NIU to stay closed another week

Northern Illinois University faculty will return to campus Tuesday, but classes won't resume until the following Monday.

University officials announced at a news conference Saturday that all campus activities, including sporting events, remain canceled through Feb. 24. Students can continue to access 24-hour counseling services.

Campus officials will develop a plan to reassign all classes held in Cole Hall, the site of Thursday's rampage, which will be closed for the rest of the semester.

Graduation will be pushed back a week, to May 17, to makeup for missed class time.

Beginning Tuesday, faculty will undergo psychological training on how to ease students' transition back to campus.

NIU spokeswoman Melanie Magara said she couldn't predict how many students would return to campus when classes resumed.

Only about 500 students remained on campus Saturday, Magara said, adding she did not know how many of the 10,000 students who live off-campus had stayed.

University officials are hammering out details of a plan to offer refunds or other accommodations for students who choose not to return to campus, Magara said.

The university will hold a memorial service Feb. 24 at the NIU Convocation Center. The time has not yet been decided.

Between 45 and 50 police officers, and an undisclosed number of security guards, have been temporarily assigned to the campus and surrounding area.