Student Housing Services, 1915- 1994 | Northern Illinois University

Student housing at Northern Illinois University was originally under the administration of the Dean of Women and the Dean of Men.  In 1959 a Director of Housing was appointed in the Office of Business Services.  In 1967 housing matters were transferred to the Office of Student Personnel Services.  During the 1972 administrative reorganization the Director’s position was re-titled to the Director of Student Housing Services and placed under the newly established Student Affairs Division, headed by the Vice-President of Student Affairs.  This division remained intact until Student Affairs was merged with Academic Affairs under the Executive Vice-President and Provost in March 1996.

The early residence halls were built to house women only.  The first of these was Williston Hall which opened in 1915 and was named for John Williston Cook, Northern’s first president.  Since 1969, Williston Hall has been used for office space.  Adams Hall was the second dormitory and it opened in 1949.  It was named after Northern’s fourth president, Karl L. Adams.  Since 1967 Adams has also been used for offices.  Gilbert Hall opened in 1952 as the first men’s dormitory.  It was named for Newell D. Gilbert, a prominent early faculty member (1899-1924).  The Neptune Residence Hall complex for women was built over a period of several years.  Neptune North opened in 1955, Neptune West in 1959, and Neptune East along with the dining-recreation center in 1960.  The complex was named for Celine Neptune, another prominent faculty member (1922-1948).

In the 1960's a set of four residence halls were built and named for four famous Illinois men: President Abraham Lincoln, Senator Stephen A. Douglas, President and General Ulysses S. Grant, and Governor Adlai E. Stevenson II.  Lincoln Hall was the first of these four and opened in 1962.  The next year Douglas Hall opened.  Grant Towers followed in 1966.  Stevenson towers opened in two phases.  The first phase was ready in 1967 and the second in 1968.  These buildings house men and women in separate wings.

Off-campus housing originally consisted of rooms for rent, most of them in the area immediately east of Northern’s campus.  In 1955, the people who rented to students formed the Householders’ Association and formed close ties with the University.  Householders received housing contract forms from Northern and worked with the University to maintain housing standards.  The University allowed students to live only in those houses that it had approved.  In addition, students living off-campus were expected to follow the same rules of dress and decorum as students who lived on campus.  Householders were provided with the same forms that residence halls used for signing students in and out.

Lists of approved off-campus housing, including private dorms, were available to the students.  In 1974 the University changed its policy and ended the practice of approving living facilities and interviewing prospective householders.  All interested parties were invited to notify the University of their facilities, which were then listed at the Off-Campus Information Center.

The privately owned, University approved off-campus residences included Student House, located on the corner of Lincoln Highway and Annie Glidden, which opened in the Fall of 1966 and closed about 1971.  Farwell Hall opened about 1967 and closed in 1976. It consisted of two dormitories, one for men and one for women, and was located on Edgebrook Drive.  McAuley Residence Hall was located at 145 Fisk Avenue, and was originally St. Mary’s Hospital.  It opened as a private dormitory for women about 1967 and closed in 1971.  University Plaza, opened on Crane Drive in 1975 and is still in operation.