Monday February 8 2016
NorthernStar
.info
Volume 116 Issue 37
State warns of hoverboard dangers Boards prohibited in residence halls Satta Kendor Staff writer
DeKalb | In agreement with NIU’s ban, the Office of the State Fire Marshal is warning Illinois residents of the dangers of hoverboards because they have been known to “burst into flames,” according to a Wednesday news release. NIU banned the use and storage of hoverboards in all residential facilities at the start of the semester. Any student seen with a hoverboard in any residential facility will simply be asked to remove it, and if they are not compliant they will go through the student misconduct process, said Dino Martinez, assoYouTube ciate director for Student Recruit- A hoverboard explodes in a video uploaded by YouTube user BuleBritish. Hoverboards have been known to “burst into flames,” according to a Wednesday news ment Initiatives and Assessment in release by the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The office is warning Illinois residents of the dangers of hoverboards, which are banned in NIU residence halls. Housing and Dining. charging or while in use, accordConsequences ing to the news release. Belal Sulieman, freshman electriAny student who violates the I think for us prohibiting cal engineering major and owner of Student Code of Conduct may the hoverboards had every- a hoverboard, said he understands have one or more sanctions thing to do with the safety the precautions NIU has taken in imposed on them including resiof the residents that live in regard to hoverboards. dence hall suspension or expulthe building ... .” “I’m with the whole thing,” SuDino Martinez sion, community service, counlieman said. “Honestly, it’s not Associate director for seling, fines and restitution. Student Recruitment Initiatives really a good idea to have them and Assessment in just strolling around campus. You Housing and Dining never know who could get hurt, and their interaction with circuit get hit. I also own a long board boards inside the units, Kaye said Any student who violates the Stu- and I can tell you it’s dangerous on in the statement. dent Code of Conduct may have one a long board, imagine being on a Kaye said he wanted to commend Atlee Hargis | Northern Star or more sanctions imposed on them thing that runs on electricity. You colleges and universities who have A sign posted at the entrance of Stevenson South indicates a ban on including residence hall suspension never know what could happen.” been active in prohibiting the use of hoverboards. NIU banned hoverboards at the beginning of the semester. or expulsion, community service, The U.S. Consumer Product hoverboards on campus. counseling, fines and restitution. Safety Commission is investigating ban is] definitely justified,” said could return the product for a full “I think for us prohibiting the Hoverboards are two-wheeled, more than 40 reported hoverboard Clint Summerfelt, junior mechani- refund because there are no safety hoverboards had everything to do hands-free motorized scooters. fires that have occurred across 19 cal engineering major. standards for the product. Inves- with the safety of the residents that They were one of the most popu- states, including Illinois, according Elliot F. Kaye, chairman of the tigators and engineers at the U.S. live in the building... I guess I would lar gifts of the holiday season, but to the news release. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Consumer Product Safety Com- probably be even more surprised if have come under recent scrutiny “For me it’s just a byproduct of Commission, released a statement mission are working to find the there were campuses that allowed due to a number of incidents in having so much power packed into on Jan. 20 that said consumers who cause of the fires and are focusing students to have them in the halls,” which they have caught fire while such a small power pack, but [the bought a hoverboard off of Amazon on the lithium-ion battery packs Martinez said.
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Board asks for breakdown of enrollment numbers improve enrollment. “It would be better if we were DeKalb | Trustee Timothy able to see the material and have a Struthers said the Board of Trustees more meaningful conversation ... .” needs more data to understand and Board Chair Marc Strauss said. make decisions on enrollment. NIU enrollment hit a 34-year low I’m still reviewing the data with a decrease from 19,000 stuand information because dents last spring to 18,519 students there is a lot more, so I do this spring. apologize.” “... [I want] just a lot more bulk Eric Weldy and not just random bullet points,” Vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Struthers said at the Ad Hoc Enrollment Committee meeting Thursday. “I don’t feel a whole lot better now Eric Weldy, vice president of Stu[seeing only one page of data]... .” dent Affairs and Enrollment ManStruthers said he wanted more agement, said the 2.5 percent or 481 information like graphs, strategies, student decrease in enrollment was a target markets, trends and initia- success because this spring is the lowtives so the board can properly un- est drop in enrollment in five years. derstand what needs to happen to NIU President Doug Baker said Leah Nicolini Assistant News Editor
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to increase enrollment, NIU needs to shorten the time it takes to admit and enroll students. Baker said the qualitative aspects involved in measuring things like this make the enrollment department “a little hesitant about interpreting all of these things.” Final spring enrollment numbers came in last week, Weldy said. “I’m still reviewing the data and information because there is a lot more, so I do apologize,” Weldy said. “I am definitely happy to meet with [Struthers] before the next meeting.”
“Some schools want NIU at their school more for recruiting,” Weldy said. “There are definitely things we’re looking at in helping those numbers.” Undergraduate Admissions Director Dani Rollins said the department is also interested in clarifying expectations for new students in hopes that it will increase enrollment. Rollins showed the board a new marketing technique to encourage students who applied but left information blank or didn’t respond to their acceptance letter. Postcards will now be sent out, inImproving enrollment stead of letters and emails, to reWeldy said he wants to strength- mind students to finish enrolling. en relationships with possible Sending postcards is more atfreshmen students and better at- tention-grabbing and cost-effectract community college students. tive, Rollins said.
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Spring enrollment Total enrollment 2015: 19,000 2016: 18,519
New undergraduate enrollment 2015: 757 2016: 790 New transfer enrollment 2015: 503 2016: 531 Returning undergraduate enrollment decreased by 245 students. Additional enrollment losses may be due to a large graduating class or graduate enrollment decline, said NIU Spokesman Joe King.
Board gives OK for student appointment The Board of Trustees Governance Ad Hoc Committee approved Student Association President Nathan Lupstein’s recommendation to allow the SA president to appoint a student trustee. Read more on Page 3.