NIU’s freshman English classes don’t want no career women.

Stewardesses and waitresses are bad news too. And forget about being a congressman or businesswoman, it’s just not in style.

Twenty of 150 frosh English classes are experimenting with gender inclusive language. Teachers are encouraging students to stay away from words that connote male or female.

The guidelines call for a writer to use non-bias, non-sexist language when writing papers.

Freshman English Director Robert Self said the guidelines are not stipulations or rules such as those governing plagiarism.

“These are merely guidelines,” Self said. “Their grades would not be lowered, however, your effectiveness toward a diverse audience could lower your grade.”

“The Freshmen English Committee is interested in establishing non-bias use of English in the university,” said Self.

The guidelines instruct students to be sensitive to racism, sexism or male-oriented language. Examples include mailman or fireman and derogatory language toward females like waitress and coed.

“Many English programs around the country have guidelines providing for non-sexist language,” Self said.

Right now, Self said NIU’s English Department uses guidelines set down by the National Teacher’s Council of English that sanction inclusive language. NIU is looking toward laying down its own rules for students, based on the National Council’s, that would push students away from exclusive words.

The guidelines were developed by the National Teacher’s Council on English and according to the English Committee have been adopted by several professional writing institutions.

“The committee is considering whether or not to make these guidelines a policy statement to be adhered to by all the instructors and students in first-year writing courses,” according to a brief distributed to freshmen in some English sections.

Using policewoman or salesman might not lower a student’s grade, but the thought of publicly saying something against the proposal sends a shudder up a lot of backs. When contacted by The Northern Star, people talked their heads off, as long as their names weren’t used.

One professor against the policy wouldn’t be quoted because of the “political gambit found in the university’s administration.” Others echoed almost exact comments.

Opponents said stipulations governing language are terrible infringements on academic freedom.

They said inclusive language is a form of “politically correct thinking” which is meant to censor free expression in the higher education arena.