NIU’s department of finance was ranked among some of the top schools in the nation for works appearing in research publications.

The survey published in “Financial Management,” a finance journal, looked at the number of pages professors from different universities have published in the 16 top finance journals. The study found that in terms of total pages in these journals, NIU ranked 89th — 20 pages behind Princeton (80th), according to Northern Today.

“It gives great recognition to the university,” said finance professor Gerald Jensen, who has published more than 10 papers in the journals that the survey looked at. “People are surprised by how much publishing we do because they think of Northern as a regional school.”

Richard Dowen, chair of the finance department, W. Scott Bauman (retired) and Robert Miller are other NIU professors who share this achievement.

Summer research grants by the university and the College of Business and updated computer technology provided by the school have helped in the research.

The department requires professors to publish their research in order to get tenure. The college takes the middle road and emphasizes research and teaching equally.

However, these professors have continued to research even after they’re tenured.

“I guess it’s just intellectual inquisitiveness,” Miller said. “You get to meet people at other schools who are working in the same area.”

It takes about two to three years to get a research paper published, but when the acceptance comes, there’s nothing like it, Miller said.

“It’s an ego trip,” Miller said.