For Arthur and Sue Doederlein, remembering the date they first arrived at NIU is very easy.

Both started working here on their seventh wedding anniversary.

Arthur is the director of undergraduate studies for the Department of Communication, while Sue is the associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

High-school sweethearts, the Doederleins met while working on the yearbook committee and were involved in a variety of clubs.

As the editor of the yearbook, Arthur took the opportunity to ask his future wife out. During the school picture session at their school, Arthur said he told Sue “It was ‘get to know your fellow staff member day’” and asked Sue to have dinner with him.

After a couple dates, Arthur was not sure if he had made any impressions on his future wife.

“She didn’t like my sense of humor; she thought I was mean,” he said. “I didn’t think she liked me.”

Arthur found Sue indeed liked him after asking another student to a school dance. Arthur learned Sue wasn’t exactly happy with that arrangement. He attended the school dance with his future wife.

“That was the first time I knew she was enjoying my company,” he said. “The rest is history.”

Both continued to date in college while attending DePauw University in Indiana.

Given the strict rules that students were subject to, female students had to be in their residence by 7:30 p.m. on weekdays. The couple decided to wed in part to gain more freedom.

The Doederleins were married at the end of Arthur’s sophomore year and Sue’s freshman year on Sept. 7, 1962.

Friends had some misconceptions of why Arthur and Sue wed.

“In those days people who got married were typically thought to be, and typically were, pregnant,” Arthur said. “So all of our friends were sure that we were going to have a baby, but we weren’t pregnant and no baby happened.”

The Doederleins took a year off between undergraduate and graduate school.

The Doederleins worked at Northwestern for awhile before deciding to work for NIU

“It’s always been about what we are doing than what we are being paid,” Doederlein said.

During the earlier part of their career at NIU, the Doederleins participated in different political activities and Vietnam marches along with students and other faculty members.

Arthur started working at NIU in what was then known as Speech, which has morphed into the communication department. Sue worked as an English professor.

After Sue ceased teaching to become dean of undergraduate affairs, she became Arthur’s boss.

“That feels not strange really,” Arthur said. “She is much more important than I am and she is paid a lot more than I am. That is probably fair in terms of how hard she works and the responsibility she has.”

Arthur has no qualms with working, not just living, with his wife.

“It’s always been interesting to have your spouse on campus,” Doederlein said.