The Rice Hotel in downtown DeKalb was recently renamed the William Monat Building after NIU’s eighth president, William Monat, who served from 1978 to 1984.

Monat is known for creating the College of Law and the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology. He was also responsible for the creation of new Ph.D. programs in the fields of science and mathematics and undergraduate programs in information technology and meteorology.

Monat also commissioned the construction of the Campus Recreation Center.

On Dec. 9, the NIU Board of Trustees voted unanimously to rename the building after Monat.

BOT member Robert Boey said he believes Monat deserves the honor.

“He was a very good president for NIU and served them well for a long time. The time has come to name something after him. It just makes sense,” he said.

The Rice Hotel was built in 1927 and was an attraction in downtown DeKalb until the 1980s when it began to degenerate. Today it houses organizations within the Social Science Research Institute, 148 N. Third St.

Monat was surprised by the honor.

“I am very pleased with the action of the Board of Trustees,” he said.

Monat is the fourth NIU president to have a building named after him. Williston Hall was named in honor of the university’s first president, John Williston Cook. Adams Hall was named in honor of NIU President Karl L. Adams. The Holmes Student Center was named after President Leslie Holmes.

“William Monat has had a very big influence on NIU as president, chancellor of regents and, after retirement, as a guiding light. [He] deserves recognition for all of his efforts,” BOT member Myron Siegel said.

Monat began teaching political science at NIU in 1969. He taught until 1971, when he became dean of faculties and eventually vice president of Bernard M. Baruch College.

Monat returned to NIU in 1976 as provost. He served as acting president temporarily before formally assuming the position later that year. He served as president until 1984.

He left to become chancellor for the Illinois Board of Regents until 1986 when he returned to NIU to teach as a professor of public administration. He taught until his retirement in 1992.

A formal rededication of the building is scheduled for the spring.