The Board of Trustees approved contract negotiations to make Acting President Lisa Freeman NIU’s permanent president Thursday, making her the first female president in NIU history.

Wheeler Coleman, Board of Trustees Chair, informed the university community of Freeman’s consideration to become NIU’s next permanent president in a July 11 official university statement. This announcement included information of the Board no longer continuing to conduct a national presidential search, but instead adjusting the process.

The Board met at 9 a.m. Thursday and reconvened at about 2:30 p.m. to vote on declaring Freeman as the next president. With eight votes in favor to approve the motion, every Trustee advocated for selecting Freeman as president.

Freeman stepped into the role of acting president after former president Doug Baker resigned June 30, 2017. She decided at the time that she would not be a candidate for the presidency.

Freeman said she knew she would be forced to make some difficult decisions as acting president, like program-prioritization and budget uncertainties, and she did not want anybody to feel she was making decisions for her candidacy, rather the good of the university, according to a June 23 Northern Star article.

The Presidential Search Preparation Committee was formed to conduct background research and gather information regarding the most effective and efficient presidential search processes. The group met for the first time Jan. 25 and later formed three working Ad-Hoc groups specific to different areas of research.

After the decision to no longer go forward with a presidential search, there were several listening-sessions conducted for the Board to gather feedback from key stakeholders in the university community.

Trustee Eric Wasowicz motioned to move the proposal to vote Freeman as the next permanent president of the university and authorize the commencement of contract negotiations.

“Almost a year ago we sat in closed session, and I was one of the people who was adamant that we immediately start a national presidential search,” Wasowicz said.

Wasowicz said he was grateful the Board held off on the search after getting the opportunity to get to know Freeman and working with her, because he feels she is a great fit for NIU’s next president.

Dennis Barsema, Board of Trustees vice chair, said he’s had the opportunity to work with Freeman for the past eight years and he’s gotten to know her well in that time.

“I’ve watched not only herself grow from a skillset standpoint, but her love and knowledge of NIU,” Barsema said. “This is a step she’s ready for, and this is a time when NIU is ready for a woman to lead us, a very qualified person, and I couldn’t think of a better person to lead us into the future than Dr. Lisa Freeman.”

Student Trustee Nathan Hayes said although he has only been a member of the Board for a short period of time, he has gotten the opportunity to work very closely with Freeman.

“It has become very apparent that she not only loves the students of NIU, the faculty of NIU, but the university as a whole,” Hayes said.

Freeman appeared slightly emotional as she received a standing ovation following the Board’s decision. She continued to thank the Board for their faith in her and the opportunity to serve as the next president of NIU, concluding with “Go Huskies!”

Coleman said the university community will be made aware of the contract negotiation to be addressed at a later meeting, yet to be determined. He said the selection and removal of a president is the toughest decision the Board ever has to make and is not one they took lightly with their voting to select Freeman for the presidency.

“While all of us have diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, it is clear that we are united in what this university needs and deserves going forward,” Coleman said. “We need and deserve a president who is a visionary yet practical. We need and deserve someone who will uphold our values both out in the open and behind closed doors. We need and deserve a leader who will inspire and empower others, while rolling up their own sleeve and get engaged.”