authority for Northern Illinois University, Illinois State University, and Sangamon State University were passed on to a newly formed board of regents. In 1984, the board created the position of chancellor for the three regent universities to act as a chief executive for all three schools. In 1996, authority for each of the three regency universities was transferred to three independent boards of trustees, each concerned with only one university.
In 2008, the university drew international attention when a gunman opened fire in a crowd of students on campus, killing five students and injuring 17 more people before fatally shooting himself.
=== Presidents ===
Thirteen presidents have served at the university. See above article.
== Campus ==
The main campus sits on 756 acres in DeKalb and includes 64 major buildings. Additional campus sites include, the Lorado Taft Field Campus (144 acres), Rockford Campus (10 acres), and the Naperville Campus (11.2 acres).
One of the most prominent buildings on campus is …
