The quickest way to find out if NIU is open during bad weather is from radio or TV broadcasts.

DeKalb-Sycamore stations carrying special NIU weather-related announcements include WDEK, WKDI, WNIU, WSQR, and Cable 8 TV.

Aurora stations notified of major schedule disruptions at NIU include WYSY, WKKD; in Belvidere, WYBR; in Elgin, WJKL and WRMN; in Geneva, WFXW; in Joliet, WJOL and WJRC; in Ottawa, WCMY and WRKX; in Plano, WBYG and WSPY; in Rochelle, WRHL; in the Rockford area, WKKN, WROK, WXTA, WYFE, WZOK, WIFR-TV, WQRF-TV, WREX-TV and WTVO-TV; in Sterling, Dixon and Rock Falls, WJVM and WSDR; and in the Chicago area, WBBM, WCLR, WFYR, WGN, WLS, WMAQ, WUSN, WFLD-TV and WGN-TV.

“I recommend that students keep the phone circuits free for emergency use during severe storms and listen to the news broadcasts,” said Barb Sullivan, an editorial assistant with NIU’s Office of Public Information.

James Harder, vice president for business and operations, points out that decisions on official closings are made as early as possible, depending on weather and road conditions.

Harder said NIU has 25,500 students and 3,500 employees and closing the school for the day is a major decision that is not easily made.