Board approves labor agreement, property sale, Chicago lease and other routine items

At its open meeting, the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees approved several administrative and operational items that were handled as consent or routine action items.

Key approvals

- Collective bargaining: The board approved a three-year collective bargaining agreement (07/01/2025'06/30/2028) with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, chapter 364, covering approximately four IT employees. Trustees discussed contract-term norms and the university's labor team's role in negotiations.

- Property disposition: The board authorized the university to proceed with the sale of the Monat (Rice Hotel) Building in downtown DeKalb, directed the president, treasurer and general counsel to execute purchase and closing documents under Board Regulation section 6(a)(3), and noted updates will be provided in future meetings.

- Chicago lease: The board approved a lease at 180 North Wabash for the Education Systems Center (EdSystems) and the Center for Governmental Studies' workforce policy lab. The lease totals $1,050,000 for the term 08/01/2026'03/31/2034 (7 years, 8 months) and includes eight months of free rent; funding will come from external revenues including philanthropic, corporate, state agency and grant support.

- Student health insurance: Trustees approved fiscal-year 2027 student health insurance pricing that reflects a 3% increase over FY26 for participating students (not to exceed $1,419.50 per semester or $2,839 per academic year). The carrier also proposed up to $50,000 in assistance to offset administrative costs. Vice Chair John Butler announced a conflict and abstained from the roll-call vote; other trustees voted yes.

Votes at a glance (as recorded on the record)

- Collective bargaining agreement (Agenda item 8C1): Motion carried (voice vote recorded as carried).

- Naming of George Bork Way (Agenda item 8C2): Motion carried (voice vote recorded as carried).

- Student health insurance (Agenda item 8C3): Roll-call vote with recorded abstention by Vice Chair John Butler. Miss Stewart called the roll; recorded responses included Trustee Rita Athas (Yes), Trustee Dennis Barsima (Yes), Vice Chair John Butler (Abstain), Trustee James Innes (Yes), Trustee Leland Strom (Yes), Trustee Eric Watsiewicz (Yes), Board Chair Montell Gales (Yes).

- Real estate sale of the Monat Building (Agenda item 8C4): Motion carried (voice vote recorded as carried).

- EdSystems/Center for Governmental Studies lease (Agenda item 8C5): Motion carried (voice vote recorded as carried).

The board handled several routine academic-program actions and information items as part of the consent agenda. No contested roll-call defeats were recorded in the public session.