Thursday March 3, 2016
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House stops MAP override Rauner’s veto stands, House short 2 votes Alexander Chettiath and Satta Kendor News Editor and staff writer
DeKalb | Despite being vetoed, a bill that would have fully funded the Monetary Award Program grants with $379 million had its veto overridden by the Illinois Senate on Wednesday but died in the House of Representatives by two votes. Senate Bill 2043, sponsored by 70 Democrats and no Republicans, would have appropriated $397,073,100 to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission from the general Rep. Bob revenue fund Pritchard for grant awards (R-Hinckley) to students eligible for MAP. The bill would not have appropriated funds for NIU’s Fiscal Year 2016 operating budget. The bill needed 71 votes to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Feb. 19 veto but only received 69. The lack of appropriations is due to Rauner’s FY 2016 proposed budget which includes reduction in funds to public entities, including NIU’s $93 million in allocations for FY 2016 being cut to about $64 million. A lack of agreement on the proposed budget has resulted in an eight-month impasse. Without a finalized budget, state appropriations, such as MAP funding, cannot be given. NIU expects to get through FY 2016 without state appropriations and will then receive fall 2016
The Associated Press
Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan (left) speaks to Illinois Senate President John Cullerton (center) while Gov. Bruce Rauner (right) delivers the State of the Budget Address on Feb. 17 at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield.
tuition and fees to get through the NIU President Doug Baker said following year. funding MAP grants and not appropriating funds for four-year universities is like giving someone a The good news is the sausaddle but with no horse. He said he sage is in the grinder and remains optimistic on NIU receivthe sausage is being made.” ing appropriations. Doug Baker “The good news is the sausage is NIU president on the future of NIU’s state appropriations in the grinder and the sausage is being made,” Baker said at a Univer“The governor has repeatedly let sity Council meeting Wednesday. these students down, students who Rep. Bob Pritchard (R-Hinckley) were promised financial aid by his said SB 2043 does not have any monadministration,” said Illinois Senate ey behind it and would only realloPresident John Cullerton in a news cate funds from one need to another. release. “Today’s vote is an attempt Pritchard has proposed a bill, to give the governor the opportunity House Bill 4539, that would fund to honor his administration’s com- MAP grants and appropriate mitments and prove that education $72,874,200 to NIU. is the priority he says it is.” “The difference is the money,”
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kids go to college who probably wouldn’t go without our help.” To be eligible, students must be a freshman from an Illinois high school and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. The Give Something Back Foundation will monitor the recipients throughout high school and college to make sure they are taking challenging courses and take 15 credit hours or more at NIU.
DeKalb | The Give Something Back Foundation donated $1 million in scholarship money to NIU to enroll 50 Pell Grant-eligible students, starting with 12 students in 2019. The Give Something Back Foundation awards scholarships to students of modest means and believes a college education will help students realize their full poWe’re not changing the tential, according to its website. world, just the lives of as Robert Carr, founder of the many kids as we can.” Give Something Back Foundation, Robert Carr said the recipients will be able to Give Something Back Foundation founder attend NIU with free tuition and room and board for four years, at a Wednesday news conference. The foundation aims to choose “Over 90 percent of students the most dedicated students that who receive scholarships gradu- will accomplish graduating in ate,” Carr said. “We want to help four years with no debt.
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Trustee hopeful to go before SA Senate Leah Nicolini Assistant News Editor
MAP grants NIU has credited MAP grants for the 2015-16 academic year. If no state allocation is given to NIU for MAP, students will have to pay back the credits because NIU is not in a position to cover those funds, said CFO Alan Phillips. Pritchard said. “It’s tied to another bill that gives the governor authority to make cuts and to take money from designated accounts. I don’t like that but we got to put money behind it and solve this crisis.”
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$1M in scholarships donated to NIU Julia Martinez Staff writer
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Carr said he was given a $250 scholarship as a senior at Lockport Township High School, which inspired him to attend the University of Illinois Urbana– Champaign and earn a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in computer science. “It wasn’t the money so much because I was from a lower income, but it was the idea that somebody felt like they were supporting me; they were behind me,” Carr said. “Just the idea, it meant a lot, and I thought someday if I had any extra money, I would give that back.” Carr said the $1 million is coming strictly from the support of the foundation. “Without this support many of our students couldn’t come here and be successful,” said NIU President Doug Baker. “Over 80
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Scholarship
Eligibility • Illinois high school freshman • 3.0 GPA minimum • Eligible for Pell Grant • Takes challenging courses • Enrolls at NIU and takes at least 15 credit hours Award • Free tuition and room and board for four years percent of our students receive financial aid.” Carr will follow up with the incoming students once they are enrolled at NIU. “We’re not changing the world, just the lives of as many kids as we can,” Carr said.
DeKalb | Student Association President Nathan Lupstein said he has nominated James Zanayed, SA Supreme Court justice, as the student trustee appointee that will be voted on at SA Senate’s meeting Sunday. A student trustee has all the responsibilities and voting power that members of the Board of Trustees have except in matters with a conflict of interest, according to Article II, Section II of the Board of Trustees bylaws. It is the trustees’ James Zanayed responsibi l- SA Supreme Court justice ity to operate, manage, control and maintain NIU which includes approving policies and deciding the conduct of administration and management to the president, according to Article I of the Board of Trustees bylaws. A simple majority of the SA Senate must approve Zanayed to serve as the student trustee. Zanayed, a second-year law student, previously served as an SA senator, SA Senate committee chair and speaker of the SA Senate. Lupstein is appointing a student trustee because former student trustee Raquel Chavez put in a letter of resignation to Lupstein in early January, which was made public on Jan. 21. The student trustee must be a resident of Illinois, maintain at least a 2.5 GPA and be enrolled in 15 credit hours throughout the term, according to the 2016 SA Bylaws. If Zanayed is approved by the majority of SA Senate on Sunday, he will be able to attend the remaining two Board of Trustees general meetings this semester on March 17 and May 19 and serve through the end of the spring semester.
About James Zanayed • Second-year law student • SA Supreme Court justice • Former SA senator • Former SA Senate committee chair • Former SA Senate speaker
Feed’em Soup needs $35K
Feed’em Soup Community Project, 251 E. Lincoln Highway, is searching for $35,000 in funds and donations to reduce the possibility of closure. Read more on Page 3.