Northern Illinois University

The Presidential Commission on Race and Ethnicity works on the "recruitment and retention of [a] diverse faculty, staff and students...."

As part of its Anti-Racism Statement, the School of Theatre and Dance faculty and staff "pledge to [f]ocus recruitment efforts toward diversifying our student body."

The goal of the Conversations on Diversity and Equity (CODE) Workshops at NIU is to "create spaces for them [students, faculty, and staff] to explore complex aspects of the diversity and equity framework."

NIU is "committed to confronting racism and discrimination" and states that its Social Justice Education program "provides the university community with educational experiences to build and sustain an inclusive campus where everyone respects the value and dignity of all members."

As part of its Anti-Racism Statement, the School of Theatre and Dance faculty and staff "pledge to [p]articipate in regular Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion training."

As part of its Anti-Racism Statement, the School of Theatre and Dance faculty and staff "pledge to [e]xamine our curriculum, pedagogy and training practices to decenter whiteness and embrace a multiplicity of performance approaches and perspectives."

As part of its Anti-Racism Statement, the School of Theatre and Dance "feel[s] these art forms, as they have been practiced and taught in the United States of America, have too often promoted white stories at the expense of the voices and lived experiences of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)" and "affirm[s]" that "Black Lives Matter."

The Division of Academic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Northern Illinois University strives to create a diverse campus environment through various events, workshops, and trainings.

The university hosted a virtual event entitled "So-Full Friday: Anti-Racism? What Does it Look Like?"

The Faculty Senate aimed to "identify factors contributing to institutional racism at NIU -- particularly policies, procedures, and practices in hiring, tenure and promotion, retention, and other professional opportunities with a particular objective to make NIU an anti- racist institution with a diverse faculty."

The NIU University Libraries provide Instructor Resources on Anti-Racism and Social Justice including sample syllabi and classroom strategies.

On October 27, 2023, Northern Illinois University’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion hosted the Real Talk Conference: Bridging Race, Identity, and Community.

According to the Daily Mail UK, Northern Illinois University will be hosting a number of workshops and sessions for faculty and instructors on topics such as “white fatigue,” anti-racism,” “decolonizing the classroom,”and “understanding and rethinking resistance for equity in the classroom.”

The Antiracist and Social Justice Task Force at Northern Illinois University works to build an anti-racist campus community by creating a “roadmap to equity by increasing awareness of the structures that promote and perpetuate institutional racism and implicit bias.”

In an effort to “address systemic inequities and foster a more inclusive campus,” NIU provides a webpage with a summary of all of the university’s work towards racial and social justice, equity, and inclusion.

The "Faculty Senate Ad Hoc Social Justice Committee" recommended the formation of a "standing Faculty Senate Social Justice Committee."

The university required that student organization leaders fill out a form identifying how they can “define antiracism,” “grow as an ally,” and how to be “equitable-minded for all identities.”

In October 2023, Northern Illinois University was awarded the 2023 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine for the third consecutive year.