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Monday, February 22, 2016
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SA approves 2 new directors SA elects Board of Elections members Maxwell Bisaillon Staff Writer
DeKalb | The Student Association Senate approved Romeo Jackson as SA director of Cultural Affairs and Rachel Jacobs as SA director of Academic Affairs on Sunday. Jackson’s goals in their new position revolve around topics such as expanding Title IX to cover discrimination against the LGBTQ community. “I would like to formulate a direct pipeline for sexual violence victims to get help,” Jackson said at a SA Senate meeting Sunday. Jacobs said she would like to continue her predecessor’s efforts in extending the add/drop period for classes as well as focus on developing strategies and opportunities for students to build student career success.
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Romeo Jackson Student Association director of Cultural Affairs
Board of Elections elected In preparation for the upcoming SA executive election, a Board of Elections was voted upon and organized. The board consists of Jorge
Anandh Raj | Northern Star
Student Association Senator Christine Wang talks about why she wants SA Senate Speaker Dillon Domke to be the chairman of the Board of Elections during the SA Senate meeting Sunday in the Holmes Student Center, Sky Room.
Jemison, Kayla Sorensen, Ariel Owens, Alexander Summers, Timothy Brandner, Jordan Clayton-Taylor and Dillon Domke as the chair of the board. The main concern of the committee is to ensure that proper procedures are followed. “We need to talk to the students that don’t even know we are meeting up in this room right now.” Clayton-Taylor said.
College Republicans The SA Senate reinstated the NIU chapter of College Republicans, an affiliate of the College Republican National Committee. The chapter was reformed at the request of Edward Bowie, NIU College Republicans chapter chairman. “When we have additional perspectives on campus, all Huskies will be better off,” Bowie said. “NIU had
College Republicans until five years ago when it was dissolved.” Rep. Bob Pritchard (R-Hinckley) also came to the meeting to support the election and reformation of the NIU chapter of College Republicans. “We need to hear more student voices,” Pritchard said. “Whether you are from one party, the other or even a third party. We need your voice.”
City alters protest ordinance drafts Madison Kacer Staff Writer
DeKalb | New drafts of the or-
dinances relating to unlawful assemblies and weapons at assemblies now incorporate community feedback received at previous meetings. The ordinances describe what actions and characteristics define an unlawful assembly. Some of the actions not included in this draft but in the original are unlawful possession or use of cannabis and unlawful sale, furnishing, possession or consumption of alcohol. The drafts were presented at a Humans Relation Commission meeting Thursday.
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If we do end up adopting this, how do we communicate it?” Elizabeth Heckenast Second year law student
This special meeting, which was attended by 15 community members, was hosted in response to large volumes of community input at the Feb. 2 meeting. The drafts were published on the city of DeKalb’s website along with the meeting agenda on Feb. 16. The ordinances were originally proposed at a City Council meeting on Jan. 11, but were deferred to
Lupstein to search for new SA trustee Leah Nicolini Assistant News Editor
I would like to formulate a direct pipeline for sexual violence victims to get help.”
“I want to focus my term on career success for students by utilizing workshops lead by students that have already completed their internships and can provide the guidance many students need,” Jacobs said. Both applicants were approved by a majority vote.
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DeKalb | In the next two weeks, Student Association President Nathan Lupstein will appoint a student trustee to complete the remaining four months of the vacant term. During a special meeting Thursday, the Board of Trustees unanimously passed an amendment to Article II Section 7 of the bylaws of the Board of Trustees which allows the SA to apNathan Lupstein point a stu- Student Associadent trustee tion President for the board to review and approve. “We’ve been very diligently piling up potential candidates to... ensure that we can fill the position as soon as possible,” Lupstein said. The student trustee is elected on the basis of a campus-wide election and their term is from July 1 to June 30. The position became vacant when former student trustee Raquel Chavez resigned at the beginning of the spring semester. Chavez’ resignation is the first time SA has had to deal with replacing a student trustee. Before 2001, when the last student trustee vacancy occurred, student trustees were appointed by the SA president and approved by the Board of Trustees.
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We’ve been very diligently piling up potential candidates to... ensure that we can fill the position as soon as possible... .” Nathan Lupstein Student Association President
Madison Kacer | Northern Star
Elizabeth Heckenast, second year law student, expresses concern about the lack of communication with NIU about the unlawful assembly ordinances at a DeKalb Human Relations Commission meeting Thursday.
the Human Relations Commission, which will advise the City Council about the ordinances after considering community feedback. Elizabeth Heckenast, second year law student, felt the ordinances should be published in the student handbook, if passed, so that students are aware of their rights. “There [are] a number of students who [don’t] know about this [ordinance],” Heckenast said at a Thursday Human Relations Commission meeting. “If we do end up adopting this, how do we
communicate it?” Community members and commissioners alike continued to express opposed commentary about the ordinances despite the fact that many of the unlawful activities proposed in the original draft were taken out. Norden Gilbert, Human Relations Commission member, said he felt the state laws were enough. The Human Relations Commission will discuss the proposed ordinances at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on March 1.
Unlawful activities • Disorderly conduct, assault, fighting or battery • Criminal damage to property • Mob action or arson • Obstructing free passage of other persons or vehicles • Throwing an object or missile at a person likely to cause injury • Attempting to cross a police line • Engaging in conduct which constitutes the commission of a felony
Lupstein said the appointment will be decided the same way the SA appoints members of the SA Supreme Court and passes budgets. Members of the SA will review and vote on the candidates before Lupstein appoints anyone to the board. “This is something that we as an organization are very comfortable doing,” Lupstein said. Within the four month term, the student trustee will be able to attend up to seven Board of Trustees meetings. The Board of Trustees will meet March 17 to vote on the appointment.
Trustee job description • Attends the Board of Trustees meetings • Represents student body at meetings • Votes at meetings with equal weight of other trustees