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Thursday, April 16, 2015
Northern Star
815-753-5606 H @NIUNorthernStar H NorthernStar.info/Opinion
Alternative view: Huskie Pups aren’t useful in warm weather
Campus Life Building, Room 130 545 Lucinda Ave. DeKalb, Ill., 60115 Web: www.NorthernStar.info Fax: 815-753-0708 Editorial Board Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board; columns reflect the opinion of the author alone.
Managing Editor: Keith Hernandez Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-0177 News Editor: Jackie Nevarez Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-9643 Digital Editor: Margaret Maka Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-9644 Perspective Editor: Rachel Scaman Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-9637
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Huskie Pup Line worth every cent
Faith Mellenthin | Northern Star
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SA needs to promote It’s On Us campaign Northern Star Editorial Board
Editor in Chief & Publisher: Kelly Bauer Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-0105
Sports Editor: Frank Gogola Sports@NorthernStar.info 815-753-9637
Perspective
Rachel Scaman Perspective Editor
Taking a ride on a Huskie Pup will provide students with an opportunity to fall in love with NIU. Huskie Pups were introduced in fall 2014 as part of NIU PresiAbout us dent Doug Baker’s Master Plan The Northern Star is a limited public forum whose content is determined exclu- Thesis. The Pups are electrisively by its student editors. Information cally charged vehicles that were presented in this newspaper and its webbought to help create a 10-minsite is not controlled by NIU administraute campus. They were stored tion, faculty or staff. away in November due to issues The Northern Star has a circulation of 10,000 Mondays and Thursdays. It with them working in the cold, publishes online at NorthernStar.info but they were brought back to every day. A single copy of the Northern Star is free. campus Monday. It may have just been the nice Additional copies are 50 cents. weather, but riding the Huskie Letters to the editor Pup on Wednesday reminded Letters should not exceed 300 words and me why I chose NIU. I got to see may be edited for clarity and brevity. The the beautiful campus and talk deadline for a letter is 4 p.m. one day before the desired date of publication. to people I have never met and Submissions may be held due to space probably wouldn’t have unless I limitations. Letters written by students should include had taken that ride. Senior Spanish major Shaneka the author’s year and major. Letters should include a phone number where the Royston, who was driving the author can be reached. Phone numbers Pup when I got on, has been a will not be published. Letters may be part of the bus company for four submitted to Editor@NorthernStar.info. years and said people interact Advertisement policy more on the Huskie Pups than The Northern Star does not knowingly ac- they do on the buses. When I cept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, handicapped ride the bus, I usually just put my headphones in and wait to be or veteran status, or sexual orientation. Nor does the Northern Star knowingly dropped off. Not many students print ads that violate any local, state or got on the Huskie Pup while I federal laws. was riding, but when they did To place an advertisement, contact the the Pup was filled with laughter Northern Star advertising team at 815753-0108 or ads@NorthernStar.info. and conversation. To view advertising rates, go to “Everyone who gets on is NorthernStar.info/site/advertise/. excited about it and it gets them talking,” Royston said. Hiring Student employees must carry a minimum There are two Huskie Pup of six NIU semester hours and must have routes that drive around 9 a.m. a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. to 5 p.m. during the week. One Students of all majors and experience route goes from the Martin levels are welcome to apply. Apply at www.NorthernStarJobs.info. Luther King Jr. Commons to Departments Newsroom: 815-753-0105 Advertising: 815-753-0107 Classifieds: 815-753-0707
Nick Smith | Northern Star File Photo
Students ride a Huskie Pup at the Communiversity Block Party outside of Huskie Stadium on Saturday. Students who ride the Huskie Pups will get a chance to see the campus and communicate with other students, writes Perspective Editor Rachel Scaman.
the Recreation Center while the other goes from the Rec to all the residence halls. The Pups make stops along the way per the request of the passengers and students can flag down the Pups. Royston said 15 to 20 people usually get on during her fourand-a-half-hour shift. “We drive past so many people, but people just aren’t sure what it is or where it’s going so they just don’t bother getting on,” Royston said. But, Royston said she noticed more people are aware of the Huskie Pups this semester and there are now people waiting for them at the stops. One of the people waiting at the stop in front of the Recreation Center was Austin King, freshman physical therapy major, who said he rides the Huskie Pups often. “It’s a quick means of transportation,” King said. “... They’re beneficial to students, especially since it’s no charge.” Huskie Pups aren’t meant to operate in the winter and will only be used during the first and last months of the school year. Now that it’s nice outside, students might not want or need a
Read more To read the Northern Star article on the Huskie Pups coming back, go to bit.ly/1CPuh4f. ride to class as they want to walk or ride their bikes. This seems like a flaw with the Huskie Pups, but they’re still useful and can provide students with much more than just a ride to class: They can provide them with a better day. Some think the Huskie Pups were a waste of $95,500 NIU could have spent on something else. Frankly, I felt that way before Wednesday; however, after riding on the Huskie Pups, I feel they were worth every penny. They’re worth the cost because they give students a chance to communicate with each other and appreciate the campus. The Pups got me talking to people and were a joy to ride on a beautiful day. Students were getting on and off with smiles on their faces, and both drivers I encountered had awesome attitudes. The next time you see a Huskie Pup, hop on. It might brighten up your day like it did mine.
The Student Association must do more to promote the It’s On Us campaign to prevent sexual assault. It’s On Us is a nationwide campaign to prevent and educate people on sexual assault. The SA, a participant in the campaign, held a Week of Action where community members learned self defense and assault survivors shared their stories in November, but there has been far less community discussion about assault this semester. SA President Joe Frascello said the organization wanted to step back for the spring semester and focus on holding events in the fall so other groups could hold sexual assault awareness and education events. While other organizations — on and off campus — should get involved with sexual assault education and prevention, the SA doesn’t need to step back. In fact, student leaders can inspire organizations to act by facilitating informational events. And, when there aren’t many events being held by other groups, the SA should create them. There were 12 forcible sex offenses reported to NIU Police in 2013, 11 reported in 2012 and six reported in 2011. Those numbers downplay the seriousness of assault: Women ages 18 to 24 “had the highest rate of rape and sexual assault victimizations compared to females in all other age groups” and assault is only reported by about 20 percent of female students ages 18 to 24 who are victimized, according to a Department of Justice report. Women aren’t the only people affected: Among college-age people, men accounted for 17 percent of rape and assault victimizations, according to the report. Sexual assault is a widespread problem, and students like those at NIU are frequently affected. The SA is a major influence on campus and it can play a significant role in educating the NIU community so there are fewer sexual assaults and those who are victimized feel more comfortable coming forward. The best way the SA can do that is by holding educational events throughout the year. These events should include sessions that help people understand consent so fewer sexual assaults occur, as the board wrote in a Nov. 24 editorial. Sexual assault isn’t going to go away unless leaders like those in the SA work to educate the community. The SA needs to make a commitment to holding educational and awareness events throughout the year.
By the numbers Forcible sex offenses reported to NIU Police: 2013: 12 2012: 11 2011: six