NIU President John La Tourette decided Wednesday to add three students to the University Campus Environmental Committee.

Amy Ahlstrom, Bradley Fish and Ted Manning will increase student representation to the faculty and administrative-dominated committee beginning at Friday’s meeting.

“I just want to help NIU become a better campus,” said Fish, a member of the environmental group Earth First!

Fish said he hopes to stop further environmental situations from happening, such as the removal of several black willow trees by the East Lagoon. He added he wants to make sure there is a good plan for replanting trees.

Also, Fish said he would like to see increased recycling efforts on campus and said the campus copy machines use a petroleum-based ink which he would like to see changed to soybean ink.

Manning, a graduate assistant in the university housing system, advises a residence hall environmental group called Geo-force which began last semester.

Manning said the group celebrates what environmental surroundings they have and tries to improve on them.

“I think I can be a valuable link between what the university is trying to accomplish and what actually goes on in the residence halls,” Manning said.

Ahlstrom is a member of the Student Committee for Animal Welfare and Earth First! She also is the site director at the campus recycling center.

She said she would like to see students have a greater voice in environmental concerns on campus. She said she has a great concern for the environment and feels the need and desire to improve it.

The increased representation was the result of a proposal presented March 6 to the University Council by students concerned with environmental issues on campus.

Earth First! member Jennifer Gaber requested that La Tourette add six students to the environmental committee. She suggested he give power to the Student Association president each year to appoint the six students.

According to the university committee structure, the environmental committee consists of the president of the SA and one student member each from the SA and UC and school administrators.

SA President Robert McCormack gave La Tourette a list of eight names for possible committee membership. But La Tourette chose only three out of the eight to have equal representation on the committee.

“I would have liked to see more students on it, but I am happy to get that much accomplished,” Gaber said.