Pursuant to the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act (PA 93-0617), the State of Illinois has mandated that all employees on the payroll of State agencies and universities must complete an annual mandatory Internet-based ethics training program.  All regular and temporary, part-time and full-time faculty, administrative/supportive professional staff, operating staff/civil service employees, graduate assistants, student employees, affiliates, and extra help employees working at Northern Illinois University are required by the State to take the on-line training and quiz. 

Click this link  for the official State notice that NIU is required to forward to all employees.  Detailed information is provided below concerning the ethics training program.  Additional information is available on the Human Resource Services web site www.hr.niu.edu under Ethics Training. Employees requiring technical assistance or accommodation with workstation utilization should refer to the last section of this correspondence.

Training Format
Ethics training is an interactive, self-administered, training module accessible through any computer connected to the Internet.  This training method has been authorized and is required by the State of Illinois.  Experience has shown that most employees complete the training and quiz within a one-hour time frame.  However, employees should be aware that the State may be monitoring the time employees spend on the training and quiz.

Ethics Training Participants
All regular and temporary, part-time and full-time faculty, administrative/supportive professional staff, operating staff/civil service employees, graduate assistants, student employees, affiliates, and extra help employees must complete the training and quiz.  Additionally, according to the Office of the Executive Inspector General, employees on leaves of absence including sabbaticals, educational, and unpaid leaves are required to participate in the on-line training process.  Exceptions are made for employees on approved FMLA or disability leave that lasts through the entire training period.  These employees will be required to complete an alternative ethics training process upon their return.  Employees hired after September 28, 2006 will be contacted to take the training at a future date through a paper-based format.  If you are unsure whether an employee is required to participate this year, contact the Ethics Training Administrator at 815-753-6039 or via email at EthicsTraining@niu.edu.

Ethics Training Schedule

• All employees will be required to complete the training between October 18 and November 16, 2006.
• The Internet site is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, during this period except from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Sundays, when system maintenance might occur.
• Information and assistance will be available from Human Resource Services, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Those who do not comply with the requirements of the SOEEA by completing this training requirement are subject to the possibility of substantial fines and disciplinary action as determined by the State of Illinois.  All training must be completed by the last date of the training period which is November 16, 2006.  There will be no extensions available.  Any employees who have not completed this training requirement by the deadline must be reported to the State and will also receive notifications from the university.

Ethics Training Internet Access
Employees should log-on to the State of Illinois Ethics Training site www.etcc.il.gov from their computer at work (or a computer work station made available by their department) during normally scheduled work hours to complete the training and quiz.  As necessary, employees should coordinate training time frames with their supervisor in order to balance departmental operations and schedules.  Supervisors are responsible for assuring that their employees fulfill this training requirement.  Employees may complete the training any time during the 30-day period.  The training site can also be accessed from any home or office computer that has Internet capability.

Employees without normal access to computers should confer with their supervisor about workstation availability.  Certain departments, lacking computer access, will be directed to designated computer labs for open lab sessions to complete the training.  Contact Human Resource Services (753-6000) for information on lab resources. 

Student workers should be given time and workstation access to complete the training during their normal work schedule.  Student workers can also access the training at any campus student computer lab. 

User Identification for Ethics Training
Each employee will log-on to the State Internet ethics training site using the following formula involving name and the month/day of birth for their User ID:

            - Example: John L. Smith, birthday is June 5 of any given year
            - User ID:  johnlsmith0605

The year of birth is not included in the formula. No hyphens or other symbols.  If you have difficulty with your User Id, contact the Ethics Training Administrator. If you have difficulties with the training program, contact EthicsTraining@niu.edu, or call 753-6039.

When asked to enter a password, all employees must use the following password to log-on:

Illinois6 (After entering this site, you must enter a new password with six characters that include at least one number). 

Select a password that is easy to remember.  You will be required to use this password if you do not complete the training and need to return to the site, or if you need to return and print a certificate.  We recommend that you print a copy of the completion certificate for your records.

Ethics Training Content
The training program presents information for you to read, along with review questions to help you understand the material. You can go back and review material as necessary to answer the review questions.  At the end of the presentation material, scenarios, and review questions, you must take a ten question quiz.  You may not go back to the informational material while taking the quiz and you cannot go back to questions you already answered on the quiz.  At the end of the quiz, you will be informed whether or not you answered the questions correctly. You may repeat the training and the quiz until you have answered all quiz questions correctly. If you are interrupted during the training, select the “Bookmark” function to mark your place.  You can then log out and return to the site to complete the training and quiz (you will need to remember your password). 

When you have successfully completed the quiz, you will be able to print a certificate of completion.  You should print this certificate and retain a copy for your records.  Departments may also require their staff to provide a copy of their certificate.  All employees who complete the training program and quiz will be recorded in a State database.  The university will receive reports identifying employees who have completed the training.

Ethics Training Assistance

• The designatedEthics Training Administrator is Deborah Haliczer.  She, or her assistant, Karen Smith, may be contacted at 753-6039.
• The University’s Ethics Officer is Kenneth L. Davidson.  He may be reached at 753-8364 for questions on the Ethics Act.
• Many departments have their own technical support staff.  Follow the procedures established in your own department for help with passwords and technical questions.
• If you do not have technical support in your department, contact the ITS Help Desk at 753-8100.
• For information on the dates, times, resources, and to register for open computer labs, contact Human Resource Services at 753-6000 or email EthicsTraining@niu.edu.
• For assistance with language, accommodation of disabilities, or any other individual questions or difficulties, contact the Ethics Training Administrator at 753-6039.
• For questions about collective bargaining agreements, contact Karen Baker of Human Resource Services at 753-6017.
• Employees are reminded that State law requires that employees complete this mandatory ethics training. Those who do not comply are subject to the possibility of substantial fines and disciplinary action.   

We appreciate the cooperation of all employees in completing this mandatory training during the period October 18 through November 16, 2006.