A 2 percent salary increase for eligible NIU personnel was announced at University Council Wednesday.

NIU President John Peters notified staff of the news via e-mail Tuesday.

“We distribute on base of merit,” Peters said. “Given the fact that everyone really worked so hard last year, I really felt that this should be across the board for satisfactory performance, so that’s the way it’s going to be. It’s all about rewarding good people, and that’s getting harder and harder to do in public higher education.”

Eligibility will be defined in forthcoming memos from Human Resources, Peters said.

Dean Searches

Dean searches continue for several schools.

A search committee working to find a new law school dean searched throughout the summer and a successor is expected to be named to former dean LeRoy Purnell within the next several months, Provost Ray Alden said.

“Last year we had a somewhat delayed search because we didn’t learn of Dean Purnell’s departure until about halfway through the fall semester, so we got kind of a late start on it compared to other law schools,” Alden said. “This year we have a very aggressive schedule; we plan on having airport interviews hopefully before Thanksgiving and campus interviews shortly thereafter.”

Alden said he hopes to name a permanent successor by the end of the calendar year.

The search for a new dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts continues as well. Alden said he expects to see a search committee completed within the next week or two.

Stuff Coming Up

Peters announced he will deliver the State of the University address at 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, in the Altgeld Hall Auditorium, with strategic planning efforts as the main talking point.

“The tremendous progress we made last year … it’s truly amazing, and when you hear it I think you’ll be impressed,” Peters said. “There are exciting things coming out of our strategic planning. We’re entering the next phase; we’re making choices, and trying to find the funds and dollars to invest in those good activities so that we can continue to deliver the quality education that is expected of us. That’s the hallmark of strategic planning.”

Plans are also in place to commemorate the anniversary of the Feb. 14 shootings, which takes place on a Saturday next year, with activities for students and an evening memorial service, Peters said.