News
Monday, February 15, 2016
NorthernStar.info H @NIUNorthernStar H 815-753-0105
3
Students talk police discrimination Resources
Leah Nicolini Assistant News Editor
DeKalb | Miki Grace, president of Delta Sigma Theta, said she was in awe when she was pulled over and told to take off her coat, hat and gloves when DeKalb Police wanted to search her in belowfreezing temperatures this winter. Grace led a discussion with close to 50 people to express thoughts and insight on DeKalb and Chicago police discrimination Thursday in the Holmes Student Center, University Suite.
“
“I think subconscious racism happens everywhere. Sometimes people don’t recognize when racism occurs because it becomes so natural.” Nathan Lupstein Student Association President
The DeKalb Police Biased Enforcement Policy states that members of DeKalb Police are not permitted to enact a stop, detention or search of anyone based on discrimination like race, color or ethnicity, according to the DeKalb Police Department website. “I think subconscious racism happens everywhere,” said Student Association President Nathan Lupstein. “Sometimes people don’t recognize when racism occurs because it becomes so natural.”
Anyone who has experienced discrimination from the DeKalb Police Department should fill out a DeKalb Human Relations Commission Complaint Form at bit.ly/1KPX6IG and a DeKalb Citizen Complaint Form at bit. ly/1ThHsY6. To sign up to facilitate a Dialogue on Diversity, go to bit.ly/213lJpn.
Andy Cozzi | Northern Star
NIU President Doug Baker and Chicago NAARPR member Larry Redmond meet with members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority following their police accountability event Thursday. Around 50 people gathered to express their feelings on DeKalb and Chicago police discrimination Thursday in the Holmes Student Center, University Suite.
Lupstein said part of the issue with discrimination is that people don’t always identify their behavior as offensive. Lupstein said he sees this issue on Facebook when friends inappropriately comment on videos displaying police discrimination. No hate crimes, which are crimes when a victim is intentionally selected due to their actual or perceived race or ethnicity, among other things, were reported in 2013 or 2014 on campus, according to the 2015-16 NIU Annual Safety and Security Report. “I think there is a pretty good
relationship between our students and the campus police,” Baker said. “The police have started a police academy, ride-along program, series of dialogues of campus events and security concerns.” NIU Police Officer Junelle Smith said the best way to improve police and student relationships is by talking to and engaging students. Smith said 85 percent of her day is spent engaging with students. Smith and six other NIU police officers attended the event. Lupstein said the SA will host Dialogues on Diversity, which are
Athletes may be protected by demonstration policy Scott Nicol Staff writer
DeKalb | Senior golfer Nick Huggins said he thinks student athletes should be able to protest without fear of their scholarships being revoked, as a bill to give student athletes that freedom goes to a higher education hearing Tuesday. The Campus Demonstrations Policy Act, SB2279, was introduced by Sen. Napoleon Harris III (D-Harvey) on Jan. 27 and will prohibit any Associated Press institution of higher learning, ap- University of Missouri students read a list of demands for improvements in proved by the Illinois Student Assis- diversity while interrupting a Board of Curators meeting Feb. 4 at Reynolds tance Commission, from revoking a Alumni Center, Columbia, Mo. student athlete’s athletic or academic The bill came about after legislaHarris, a former Northwestscholarship as a result of protesting. tors in Missouri intended to punish ern University student athlete on African-American football players scholarship, said he hopes this who demanded the resignation of piece of legislation will not only Students shouldn’t be the head of the University of Mis- protect the student athlete’s scholtreated like property just souri after inaction against racism arship and freedom of speech, but because they’re on scholon campus, according to a Feb. 2 will enable them to participate in arship.” press release from the Illinois Sen- protests or assemblies without ate Democratic Staff. worrying about repercussions. Napoleon Harris III “Legislators in Missouri filed a “Students shouldn’t be treated Senator (D-Harvey) motion to present a bill saying if like property just because they’re on students are to protest they could scholarship,” Harris said. “If [stu“I don’t think [universities] possibly lose their scholarship,” dent athletes] don’t agree with what should hold that power to re- Harris said. “I just wanted to make the university is doing then [they] voke [athletic] scholarships for a sure that we don’t have any legisla- either say nothing or lose their civilized protest,” Huggins said. tors here in Illinois making any- scholarship... . Student athletes are “The students are what make col- thing as [naive] as that. I want to people, and their rights should not leges, so we should at least have ensure our student athletes are a be violated by not having an opporthat power if there is something high priority here in [Illinois] and tunity to speak out when they feel not right going on our campus.” their voices should be heard.” something is not right.” The bill would allow the student The bill extends to students in The legislation is restricted to athletes to use their freedom of public universities and colleges, and student athletes, but there is opporspeech and give them the opportuni- any school that utilizes Monetary tunity to expand to all students who ty to express themselves, Harris said. Award Program funding. receive scholarships, Harris said.
“
Baker said. “That’s probably true to a great extent ... . We’re trying to work on those issues as a university and community so we have more justice and inclusion.” Baker said Camp Power started to alleviate DeKalb crime. Camp Power is a summer camp hosted in University Village, 722 N. Annie Glidden Road, which serves local youth in order to deter crime. In 2015, the number of arrests in University Village dropped by 48.6 percent compared to 2014, which was attributed to the presence of Camp Power. Donald Grady, former NIU Police chief, said police officers mistake their title as just law enforcers but police officers are more like community builders. Grady said his strategy to prevent crime is to make himself present and communicate with the community. “I think there’s a will on both sides,” Baker said. “Now we need to expand on that and make it happen.”
dialogues designed to engage students in learning about cultural differences to better inclusion on campus, with Chief Diversity Officer Vernese Edghill-Walden by the end of the semester. During the dialogue, Grace said high crime rates are usually a symptom of poverty and are prevalent in minority communities. Businesses in these communities need financial support to help them escape this cycle of poverty. “Tonight [Thursday], a speaker talked about economic repression and it being a root cause of crime,”
Estimated NIU Water Bill Increase $900,000
$876,014 $838,291
$850,000
$802,192 $800,000
$767,648 $734,591
$750,000
$702,958 $700,000 $650,000 $600,000 2014
$672,687 $643,720 $616,000 $600,000 2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Nick Bosshart | Northern Star
There will be a 4.5 percent increase to NIU’s water bill through 2024. An annual budget of $1.5 million is dedicated to water expenses.
Officials unbotherd by increase in water bill Madison Kacer Staff writer
DeKalb | Due to an annual budget of $1.5 million dedicated to water expenses, NIU officials are not financially concerned about the 4.5 percent increase to the water bill through 2024. Alan Phillips, vice president of Administration and Finance, said $600,000 of NIU’s annual budget is typically spent on the water bill. The water bill increase is not anticipated to financially damage the university due to the scale of the annual budget. NIU will see a $16,000 increase in 2016 and rates will increase by 4.5 percent from 2017 to 2024. “A $16,000 increase is a very small amount to address in our overall utility and resource budget,” Phillips said. NIU Chief Engineer Justin Bend said NIU receives its water from
four to five of the city’s deep wells and two of the city’s shallow wells. Because NIU’s water comes from the city of DeKalb, the repairs being implemented will have an effect on the campus’ water due to improved water quality and distribution. “The improvements would mostly benefit [DeKalb’s] equipment, such as softeners and filter systems,” Bend said. “[NIU] might, however, see an improvement to our softening equipment, as well.” The $13.1 million plan is set to fund recoating the water tower, repairing the water main, improving water treatment and cleaning the water supply well. This systematic cleaning must be done every five to 10 years and requires roughly $100,000 in funding, said Tim Holdeman, DeKalb’s public works director.