Northern Star Thursday, February 5, 2015
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News NIU’s Huskie Pups will be kept inside a while longer. Read about the shuttles on Page 3. News The Egyptian Theatre will only show an upcoming documentary if it sells enough tickets. Page 5. Scene Figure out what to do and see with the Weekend Guide on Page 7. Perspective Buying the Huskies Pups was a waste of money since they can’t be used in the winter, writes the Editorial Board. Page 8. Sports Athletics added a slew of faces to its teams during National Signing Day. Read more on Page 11.
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Volume 115, Issue 66
The Truth Shall Bear All Light
www.NorthernStar.info
Since 1899
SA pushes for printing change Speaker also wants elections moved Ashley Morse Staff writer T @amnorthernstar
DeKalb | The Student Association Senate wants to revamp campus printing by using a prepaid plan as NIU prepares to cut all free printing. The printing plan is one of three major targets of the SA Senate as Speaker Dillon Domke said senators will survey students on their printing habits, change Senate elections to improve turnout and will help implement Student Involvement and Leadership Development off-campus party rules.
Printing On-campus printing is set to switch from a quota system to a payas-you-go system where students deposit money onto their OneCard, but Domke said he wants to see a “better” system implemented in the fall. Students are allocated $7 a semester in printing, a 50 percent drop from last year’s $14, which itself was a drop from the $21 allocated to students per semester in fall 2012 and spring 2013. Before fall 2012, students had unlimited printing for free. The SA Senate has put out an online survey to see how many and how frequently students use campus printing. So far, the survey results show people print out at least 20 sheets a week for their classes, Domke said. The survey asks students if they’d be interested in having a prepaid printing plan which they can choose to opt-in or opt-out of, like the student health insurance plan NIU provides. The prepaid plan would be added to students’ bursar’s accounts to allow for the application of financial aid or scholarships toward printing costs. Elections Domke said he wants to change the SA Senate election time to the spring to increase student participation and combat declining voter turnout in the elections. SA executive elections are held late in the spring semester while SA Senate elections are held early in the fall semester. “We’re planning on coupling [the Senate elections] with the executive elections for the association and getting more information out there about the elections themselves in hopes that we will get more people to come and vote,” Domke said.
Alex LaBee | Northern Star
Senior psychology major Caroline Bourke swipes her OneCard through a printer Wednesday in the Holmes Student Center. Dillon Domke, Student Association Senate speaker, said the SA Senate will focus on changing NIU’s printing system.
Printing survey
SA Senate election turnout
To take the SA Senate’s survey about on-campus printing, go to bit.ly/1zgrUdx.
Fall 2014: 739 Fall 2013: 750 Fall 2012: 675
Last fall, 739 students turned out to vote, an 11-voter decrease from 750 voters in 2013. “It’s a shame because there’s 19,000 students here and less than 1,000 people vote and it’s a large body and it’s an important body,” Domke said. “... I want to make sure people are getting their voices heard.” Because paperwork to run for a Senate position is due two weeks after the beginning of the school year, Domke said those who are interested don’t have enough time to decide if they want to commit to the Senate. By moving the Senate elections to the late spring with executive elections, potential candidates would have more time to complete paperwork. “If we were to push back elections for the fall semester it would delay further meetings,” Domke said. “So, by having it in the spring it would
allow for more time for senators to “The Senate isn’t necessarily going stay [in office] and for people to come to enforce it, but more of helping the out and vote.” SILD in their efforts to implement this new rule,” Domke said. Student Involvement and LeaderThe party rules have a connection ship Development party rules to the SA’s push to lower the bar entry SA Senate will help implement age in DeKalb from 21 to 20, Domke wristband rules as Student In- said. The SA, which announced its efvolvement and Leadership Devel- fort to change the rule in November, opment cracks down on organi- is doing research on the effectiveness zation-sponsored off-campus par- of lowering the age to bring students ties, Domke said. and the community together. Wristbands at Greek parties are “The problem with the underage being enforced to identify those who drinking is that most of the time on are allowed to drink and those who campus they’re not in a controlled are not. There has been “uproar” in environment and that’s why people regard to putting this rule in place, can get drinks,” Domke said. “With Domke said, so SA Senate will un- lowering the bar age, people are in a dergo training from SILD to better controlled environment and can get understand the system SILD will carded so they won’t get alcohol. ... put in place. Senators have yet to be And then if a 20-year-old is going out trained, so Domke said he is unsure with their friends who are 21-yearof what training will consist of. olds, they have a designated driver.”
Think you are the cutest couple on campus? The Northern Star is holding a contest to prove it.
Fall 2011: 937 Fall 2010: 1,043 Fall 2009: 1,226
Upload your photo to Facebook.com/NIUNorthernStar. The community will vote on NorthernStar.info. The winners will be announced on Feb. 12 and will receive a gift certificate to Fanatico for $40 along with roses courtesy of The Glidden Campus Florist www.glidden-florist.com - 815.758.4455