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Monday, November 2, 2015
Northern Star
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Perspective
Students shouldn’t put off signing up for classes
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Kara Mercer Columnist
It was great to see my fellow NIU students, faculty and so many other groups at the Student AsAdviser: Shelley Hendricks sociation rally, but the demonstra815-753-4239 tion, though well organized, fell short of my expectations. Business Adviser: Maria Krull Groups like the Voluntary Action 815-753-0707 Center, Kishwaukee College and Departments Safe Passage gathered to rally for Newsroom: 815-753-0105 an end to the state budget impasse Advertising: 815-753-0107 Thursday in the Martin Luther King Classifieds: 815-753-0707 Jr. Commons. The rally was meant About us to coincide with the DeKalb County The Northern Star is a limited public Economic Development Corporaforum whose content is determined exclution’s Annual Dinner and State of sively by its student editors. Information presented in this newspaper and its webthe County event, where Gov. Bruce site is not controlled by NIU administraRauner spoke about the impasse. tion, faculty or staff. It was very wholesome to see peoThe Northern Star has a circulation ple from places like Elgin College, of 10,000 Mondays and Thursdays. It publishes online at NorthernStar.info College of DuPage and Chicago State every day. University care enough to travel to A single copy of the Northern Star is free. NIU to speak despite the 46-degree Additional copies are 50 cents. temperature, wind and slight rain; Letters to the editor however, I expected to learn more Letters should not exceed 300 words and about why there is a budget impasse may be edited for clarity and brevity. The and the steps I need to take in order deadline for a letter is 4 p.m. one day to make my voice heard. before the desired date of publication. Submissions may be held due to space The speakers made great points limitations. on why Illinois needs a proper Letters written by students should include state budget, which was also very the author’s year and major. Letters should include a phone number where the interesting to hear. author can be reached. Phone numbers “Student success depends on a will not be published. Letters may be variety of supports and opportusubmitted to Editor@NorthernStar.info. nities for learning,” said Faculty Senate President Greg Long. “NIU, Advertisement policy The Northern Star does not knowingly ac- like all public institutions, has been cept advertisements that discriminate on forced to make cuts to the student the basis of sex, race, creed, handicapped support. Fewer supports equal less or veteran status, or sexual orientation. success. Fewer supports leads to Nor does the Northern Star knowingly print ads that violate any local, state or lower retention and subsequent federal laws. tuition revenue.” To place an advertisement, contact the Those who spoke had reasons why Northern Star advertising team at 815the community and Illinois should 753-0108 or ads@NorthernStar.info. To view advertising rates, go to want the budget passed, but no one NorthernStar.info/site/advertise/. offered any solutions or counter points. Both sides of the story need Hiring Student employees must carry a minimum to be represented to offer an effective of six NIU semester hours and must have argument. The speakers seemed to a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. forget to explain why there’s a budget Students of all majors and experience impasse in the first place. levels are welcome to apply. A few of those who spoke Apply at www.NorthernStarJobs.info or stop by our office. mentioned ways people at the rally Circulation Manager: Andrew Parnell 815-753-0707
Lynnea Erickson, Safe Passage abuse intervention services coordinator demonstrates outside of the Holmes Student Center where Gov. Rauner delivered the keynote address for the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation’s Annual Dinner and State of County event. “I believe it’s irresponsible of the governor to be doing anything in this climate besides sitting down and getting this budget passed especially when the most vulnerable in our community are fighting for their survival,” Erickson said.
Gov. visits for wrong reason
Contact the following state representatives to express your concerns about the budget impasse and MAP grant funding: Tom Demmer: 217-782-0535 Bob Pritchard: 217-782-0425 could help, but that was not the focus of their speeches. “We need to contact Elgie Sims,” said Rhonda Veronica Williams, former Board of Trustees student representative from Chicago State University. “We need to contact [Rep.] Art Turner [D-Chicago]. We need to let our legislators know that our universities will not go down without a fight.” I continued to wonder what I could do as a student who receives the Monetary Award Program grant. The grant is imperative to the funding I receive to be able to go to NIU, but speakers only gave brief advice on how to make a difference. “In conclusion, I encourage you to take this voice beyond today, to take your messages to Springfield, to call all the legislators and urge them for action,” said Rep. Bob Pritchard (R-Hinckley). “Use the social media. Raise the voice of Northern, of Northern Illinois and of Illinois that we need change.” I’m glad the rally included students like me, who are being affected by the budget impasse, but I would have liked to learn more about what Rauner is doing, rather than what he isn’t. I also would have liked to hear some proposed solutions to the budget impasse. Instead of or in addition to a table where people can register to vote, there should have also been information on who to contact. The petition that was being passed around did not seem to make it to everyone, so it should have remained in one place so more people could sign it. The rally was a good way to catch the attention of more students and community members, but lacked a direction those people could go to help achieve change.
Dennis Muxlow Columnist
It was in poor taste for Gov. Bruce Rauner to attend a dinner celebrating the economic success of DeKalb while many in this community, including a large portion of students, are being hurt due to his and the General Assembly’s refusal to pass a budget. Rauner gave the keynote speech at the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation annual dinner Thursday in the Holmes Student Center, Duke Ellington Ballroom. Business leaders from throughout the community assembled to celebrate their successes over the past year. But largely ignored from this conversation were the economic realities that many students and others in the community face because of the budget fight.
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This is the first time in five years I am worrying about my enrollment at NIU.” Rainn Darring CAB President and MAP grant recipient
There were students who expected Rauner to discuss the impasse’s effect on funding for Monetary Assistance Program grants and other services during his visit to campus. These important issues were unfortunately barely mentioned in his address. Instead, business leaders discussed their accomplishments despite the tough economic times. “2015 has been an outstanding year for economic development in DeKalb County,” said Paul Borek, executive
director of the DCEDC. Community members rallied outside to demonstrate against the lack of a state budget. Safe Passage, one of the only sexual and domestic violence shelters in the county, is beginning to have operational problems because of the impasse. “Safe Passage is turning away 30 people a month due to a lack of resources and state funding,” said Safe Passage Director Mary Schaid. Also rallying were students from several surrounding colleges and universities. “This is the first time in five years I am worrying about my enrollment at NIU,” said Rainn Darring, Campus Activities Board president and a MAP grant recipient. Many students who blamed Rauner for the impasse chanted, “Governor Rauner, do your job,” during the rally; however, it seemed these students and the issues that matter most to them were simply an afterthought to the governor. “I hate that we aren’t giving scholarships for kids that need support,” Rauner said. Rauner will not support a budget that raises taxes without reforms from his Turnaround Agenda. While he continues to hold his ground by only passing a budget that is accompanied by what he calls “common sense reforms,” college students and victims of domestic violence are being hurt in the process. These reforms include term limits, redistricting reforms and pension reforms, among others. Instead of celebrating the success of business leaders, Rauner should instead focus on how he can compromise with the state legislature and vice versa so organizations like Safe Passage can continue to help victims of domestic violence and so students don’t have to worry about whether or not they will be able to attend school next semester.