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Monday, February 15, 2016
815-753-5606 H @NIUNorthernStar H NorthernStar.info/Opinion
Mission 6 86-student reward too expensive
Better advertising of admissions process could boost enrollment Northern Star 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.
Northern Star Editorial Board
Editor in Chief & Publisher: Jackie Nevarez Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-0105 Managing Editor: Rachel Scaman Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-0177 News Editor: Alexander Chettiath Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-9643 Assistant News Editor: Leah Nicolini Editor@NorthernStar.info Digital Editor: Margaret Maka, Jessica Plessner Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-9644 Perspective Editor: Angela L. Pagan Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-9637 Sports Editor: Chris Loggins Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-9637 Assistant Sports Editor: Thomas Hiley Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-9637 Scene Editor: Darius Parker Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-5606 Photo Editor: Nick Bosshart Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-1602 Other Advertising Manager: Derek Noel Ads@NorthernStar.info 815-753-0108 Circulation Manager: Andrew Parnell 815-753-0707 Adviser: Shelley Hendricks 815-753-4239 Business Adviser: Maria Krull 815-753-0707 About us The Northern Star is a limited public forum whose content is determined exclusively by its student editors. Information presented in this newspaper and its website is not controlled by NIU administration, faculty or staff. The Northern Star has a circulation of 10,000 Mondays and Thursdays. It publishes online at NorthernStar.info every day. A single copy of the Northern Star is free. Additional copies are 50 cents. Letters to the editor Letters should not exceed 300 words and may be edited for clarity and brevity. The deadline for a letter is 4 p.m. one day before the desired date of publication. Submissions may be held due to space limitations. Letters written by students should include the author’s year and major. Letters should include a phone number where the author can be reached. Phone numbers will not be published. Letters may be submitted to Editor@NorthernStar.info. Advertisement policy The Northern Star does not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, handicapped or veteran status or sexual orientation. Nor does the Northern Star knowingly print ads that violate any local, state or federal laws. To place an advertisement, contact the Northern Star advertising team at 815-7530108 or ads@NorthernStar.info. To view advertising rates, go to NorthernStar.info/site/advertise/. Hiring Student employees must carry a minimum of six NIU semester hours and must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. Students of all majors and experience levels are welcome to apply. Apply at www.NorthernStar.info.
Perspective
Faith Mellenthin | Northern Star
NIU students must focus on health now, not later Kaylyn Zielinski Columnist
Students should strive toward a healthier lifestyle before the consequences of an unhealthy one pile up. It is easy to fall into unhealthy habits in college, the temptations are everywhere. With balancing homework, jobs and classes, sometimes it seems easier to just turn away from daily exercise or order out instead of choosing healthier options; whether that be the salad bar at the dining hall or a home-cooked meal. As students, it is a much better idea to take time to exercise, eat right and get enough sleep. Weight gain in college, like the “Freshman 15”, is not a myth. A study done by Auburn University in Alabama shows that out of the 131 students they followed throughout four years of college, 70 percent had gained weight. The study showed that at the beginning of freshman year 18 percent of the 131 students were considered overweight-obese and as seniors that number had grown to 31 percent. The weight these students gained throughout their four years of
college was not healthy weight gain and beans provide protein and as the majority of it was not muscle [students] will get energy from it. but just fat, according to the study. [Students] really don’t need to be buying Red Bull or Monster or Five Physical activity Hour Energy,” said Sheila Barret, One of the reasons for an un- nutrition and dietetics assistant healthy weight gain is a lack of professor. Though energy drinks physical activity. Students should seems like the quick fix, there are aim for at least 30-60 minutes of better ways to boost energy. sleep a day. But the amount of time Exercising is more than just someone should work out, depends a physical activity — t here are upon the time that they have avail- mental benefits too. able, said Nick Minogue, senior “Mentally, you’re going to see a kinesiology major and Campus change in how you think and how Recreation personal trainer. sharp you are. You’re going to be “You have to find a time that’s more alert and more awake,” Mirealistic to you, your schedule and nogue said. your life,” Minogue said. “Find something that you enjoy doing GPA so that you can carry it on in the A Michigan State University coming days, weeks and months study shows a correlation beafter. If you’re going to start an tween exercise and higher GPAs. exercise plan that you don’t enjoy, Students that had purchased a chances are you aren’t going to gym membership had cumulastick with it or stay with it.” tive GPAs 0.13 points higher than those who had not. Also, the stuSleep and diet dents who had purchased memWhile pulling all-nighters may berships had a higher retention seem like an essential part of col- rate than those who had not. lege, students should try to achieve Lucky for NIU students, the seven to nine hours of sleep every cost to use the Recreation Center night and should choose foods is included in tuition fees. that supply natural energy instead Each component of a healthy of opening an energy drink. lifestyle is going to move stu“It’s carbohydrates, it’s fat, and dents toward their goals if they it’s protein that provide energy. are done in synchrony. I encourFor protein, anything like milk, age students to join me in a jourcheese, eggs, fish, soybeans, peas ney to a healthy life.
The Editorial Board feels it would have been more cost-effective if NIU Athletics gave one student free tuition for the spring 2016 semester rather than rewarding 86 students who met the Mission 6 initiative requirements. The Mission 6 prize-eligible students have been invited to the Huskie Bowl on April 22 where they will be seated in the Yordon Terrace, in the north end zone, and food will be provided by NIU Athletics. These 86 students will also receive two free football season tickets for the season following their graduation and $100 toward tuition for this semester. The money NIU athletics will spend on rewarding each of the 86 students will end up being more expensive than paying for one individual’s tuition for one semester, which would have been the original prize had the Mission 6 initiative been successful. Tuition for a full-time undergraduate student for the spring 2016 semester is $4,732.80 per semester, according to NIU’s website. By giving each of the 86 students who attended all NIU home football games a $100 tuition credit, NIU Athletics will be spending $8,600. In 2015, NIU football season ticket packages ranged from $99 to $1,382, according to the NIU Athletics website. If each of the 86 students receive two general public seating season tickets, the total cost would be about $17,000. A 10-person single package for the Yordon Terrace Club is $1,500, according to the NIU Huskie Athletic Fund website. If all 86 students attended the Huskie Bowl game, that would add up to around $13,000 to seat all of the students, and that is not including the food and drinks NIU Athletics will be providing the students. In total, NIU Athletics will spend about $38,600. NIU will also risk losing potential revenue when it comes to season tickets and Huskie Bowl seats. The Editorial Board acknowledges that students failed to meet NIU’s goal of having at least 6,000 students at each home football game, but it would have been much cheaper to pick one of the eligible students at random and pay for his or her tuition. The Editorial Board appreciates NIU Athletics finding a way to reward each of the 86 students; however, it would have been easier and cheaper to give the students what was promised to them: a winner.
Read more NIU Athletics created The Mission 6 initiative to boost attendance at football games. To read more on the Mission 6 initiative go to bit.ly/1SPfVPl.