News
NorthernStar.info | @NIUNorthernStar | 815-753-0105
Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016
Students seek inclusive policies Micaela McGinley Staff writer
DeKALB | Sophomore sociology major Riss Carter does not identify with any pronouns. Instead, Carter goes by “Riss.” “I’m not a he,” Carter said. “I’m not a she. I’m not a they. I’m Riss.” Pronouns became a concern at NIU about two years ago since transgender ally training has been made available, said Molly Holmes, director of the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center. In the trainings, self-identification and pronouns are core topics.
“
A lot of people are really scared to start the pronoun talk. Don’t be afraid to ask people what their pronouns are, and don’t be afraid to get educated.” Riss Carter Sophomore sociology major
No official policy exists at NIU for faculty, staff or students to ask for pronouns. Pronouns are defined under gender expression, according to Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’s website. Transgender people use pronouns to reflect their gender identity, the sense of one’s gender, rather than have them reflect the gender they were assigned at birth. “It means that I am my own person,” Carter said. “I’m me. I’ve tried so hard to figure out who I am and be comfortable with who I am and what I want to be called, and it’s hard, especially with my pronouns.” There is a guide on the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center
DeKALB | An elimination of charge backs in the Department of Informational Technology has begun as a result of program prioritization. Program Prioritization uses task forces to create reports that review 223 academic programs and 236 administrative programs to influence the allocation of university funds. The reports were based on narratives submitted by program leaders in November, according to an April 26 Northern Star article. The current charge back model requires IT to charge other departments that use its services because of a lack of central funding for IT. The phase out began a few months ago for most central IT charge back services, President Doug Baker said in a Sept. 1 email. The goal of eliminating charge backs in IT is to improve the efficiency of the department said IT Vice President Brett Coryell. “The university thinks, and I agree, that we need to eliminate the charge back method,” said Coryell. Coryell said the department has also already eliminated 85 percent of charge back costs associated with telephones and wireless billing. The next step is to eliminate
SA senator candidates confirmed Julia Martinez Staff writer
Courtesy of Gender and Sexuality Resource Center
NIU doesn’t have a preferred pronoun policy. Starred pronouns are not gender-inclusive.
website that can be used to betHolmes said to not assume not a private institution. ter understand pronouns and pronouns is the best policy. However, Carter and Sonntag gender identity. The guide lays Holmes said when people take both said NIU is falling short on out ways students and faculty initiative to get educated on certain transgender issues. can become more familiar with transgender issues, they do it beSonntag said barriers for transtransgender issues. It gives ex- cause they want to and because gender students can arise in housamples of how faculty can ap- they know it is right. ing and with NIU OneCards proach making their classrooms Gabriel Sonntag, sophomore which use legal names rather than and services more transgender women’s and gender studies major, preferred names. friendly by giving students a said a policy would bring better “You can get mail delivered as voice in self-identification. awareness to issues regarding gen- your preferred name and sign it off Anne Petty Johnson, faculty der and pronoun identification. as your preferred name,” Sonntag adviser for PRISM, NIU’s stu“I think sometimes policies said. “But if you show them your dent-run LGBTQ organization, are the only way certain people OneCard with your legal name... and director Sustain of the College of are going to do things,” Sonntag It’s like it’s not the same person.” Enhance Reduce Transform Review Liberal Arts and Sciences Ex- said. “Policy will help people Carter said the low number of 12% 28% 20% 23% 17% ternal Programming, said she first get used to the idea and help gender-inclusive bathrooms on began implementing pronoun them realize how important it re- the NIU campus can cause issues guides in her classrooms about ally is to use correct pronouns.” for transgender students. two years ago. Carter said the easiest way for “[NIU is] trying, but we’re not “I didn’t realize how much I someone to get educated on gen- there yet,” Carter said. was devaluing our students,” Petty der and pronoun usage is to simCarter and Sonntag said the Enhance Johnson said. “The rosters that17% we ply12% ask someone if they aren’t sure. inclusion of ally training, the get have student’s legal names, but “A lot of people are really scared LGBTQA dorm floor in New Sustain yet if their name doesn’t match the to start the pronoun 28% talk,” Carter Hall Residence Hall West and Reduce way they present23% themselves gen- said. “Don’t be afraid to ask people groups like PRISM and Transider-wise, Transformit could unintentionally what their pronouns are, and don’t tions make the campus feel like out them, and that’s not my place.” 20% be afraid to get educated.” a safe place. Review Petty Johnson began introducWhen looking into colleges, ing herself with her pronouns Carter researched informa- Ally training and then asked her students to tion about transgender friendly Distribution of all Administrative introduce themselves and share communities. Carter said NIU Training sessions are open to Sustain Review anybody. Dates and registration theirEnhance own pronouns, allowing forReduce seemed toTransform be the most transgenPrograms self-identification. der 20% friendly university 12% 28% 23% that was 17%can be found at bit.ly/1KAPDg4.
IT Department phases out charge backs Samantha Malone Staff writer
3
but he still has financial struggles for the department. Sustain Academic Technology Support, 28% which provides NIU’s core academReduce 23% ic applications for students, was the TransformReview Transform Reduce Sustain Enhance only one of 19 programs submitted 20% 47% 11% 16% 21% 5% by IT to be placed in the enhanceReview ment category by task forces. Programs placed in this category are recognized to need more financial Distribution of all Administrative support from NIU. Programs In the program narrative submitted by IT, a request was made to improve Academic Technol5% ogy Support by updating software 21% 47% Transform and hardware and being allowed a larger staff. Review 16% “Right now we have one person Reduce who runs the financial part of IT,” 11% Coryell said. “If that person wins the Sustain lottery or gets hit by a bus, we can’t Enhance sustain the loss of that one person.” Coryell said he hopes to receive TransformDistribution Review Reduce Sustain Enhance more support for staffing as a reof IT Programs 47% 11% 16% 21% Infographic by Andy Cozzi | Northern Star5%sult of program prioritization. This During program prioritization, a task force placed all administrative could be another important step programs, 19 of which are related to IT, into one of five categories. for the department as it attempts to charge backs associated with for NIU, but not for IT. overcome the shortage of funding it Blackboard, NIU’s online course “The elimination of charge backs is receiving. management system. doesn’t fix the pain points of IT,” “My major financial problem Having a more efficient IT de- Coryell said. “It improves efficiency right now is that we don’t have partment will help NIU to cut back but not5% funding.” funding to replace our equip21% Coryell said he agrees with the ment,” Coryell said. “My budget on spending by saving time previ47% Transform ously spent on redundant actions, task force reports, and everything doesn’t and never has had funding Review Coryell said. This will save money IT is trying to do is being supported, to refresh equipment.” 16% Reduce 11%
Enhance
17%
12%
DeKALB | Campaigning began Wednesday for the 16 senator candidates who are running in the Student Association Senate special election. If at any time the number of senate vacancies is less than half the total number, a special election shall immediately be called. The Senate is responsible for recognizing student organizations, allocating their funds and appointing members of the SA judicial branch, according to the SA Constitution. The Senate had 22 senators, two more than quorum after the spring 2016 elections. However, four senators were removed because they failed to meet SA requirements, and two more senators resigned. “This is the first special election, but I am not worried, because I have great faith in our board of elections,” SA Speaker Christine Wang said. The special elections candidate application deadline was Aug. 21, and the first mandatory senate candidates meeting was Aug. 24.
“
As long as everyone abides by the rules, the special election should be smooth.” Jamilah Dodd SA Election Commissioner
SA Election Commissioner Jamilah Dodd said 27 students attended the meeting, and it’s purpose was to discuss policies, the election process and what is expected of senators such as representing NIU in a positive way. Wang said there were 27 people at the first candidates meeting, which was a lower turnout than SA Senate had hoped for after the amount of work they put into advertising. SA will be marketing the special elections through social media and posters, Wang said. Lark Lewis, SA director of public affairs, is assisting in the marketing process. “Sixteen [candidates] is far more spots [than] we are trying to fill, so I think we’re in a good place right now,” Wang said. Wang said she has been planning to enforce change for future election policies, but this special election will maintain the same process of last semester’s elections. “There was a good mix of every class turning in applications,” Dodd said. “There weren’t more freshmen than sophomore or more sophomore than juniors or seniors and so forth.” SA Senate is not in session, but once they have enough senators, their main focus will be working on changing the election process, Wang said. “I think it will be an easy going small election,” Dodd said. “As long as everyone abides by the rules the special elections should be smooth.”
Special election voting Students can vote for senators on HuskieLink 9 to 6 p.m. on Sept. 14. The election results will be released Sept. 15.