Students might wonder what the NIU Student Association members do during the relaxed summer semester without the controversy and excitement usually found in the fall and spring.

Although many SA officers go home during the summer, the SA office is still buzzing with activity.

During the summer, SA officials keep abreast of issues that affect the students. For example, the SA has been keeping up on university policies and state legislation which affect students.

One piece of legislation was the recent House Bill 1968, supported by Richard Boardman, owner of Village Commons Bookstore, 901 Lucinda Ave., which was an attempt to make the Holmes Student Center Bookstore’s credit system illegal.

Along with the Board of Regents, the SA worked to amend the proposed bill so it would continue to be extended to students who have any type of financial assistance. SA President Preston Came said he and Student Regent Jim Mertes met with Boardman to explain the students’ feelings about the bill.

“We hope our meeting helped to implement the compromise,” Came said.

The SA also supported the recent state-proposed tax surcharge which saved NIU students a dramatic tuition increase.

Dave Ivers, Community Affairs Adviser, said he has worked to increase student representation in the DeKalb Council by focusing on proposed redistricting.

In addition, Ivers said he has worked with the university to form a student tenant union. He said he would like the university to add another lawyer to the current Student Legal Assistance office who would focus only on student-landlord problems.

Ivers said the SA takes the summer to lay the groundwork for anything it wants to get accomplished because it usually takes a year to implement projects.

In addition to legislative issues, Came said he has tried to fill appointments to his staff and university committee slots. Came said there are many open student positions on various committees such as the Academic Planning Committee, the Affirmative Action Committee, and the Parking Committee.

“A lot of decisions get made in these committees. Students always complain that they don’t get to make decisions, then they don’t get involved,” Came said.

Came is currently working on a halftime Desert Storm, Desert Shield Recognition Ceremony that will occur possibly at the first football game of the season. NIU students who were called to duty during the Persian Gulf War will be invited to participate in the celebration.

Furthermore, the SA has continued to support some of the services it offers during the fall and spring semesters. For the first time in many years, the Mass Transit Board offered summer bus service to NIU students.

But many SA officials spend the summer preparing for the fall. Vice President John Quilico said he is currently revising the recognition packets which student organizations need to complete to be recognized by the SA.

“I’m adding information and cutting down on some of the requirements. It should be a lot easier for an old organization to get recognized,” he said.