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Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016
Northern Star
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Filing for FAFSA sooner gives students a better chance to receive grants
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Perspective
See what’s a pass and what’s a fail as judged by Perspective columnist Brooklyn Harper.
Pass
Diversity class will foster acceptance
On Sunday, the Student Association Senate approved a resolution which will require students starting their first semester at NIU in fall 2017 and after to take at least one credit in a human diversity course prior to graduation. As college students we are the next generation of adults. By requiring us to be educated in diversity, NIU is fostering a more accepting campus.
Editorial Board Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board. Columns Columns reflect the opinion of the author. Editor in Chief and Publisher: Leah Nicolini Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-0105 Managing Editor: Nick Bosshart Editor@NorthernStar.info
Fail
News Editor: Madison Kacer Editor@NorthernStar.info 815-753-9643
MTV star deserved better fan support
Digital Editor: Kaylyn Zielinski Editor@NorthernStar.info Perspective Editor: Angela L. Pagan Editor@NorthernStar.info Sports Editor: Scott A. Nicol Editor@NorthernStar.info Scene Editor: Jay Ibarra Editor@NorthernStar.info Photo Editor: Andy Cozzi Editor@NorthernStar.info Other Advertising Manager: Jonathan Davila Ads@NorthernStar.info 815-753-0108 Circulation Manager: Conner Kauffman 815-753-0707 Adviser: Shelley Hendricks 815-753-4239 Business Adviser: Maria Krull 815-753-0707 Departments Newsroom: 815-753-0105 Advertising: 815-753-0107 Classifieds: 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 Mondays through Fridays. A single copy of the Northern Star is free. Additional copies are 50 cents.
Hanna Markezich | Northern Star
MTV “Ridiculousness” star Chanel West Coast performed at midnight Sept. 29 at Fatty’s Pub & Grille, 1312 W. Lincoln Highway. However, many of those in attendance reportedly did not know her music, but instead recognized her as the girl from “Ridiculousness” and “Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory”. As a young artist I would hope she would receive support based on her music. Chanel deserves recognition for the musical accomplishments she has worked for since she was 17-years-old, not because she hangs out with Rob Dyrdek.
InFocus: Where do you get election news? Republican Party nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton discussed key issues during the Sept. 26 presidential debate. The next presidential debate is scheduled for 9 p.m. Sunday. Following these debates, voters are able to consult various outlets to find a variety of opinions on how well the candidates performed.
Kristen Adams Columnist
I watched the presidential debate on Sept. 26 and tried my best not to be swayed by the immediate media backlash. I watched the debate live on Fox News in order to get firsthand information. Once the debate Letters to the Editor Letters should not exceed 300 words and ended, I looked at news articles from may be edited for clarity and brevity. CNN, Fox News and NBC to see The deadline for a letter is 4 p.m. one who they considered the “winner.” day before the desired date of publicaAs the debates are going on, it tion. Submissions may be held due to space limitations. is important to stay as informed Letters written by students should as possible since we all need to include the author’s year and major. make our voices heard at the Letters should include a phone number where the author can be reached. Phone polls. Getting together with a numbers will not be published. Letters group of friends to watch the may be submitted to Editor@Northernpresidential debates is a fun way Star.info. to stay informed but could lead to a mob mentality in favor of Advertisement policy The Northern Star does not knowingly ac- one candidate or the other becept advertisements that discriminate on tween friends. the basis of sex, race, creed, handicapped Keeping an open mind or veteran status or sexual orientation. throughout the election process Nor does the Northern Star knowingly print ads that violate any local, state or and trying to see whose plans federal laws. are the best thought-out, most To place an advertisement, contact the pragmatic and most economiNorthern Star advertising team at 815cally feasible is essential. Multiple 753-0108 or ads@NorthernStar.info. To view advertising rates, go to sources and points of view are the NorthernStar.info/site/advertise/. best way to avoid being swayed toward a specific candidate without Hiring having all the facts. The decision Student employees must carry a minimum of six NIU semester hours and of who to vote for as president is must have a cumulative grade-point an extremely important decision, average of 2.0 or better. and it needs to come from wellStudents of all majors and experience informed individuals so I encourlevels are welcome to apply. Apply at NorthernStar.info/apply. age students to do their research.
Maddie Steen Columnist
Brooklynn Harper Columnist
Ian Tancun Columnist
When I want to find information on the presidential candidates, I visit the candidates’ campaign homepages, watch the debates and take a look at a few different online sites. By viewing candidates’ homepages, I can read about their stance on different issues, his or her background and the changes he or she hopes to make. This information is the most appealing because it comes directly from the candidate and seems personal. After watching the presidential debate between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, I don’t think the debates are the best way to learn information about the candidates. Hopefully the next debate is a little more informative than interruptive. Searching online is where I find most of my information. The best source I’ve come across is “On The Issues,” a website with an analysis of debate topics, past presidents, the supreme court, state legislation and mainstream media, because it’s so detailed. Gathering information from different types of sources is helpful and creates a well-rounded opinion on each of the candidates before voting time comes around.
My information on politics tends to come from unreliable sources. Twitter memes, Facebook fights and incredibly biased or ridiculous news articles catch my eye more than anything else. I cannot bring myself to support either candidate in this election or bring myself to care about their shenanigans. Watching a debate or news coverage of the election feels more like watching a comedy to me. Occasionally, I see a tweet complaining about a candidate doing or saying this or that which will spark my interest. Then, I visit CNN and the New York Times’ websites for more trustworthy information. It works well for me to see the same story reported from both extremes — very liberal and very conservative — since I don’t personally identify with either party. I wish it could be as simple as finding a single, unbiased source, but that is not possible. This is what makes it so important to fact check with multiple sources with various biases. Social media is an OK place to begin research, but it must not be considered complete until multiple sources projecting various angles have been examined.
I tend to get my election information from a variety of sources. When I’m at home, I usually have MSNBC or CNN playing in the background while doing homework. In politics, I tend to be more on the liberal side, so I prefer MSNBC. Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes and Lawrence O’Donnell, the hosts of some of MSNBC’s news and opinion shows, reflect a liberal viewpoint in the content they cover. Although I do tune in to CNN, a majority of its political commentators are conservative. CNN hired Corey Lewandowski, presidential candidate Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, after he was fired from the campaign in June, according to CNN’s website. While I respect their opinions, I can only stomach listening to Trump surrogates trying to shove his agenda down my throat for short periods of time before I have to switch channels. I highly recommend the Daily Show with Trevor Noah on Comedy Central for those who may find politics boring to begin with. The Daily Show is political news and election coverage told in an incredibly entertaining way which makes it easier to digest. Although it is a comedy show, most of what they cover is informative and entertaining.