobs, however some are possibly getting transferred to NIU.

“Out of the number [20 to 25 people] that are being let go, only a select few are even on the table for a transfer (to another NIU facility). But it’s not a guarantee. Maybe, like five or six our educators are not being transferred,” McArthur said.

The educators who worked at Lorado Taft are not having their jobs transferred because their positions are not year-round.

“But operating a youth camp has minimal alignment with NIU’s current mission and goals. The university must invest its resources in programs and initiatives that more directly contribute to NIU student success and our other academic priorities,” according to a statement provided by the university.

McArthur said the Honors staff at NIU will be impacted by the Lorado Taft closure.

“We just canceled one of their contracts (they were supposed to go in spring), and they said they had nowhere to go. They already had the curriculum and everything all drawn up, and so now they’re struggling to find something,” McArthur said.

The Lorado Taft staff is working with clients who currently have 2025 dates booked to be at the field campus to find alternative camp options, according to the NIU website.